Steve Strauss shares 4 social media secrets for business owners

In the latest installment of our Behind the Sign webinar series, small business columnist Steve Strauss took the virtual stage to explore social media's vast potential. Steve’s presentation underscored the importance of establishing business leaders as experts; and leveraging social channels to redefine your brand presence and drive business growth.

Steve began by acknowledging the noise and overwhelming nature of social media, especially for small business owners. While many understand the importance of social media, some find it daunting, time-consuming, or challenging to navigate effectively.

[The social platform] you want to be on – is the social media site that your customers are on.

Steve highlighted the significance of choosing the right social media platforms for your business. Rather than spreading yourself too thin, focusing your efforts where your customers are active is a more strategic approach. Moreover, experts naturally attract more referrals, and people are willing to pay more for established brand names.

Key takeaways:

• 🤔 Choose the social media platforms your customers use.
• 📣 Share content that demonstrates your expertise.
• 🤓 Engage with your audience actively.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Collaborate with influencers in your industry to expand your reach.
• 👨‍🔧 Showcase your successes and accomplishments.

Steve stressed the importance of creating engaging content that resonates with your audience. Content can be in various forms, but short-form videos are particularly effective. 

Video is shared more often than anything. That's word-of-mouth advertising, isn't it? But today, word of mouth is word of click.

Key takeaways:

• Short-form videos are highly shareable: “Video is shared more often than anything. That's word-of-mouth advertising.”
• User-generated content adds authenticity: “If you can get people to create content in your feed – that really works.”
• Humorous and story-based content often performs well: “If you can be funny, entertaining, quick, pithy, clever – certainly that works on social media.”
• Story-based content resonates: “If you can tell a story, a business story, a rags-to-riches story, that emotional appeal really works.“
• Valuable information establishes credibility: “Whatever it is you do, whatever it is you sell, you know more than the average person. So, your job on social media is to share that valuable information with the world.”

Building a dedicated audience is essential for reaping the rewards of social media. Steve explained two approaches for growing your social media following: organic and quick.

Organic growth involves consistently creating valuable content, engaging with your audience, and building relationships. This method is free but requires patience.

The quick approach involves micro-targeting your desired audience, selecting the right platform, creating shareable content, putting it in front of your audience, and analyzing and refining your results. Micro-targeting ensures your content speaks directly to your ideal customers, increasing the chances of engagement.

You want to know your audience really well – your desired customer. What are their ages? What are their interests? What is their education? What is their income? What do they like to do in their spare time? What is their recreation? What websites do they go to?

Steve wrapped up the webinar by discussing cost-effective advertising strategies on social media. He highlighted retargeting, native ads, and user-generated content ads as powerful tools for small businesses.

Retargeting involves showing ads repeatedly to potential customers who have shown interest in your product or service. Native ads blend seamlessly with organic content, making them less obtrusive and more likely to be clicked. User-generated content ads leverage user participation in contests or promotions to create buzz about your brand.

What's a native ad? It looks like a normal post. But if you look real carefully, it's a paid ad.

Key takeaways:

• Utilize retargeting to keep your brand in front of potential customers.
• Implement native ads to blend in with organic content.
• Encourage user-generated content through contests and promotions.

Steve Strauss's webinar provided small business owners with a roadmap to harness the potential of social media. From building your brand and expertise to creating engaging content, growing your audience, and using cost-effective advertising strategies, these secrets can help you thrive in the digital landscape. By following these strategies, you can revolutionize your business and stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing.

Ready to revolutionize your business? Register for upcoming webinars at Behind the Sign of a Better Business and stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing.