Emma Tessler, founder of NinetyFive Media
If you’ve ever struggled with optimizing social media, you’re not alone. While we all wish it were as easy as posting & logging off, there are many nuances to the modern world of digital marketing – especially in 2021.
I’m Emma Tessler, and I founded my digital marketing agency, Ninety Five Media, in 2015 at the cusp of Social Media’s rise in the marketing world. When sponsored videos and fashion blogs were still new concepts, I saw an opportunity for larger brands to optimize social media and monetize their online presence.
Flashforward to 2021, and every small business in existence is on Social Media. But the difference between you & them? You have an incredible offer you need to get out into the world. And the way you’re going to do that is through strategic Social Media Marketing and optimizing your social platforms.
What Platforms Do You Need?
To start, consider which platforms you want to show up on. Begin with one and learn all of the ins and outs there first. Once you’ve got a grip on that platform (Instagram is a great place to start), then look to expand to others that serve your specific ideal client. One platform on the rise this year is LinkedIn – with 740 million users, only a tiny percentage are actually creating content. This means that you, as a content creator, have an incredible opportunity to get visible here! Try dipping your toes in this year because, by 2022, this platform’s landscape will look very different.
When creating content for these targeted platforms, the #1 thing to remember is to make every piece of content value-based. How can you make reading your posts worth your consumer’s time? How can you ensure that they walk away knowing more than they did start? When we provide value to our audience, we build trust and authority with them, which is the only way to both optimize and grow.
Mistakes Business Owners Make with Social Media
The biggest mistake I see most business owners make though is not thinking about how your Social Media Marketing plays into your long-term goals. How are you A) building an online audience and then B) getting them into a funnel that converts them from follower to paying client? These are the questions we need to ask ourselves daily when creating content for any platform. Remember, consistency is everything. Your audience typically needs to see a message 8-20 times before buying/opting in. So when you feel like you’ve talked about a topic 800x, this is the point where your audience is starting to get on board!
Build Trust with Your Audience
Finally, to really build trust with your audience, the video will be key. Instagram Stories, in particular, is the best way to get in front of your followers and build not only value-based connections but personal trust as well. This kickstarts the know-like-trust factor we are all after and directly generates conversations in your DMs, which is where you will be able to close the sale (especially as a small business!). Try getting on stories daily and reduce posting to your feed to only 3-5x per week. Document the impact this makes on your overall interactions and conversions; I’m sure you will see a major shift.
Social Media Marketing doesn’t have to feel scary! In my recent IG Live with Mimi, we covered all of this and more. You can tune in HERE.
If you’re looking to outsource your Digital Marketing, you can explore our Social Media Management packages HERE to learn how we can help you begin to monetize your online presence!
Follow Ninety Five Media HERE and download our Freebie, 6 DFY Authority Building Posts HERE to get a jump start on your content creation.
