Social media is a powerful tool for small businesses to market themselves in this digital age. With almost everyone on the internet, it’s crucial to stay up-to-date on the latest marketing trends to get more people into your store.
Developing social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram is the first step, but what happens after that? Here are five strategies that you can use to market your business on social media platforms:
1) Posting engaging content on social media channels
The sky is the limit for the amount of content you could produce for your cafe business. You can take photos of your food, write captions about the story behind the dish, or post videos of your employees while they create masterpieces on a plate.
You could also dabble in making short TikTok videos on how you make your coffee. Or, if you don’t want to spoil your secret recipes online, you could just show the people online how you can command a nitrous oxide tin as you top your best-selling drinks with delicious whipped cream.
The important thing is to make sure your content doesn’t go to waste. Don’t post anything just because you can; create content that is on topic with your brand and will engage your audience. This way, the online interactions can be converted into actual sales.
2) Creating an online community with your posts
What’s the point in having an online presence without gathering feedback from your customers? Social media is made for communication, so you should use it to make meaningful connections with your followers in the hopes that it could lead to future business.
You can also create an online community by hosting a weekly hashtag chat on Twitter and asking them to share their best coffee-related stories. Whatever you choose to do, make sure your content and posts (even those that don’t directly show sales) work for your audience. This way, they can feel like they belong to a community and would want to keep coming back for more.
3) Interacting with your followers regularly
People love a good deal, and many brands have built up their following by giving away freebies and exclusive discounts. Make your followers feel special by offering them an exclusive promotion or coupon code that they’ll receive through email only after they follow you on your social media account.
Such interactions are essential for your business. It could be as simple as asking them what kind of drink they’d like you to create next, or it could be as complicated as gauging their opinion on a redesign of your coffee shop’s logo.
Your customers’ feedback can also be used to make the establishment more environment-friendly, to add healthier options to your menu, or even to add a Wi-Fi connection. Whatever you choose to do, make sure you’re putting your customers first.
4) Using hashtags to increase engagement
Hashtags can be a huge help for businesses that just want a bit more out of their social media marketing. They make it much easier to find posts relevant to your brand, and it makes it easier for you to track conversations about your business.
You could also use hashtags to increase engagement on your posts. For example, if you’re hosting a weekly chat night, you could use unique hashtags that correspond to the chat topic or specific questions you’d like your followers to answer.
Some hashtags even have a global reach, so they could make sure your posts are seen by people who don’t follow you. However, using hashtags for the sake of using them could have a negative effect. Don’t just throw in random hashtags that could mislead your connections into thinking you’re spamming them.
5) Building relationships with influencers in the same industry
Influencers in your industry can be great ambassadors for your cafe business. Collaborating with them and sharing each other’s posts can help both of your businesses get more exposure, and it could even lead to a potential deal in the future.
However, you have to be careful when approaching influencers to build relationships with. You might want to ask them what they’re looking for in a partnership or see if there’s anything they require before you work together. You can also give them product samples to create sponsored content.
It’s not just enough to have a big following on social media. You should be proactive with your marketing efforts and know when potential customers need your help. You should also make sure that your social media networks work for you and not the other way around. People don’t feel like they’re engaging with your brand if you don’t interact with them, so make sure you communicate and build relationships with them!
