Every business starts somewhere, why not with 20 minutes, or just one post to one social media platform each week?
It won’t turn you into Telsa or Apple overnight, but with sound initial setup, a little strategy, and realistic expectations, you might be surprised by what you can achieve.
Benefits of being on social media
Delay investing in a website
Social media is a free and convenient option that you can set up in half an hour with no technical skills. With the right bio description, some strategic thinking, and regular (though not necessarily frequent) posting, an address like https://www.instagram.com/thesocialnestau/ can be used as a temporary web address for your business until you can invest in a website.
Expand your brand reputation by reaching new people
Adding hashtags to your post every week will inevitably get you in front of a few new people. At one post a week it’s a slow game, but consistency will get you there.
Build trust by meeting customer expectations
Your customers will search social media to see if they can trust your brand. Even one post a week for a year makes 52 tiny bits of information to build that trust. Your most recent post shows you are still in business and worth contacting.
Increase brand loyalty
Loyal customers become repeat customers, so you want to stay in touch with them. Having a social media page provides a point of ongoing contact.
Slowly build a business asset
If you consistently follow a strategic posting plan, even minimal effort will (slowly) grow your follower list. This list becomes a business asset showcasing your time in business and the level of interest in your brand.
Choose the platform where you feel comfortable
Micro business owners, freelancers, and solopreneurs like us usually go into business because we have been where our customers are, so choose the platform you feel most comfortable on to begin.
Set it up well with:
- Clear profile picture: Use your logo or headshot.
- Well-written bio: Quickly tell people who you help and how. Include relevant keywords for an SEO boost.
- Link to your website: Or Linktree if you have one.
For example, I’m @thesocialnestau
Social Media Strategist (clear keyword for SEO that easily explains what I do at the same time)
Helping you grow your business (who I help and how)
Connecting you with your audience, increasing your engagement, and growing your business (more info).
Get started on social media with just one post per week
The key to all marketing is strategy, so if you can set aside just 20 minutes a week, target these key phases of the customer journey equally and maximise the reach of each post to see slow and steady results. Together these will build a deeper relationship with your audience and as they begin to know, like and trust you, they will be more likely to purchase.
1. Introduce your brand and products (brand awareness)
Capture new customers by:
- Showcasing your latest product release or sale
- Sharing behind-the-scenes videos or images, including yourself and the team
- Telling customers more about your business – why you started or what keeps you going
2. Help customers decide to buy (consideration)
Provide evidence that your brand understands customer needs, values and problems by:
- Creating carousels of helpful information or ways your product can work for them
- Sharing the ways you share customer values
- Including user-generated content, testimonials and case studies
3. Embrace loyal customers (advocate)
Previous customers are more likely to purchase again and recommend you to others. Keep them loyal by:
- Offering them exclusive offers or competitions
- Creating content that they want to share with their followers
- Quickly replying to tags, comments, or DMs
Maximise your reach on every post
- Engage with your platform community first. Comment on posts in your feed and reply to follower comments on your previous posts.
- Include a scroll-stopping image or video. Even on more word-based platforms like LinkedIn, this can increase your visibility.
- Optimise your text with relevant keywords. This helps you show up in searches.
- Tag relevant accounts. Tag anyone included or mentioned, including team members, customers, venues and other business collaboration partners (this helps you get in front of their audience too.
- Use hashtags. This helps you reach non-followers interested in content like yours. Target those that fit your ideal customer with niche or location-specific hashtags as relevant.
Committing to 20 minutes a week can be fun
Investing just 20 minutes a week aims to make small business social media stress-free and achievable. It’s for businesses that are marketing other ways, just getting started, or happy growing slowly. The goal is a small impact over no impact, not fast and furious growth. Replicate post styles that perform well and swap out styles that flop.
Don’t be afraid to test and try new things or make the 20 minutes your own. Try 90 minutes a month with a content planner, using a scheduling tool, Canva templates, casual videos, or whatever social media vibe works for your brand. Just be consistent in your branding visuals and voice so customers recognise you easily and have some fun with it all.
For more about social media strategies and specific tips for Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, visit www.thesocialnest.com.au or book your free intro chat here with our head Social Media Strategist, Susie Basiaco.
