So you’ve decided to jump on the social media bandwagon. Now what? Trying to figure out where your business fits in the social scene can be a bit intimidating if you’re not familiar with the territory. Here are a few tips to help you find the right social channels for your small business.

1. What is your purpose?

First step: Figure out the purpose of your social media plan. Is it brand awareness? Generating leads? Is it purely to engage with your audience? Your social media strategy will determine what channels are right for your business.

2. What can you offer?

Next, look at the products or services that you have to offer.

If you’re a resort on the lake, you might have stunning photos of the lake property or mouth-watering photos of the gourmet desserts in the resort restaurant.

If you’re a local auto sales dealer, you might have a lot of knowledge about cars that you can share.

If you’re an insurance agency, you could offer tips on home maintenance, theft deterrents, and ways to reduce the risk of getting in an auto accident.

Think of how you can match up what you have to offer with what your audience wants to hear.

3. What’s the best channel to fulfill your purpose, given what you have to offer?

Besides the big three (Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn), there are plenty of other social media channels out there when you include all of the niche sites. If you have a specialized audience, a niche-focused channel might be more effective than the bigger ones.

List all the social channels you can think of that might apply to your business. Then, with your purpose, assets, and audience in mind, circle the ones that are the most appropriate for your business.

We recommend starting with just one social media channel, if you’re new to the social scene. Once you get comfortable with that, you can expand your digital presence.

Minneapolis Marketing

Need help finding the right social media channels for your business? We can help. Contact us at 763-548-2297 or by email.

Snap Agency is a Minneapolis marketing firm that specializes in helping small to medium sized businesses grow through the power of Internet marketing and social media.