Having a social media presence is essential for any business. Here are 5 tips to play your cards right if you are the head of a VSB/SME.
According to a study by AFNIC, almost 1 million French VSBs/SMEs still did not have an online presence in 2017. Managers of small organizations are aware of the issues related to digitalization, but they are often afraid to invest in tools they are unfamiliar with.
But the world of social media is not reserved for large companies. Kompass gives you 5 tips to implement a social media strategy adapted to your needs and capabilities.
1. LinkedIn, a niche to help you stand out
Key figure: 50% of B2B buyers are likely to make purchasing decisions with a company they are connected to on LinkedIn. (FR)
LinkedIn is too often seen only as a network to find a job, and 50% of SMEs are not on the platform.
But you would be wrong not to take advantage of everything LinkedIn has to offer. A true network of “specialists” (1 million active users in France), it allows you to keep a very close watch on the competition, generate quality contacts, and even boost your business through social selling! (FR)
Kompass recommendations:
- Create two profiles: one for your company and another one in your name
- Connect with your customers and prospective customers.
- Identify 5 new contacts a week.
- Post 1 to 2 times a week.
- Take part in conversations and prove you are an expert in your field.
2. The Facebook business page, a must-have
Key figure: Over one in three Facebook users are connected to an SME. (FR)
Facebook remains the undisputed leader in social media. Look at it this way: There are 33 million monthly Facebook users in France, 75% of whom have previously visited a business page. There is immense potential, and you definitely don’t want to be unprepared. Creating a Facebook business page is a very easy process that will only take you a few minutes. Facebook has stepped up its support for VSBs/SMEs, notably with the launch of a “Small Business Forum” in France in 2017. (FR)
No excuses: Get started and like Thomas, Claudine, and Nathalie, get more time, awareness, and… new customers! (FR)
Kompass recommendations:
- Ideally, post 1 to 2 times a week.
- Adopt a casual tone and focus on being interactive (by launching a quiz-based contest, for example).
- Reply to every comment. If you don’t have time or if there are too many, settle for Likes, which are always appreciated.
- If you have room in your budget, don’t hesitate to sponsor your posts. For 1 dollar, you can increase your audience up to 600 people with options such as location
The world of social media is not reserved for large companies. Kompass gives you 5 tips to implement a social media strategy adapted to your needs and capabilities.
3. The Twitter account, the secret power of the hashtag
Key figure: 66% of users have discovered a new business on Twitter, and 73% of them have followed the account.
With nearly 22 million monthly users, Twitter remains a popular social media network in France. It might seem difficult at first, but don’t be fooled by appearances. Once you understand the rules, from the 280-character limit to the famous hashtag, you will see the social media network with the blue bird and reliable services as a great showcase for your VSB/SME.
Kompass recommendations:
- 4 to 5 tweets a day, alternating between retweets and original posts
- 80% of content should be related to your professional field of expertise, 20% advertising
- Incorporate visuals. A tweet with a photo generates 5 times more engagement!
4. Instagram, keeping up with the times
Key figure: Instagram has contributed to an increase in sales for 53% of French SMEs. (FR)
The very popular social media network for images just passed the symbolic one-billion-user mark in 2018. The business potential has not gone unnoticed by companies, with over 2 million of them on the platform, a figure that has doubled in the past year.
Instagram offers a free and attractive option for businesses: the business profile. (FR) Business profiles let you add contact information, access valuable statistics to refine your marketing strategy, and easily promote your posts. You will come to understand that cultivating your Insta presence is just keeping up with the times!
Kompass recommendations:
- 1 to 3 posts a day
- Make an effort with your visuals! Don’t lose sight of the fact that Instagram is a visual network by nature.
- Engage with your community by launching a photo contest, for example.
- Choose the right hashtags (a dozen per post) to effectively target and grow your community.
5. A YouTube channel, because video is the future!
Key figure: Video will account for 80% of all Internet traffic by 2021.
The customer is king, and they have made their preference for video clear. Therefore, it would hardly be fitting to pass up the number one social media network for this format, YouTube. Using your smartphone, you can easily create effective videos: product presentations, customer testimonials, opinions on news in your field, live events, etc.
Additionally, YouTube offers a support area to help you easily create your content before using it in advertising.
Kompass recommendations:
- 1 video a month
- Keep it short (less than 2 minutes)
- Share your videos on other social media networks and embed them in your blog posts.
As the manager of a VSB/SME, you have everything to gain by working on your visibility on social media networks. Be where your customers and prospective customers are to get to know them better, form a relationship of trust
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