If you are a beginner and planning to start a business also relying on social media, this article is just for you. We at Thewebsitecontept team are of the opinion that a successful and profitable business requires good preparation and the right mindset.

Each start is difficult and requires a lot of hard work and dedication. Therefore, we advise you to take small steps locally, before the whole world finds out about you. Social media marketing should be a must-do because now the vast majority of happenings are platform-based.

But in order to have successful social media marketing, we need to learn something about it. It is important to note that social media is a “double-edged sword” because if used properly it can greatly contribute to your business. On the other hand, being used in the wrong way can be detrimental to your business. In the next few minutes, we will go through things we should do and the ones we should avoid.

Social media marketing Do’s:

Make sure your social media accounts are completely filled

Before we start posting content on networks, we will make sure that the accounts are 100% filled. Our advice is to use all the popular platforms because you are more likely to increase brand awareness. Some platforms do not require much work, such as Twitter. Facebook, on the other hand, requires a little more time considering the information you need to enter. Instagram and Pinterest require a little more creativity, so make sure you do it the right way.

Tip: Never copy the same content from platform to platform. Instead, take the time to create a unique “BIO” for each social network.

Facebook | Pixabay.com

Make different content for each platform

We highly suggest that you create different content for each platform. The reasons are many, and among them is that each platform has a different type of content and an audience that responds differently. You are not required to post content every day, so there should not be too much work involved. On the other hand, if you are one of those who want to “flood” your audience with content, you can always hire someone to create the content for you.

Use automation software

In order to be able to do everything related to your business, you need to use some software to automatically place content. Sometimes you will find yourself in a situation where you are unable to post content, and we do not want to lose continuity. In addition, you make huge savings in automation, so you can focus on other elements related to your business. Later, Hubspot and Hootsuite are our favorites.

Networking · Contacting · Sharing is caring

Contacting people in the same or similar business has proven to be a good idea. Networking is a very, very good strategic move because you not only increase the chances of your idea being seen by more people but also by selling more products. In any case, no matter what you do, networking is a must-do.

Any ideas can come from ordinary conversations with people within your niche. A business partnership, an exchange of ideas, helpful tips or other things. What’s more, you can set up a closed Whatsapp or Telegram group to share helpful tips with one another. This has helped us in many ways, so give it a try.

Share relevant content

Sometimes you will find yourself in the unenviable situation of not having the content to post when you should. In this case, you will post relevant content to maintain your social media presence while sharing value with your fans. It is very important that you stick to the content and value it carries.

Build trust with your social media leads

One of the most important things in your entire business is to build a bridge of trust between you and your fan base. People, if they trust you, will buy from you whatever you offer them. And it’s not just a matter of buying, because you can use the trust of the masses in many different ways. Let’s say you want to increase the number of followers on Instagram. In this case, simple “Please support us on Instagram” will cause the number of followers to grow rapidly. And many other examples.

Tell your story

One of the best ways to become close with your audience is to tell the journey you went through while building your business. In some cases, video documentation is recommended. For example, if it is a product you are selling, it would be a good idea to make a video about the product creation process or the workshop where the product is made. It all depends on the business you run. The goal is to familiarize your audience with the process of creation and give them useful information.

Social media marketing Don’ts:

There is no shortcut on the way to success

Don’t be fooled by the various marketing tricks to sell an e-book or online course. The vast majority of such material has absolutely no value or is information that you can easily find by using Google. There is no elevator to success. You have to use the stairs. Therefore, do not buy expensive courses that will teach you nothing. Give yourself time to research which strategy is best for you and work to achieve your goals.

Don’t buy followers, likes, comments or views

The same goes for engagement on social platforms. Don’t think you cheated the system if you bought likes, comments or views. These kinds of things are not bought because they can only hurt your business. There are various services that offer automation, so your content has comments that have absolutely nothing to do with what you posted. Imagine how it looks in the eyes of the people who follow you and who actually care about what you do. Again, before each decision, put yourself in the position of your audience and how they would react to it. It all depends on them after all.

Don’t forget to reply to comments, messages, and e-mails

Don’t ignore comments, messages, and emails. Be as accessible to your followers as much as you can. If you receive a negative comment, do not consider it an insult. In fact, use it to see what you are wrong about if need be. Staying in touch with your audience is a very important thing. People love it when you are friendly and when you make them feel important. In fact, they are the most important factor, because as we said before, everything depends on them.

Don’t forget about posting time

Posting at the right time can make a huge difference in the reach your posts have. There is a study conducted regarding the ideal time for content placement, which you will be able to read in the following text. But before we get into that, we want to point out that in addition, you need to track insights using the tools the platforms themselves provide us with.

So what we advise is to be flexible when it comes to set-up time and put a bit more effort into it. Do the research for yourself, test your audience and see when it’s best to post content.

CoSchedule conducted 16 studies on social media posting times. Down below you have more info:

Instagram: Mondays and Fridays at 2 a.m., 8 to 9 a.m., and 5 p.m.

Twitter: Wednesdays at noon, 3 p.m., and 5 to 6 p.m.;

LinkedIn: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 7 to 8 a.m., noon, and 5 to 6 p.m.;

Pinterest: Sundays for food posts, Mondays for fitness posts, Tuesdays for gadget posts, Wednesdays for quotes, Thursdays for outfits, Fridays for GIFs, and Saturdays for travel, with the weekend having the highest engagement at 2 a.m., 2 p.m., and 9 p.m.

Google+: Wednesdays at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., and noon to 1 p.m.;

Facebook: Sundays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, with the weekend having 32% engagement and the weekdays having 18% engagement at 9 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.

Don’t focus on one social media platform

Each social network has its own type of audience. Your job is to post content regularly for each of them. That’s why we mentioned automation earlier. Take the time to schedule content for each platform and save yourself a huge amount of time that you can use for some other things. It is important to network your entire project and bring all your audience together into one place, your website.

Don’t be too sales-minded

Keep in mind that besides you, there are millions of other companies that, like you, are trying to sell their products. If you focus only on sales, you will be no different from the others. Remember, the goal is to stand out, not be the same as everyone else. On average, one user sees 5,000 ads a day. Imagine what a “bombing” is for social network users. Therefore, devote your time to share some value and gain confidence before you begin offering your products or services.

Don’t over-expect things to happen

A stable and strong business has been building for years. We ask you not to expect excessive results in the first 6-9 months. If you are thinking in the long run, as we are, then be patient and schedule your resources properly. Sales will be, that’s for sure, but you have to set yourself realistic and achievable goals that you can follow and meet. There is a possibility to be disappointed and quit when you shouldn’t.