For many business owners, social media marketing for their products and services isn’t a new idea. But it might be a tactic the company hasn’t really tried or understood how to use.
In recent years, social media marketing has become an easy way for small companies to promote themselves without relying on large marketing departments or costly resources. Not only are social media platforms free to use, but they also offer access to a big audience of potential customers for every product or service out there. Consider these stats:
- Facebook has over 3 billion monthly active users
- LinkedIn is the most used social platform for B2B marketing, named by 80% of B2B leaders.
- Instagram Live has the highest ROI of any Instagram content format and is the most effective for gaining followers and shares
So, whether you’re a broker working with business owners, or a business owner yourself, social media marketing can open a new world of possibilities. That’s because it can create awareness about you or your business, increase website traffic and help sell products and services. In fact, people are 90% more likely to buy from a brand they follow on social media.
5 Social Media Marketing Ideas
If you’re ready to take the plunge, here are 5 social media marketing ideas for your small business:
- Set social goals for your business. If you or your clients are new to social media, it’s important to create a goal. This way you’ll know if your efforts are working. Rather than jumping into every social network without direction, think about what you want to get out of your social media presence. Then create a goal around that. For example, if you own an HVAC company, it might be your goal to build awareness about your company during the off season. Or, if you’re a broker who works with business owners, you might want to increase the number of connections you make on LinkedIn. It’s normal for goals to vary and change—keeping them in mind is what’s important.
- Promote social accounts in newsletters & email signatures. Take advantage of your company newsletters or email address to cross promote. Adding social icons to the bottom of your newsletter or below your email signature gives people you already connect with an easy way to follow your company on social media.
- It’s not all about Facebook. It’s true. While Facebook is huge, it’s not the only social media platform out there. And your business might benefit from exploring other channels in addition to Facebook. If you work in the B2B space, LinkedIn might be the best place to connect and engage with clients and prospects. As many as 4 out of 5 people on LinkedIn drive business decisions for their companies. If your business helps teach people how to do something or you have great product imagery, Pinterest might be a good platform to use. Over 498 million active users visit Pinterest each month.
- Take advantage of built-in tools. From Twitter polls to Instagram stories, there are many ways to increase engagement between your company and the people who interact with your company. For example, if you are launching a new service, try creating a Twitter poll to gather insights directly from customers. Or film a live video to share on Instagram that answers key questions your clients or customers always ask. Connecting directly with your audience shows that you care about their needs.
- Focus on quality over quantity. The number of social media marketing options for a business owner can be overwhelming. But you don’t need to do it all. In fact, it’s a good idea to think about doing less. You don’t need to create a profile on every social media channel—focus on creating quality content on just a few networks that are important to you. Social marketing is all about building a relationship with your client. So, providing a fun and well-thought-out post every so often is more engaging than spamming your sales pitch across every network 24/7.
Sometimes the biggest hurdle people face is knowing where to find content to share with their connections online. A good place to start is your own company’s website. Here at Delta Dental of Arizona we offer tons of online resources to make you look like an expert.
Social Media Marketing Resources
Browse through some of these assets next time you’re stumped for what to post on social media:
- Social Sales Toolkit for Brokers. The toolkit includes a deployment guide, social media copy and social media images to promote a partnership with us and generate new leads through B2B social media marketing.
- Delta Dental of Arizona Blog. From mouth-healthy recipe ideas to tips on using dental benefits, our blog is a great resource for folks looking for articles to read and share across every social network.
- Broker Sales Collateral. We designed our library of sales collateral to be easily shared with clients during the decision-making process. Use these materials to grab quick bits of information to include in your posts. For example, we have a 96% retention rate among employer groups—that’s a great stat to share with your clients.
- Industry-Relevant White Papers. Looking for industry backed data? Our white papers cover a variety of topics and include tools you can use to educate others about the benefits of dental benefits.
- Engaging Oral Health Videos. Across social media, video is king. And sharing video content keeps your connections engaged in a fun way. Our Delta Dental of Arizona YouTube channel offers videos on oral health, customer testimonials, understanding dental benefits, and more.
Lastly, don’t forget to connect with us on social media, too! Drop a comment or question on any of our channels. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Editors Note: This post was originally published July 2021. The content was revised and updated Ocotober 2024.
