Let’s talk about social media.

We’re sure we’re going to piss off a few social media people, but we can guarantee it’s the ones who haven’t moved with the times and understand the current landscape.

We know that local and independent businesses face new challenges with how fast social media changes. But, with that comes a host of opportunities, that if you’re smart and willing to, you can take full advantage of.

Gone are the days when organic reach alone could sustain a “marketing strategy” and see a solid ROI (return of investment). Today, social media platforms are driven by sophisticated AI algorithms designed to prioritise content that generates engagement and ad revenue… #simple.

No matter what “social media” experts might say, there isn’t any hack that can beat it. Unless you have a solid (viral type) story, have a controversial topic or piece of content or literally, a right place, right time kinda thing. Why, do we say this, well our Sister company, work closely with Meta and TikTok and head to their HQ’s often.

As a result, you must adapt by investing in some marketing strategies to ensure consistent brand awareness and conversion rates… as we know that is what’s important to you as a business. You want to make money right - otherwise why would you be in business.

Our sister company, Rochelle White Comms, regularly collaborates with major platforms and provides valuable insights into these changes. This article highlights the need for dedicated budgets in social media and offers actionable tips for you to improve your presence.

The need for investment and here’s why 🙋🏾‍♂️

AI-driven algorithms: Do you think that organic content can out smart AI algorithms? The answer is no! But, these algorithms are clever in what they push content wise. AI determines which content gets seen #facts. These algorithms favor posts that encourage interaction and engagement, often sidelining organic content from businesses. These platforms are no longer designed for small businesses… we’re in a play to pay era 💰.

Ad spend: There’s a reason some local and independent brands seem to be everywhere, they will be spending somewhere. To combat the limitations of organic reach, investing in paid advertising and campaigns is crucial. Ads can be tailored to target specific demographics, locations, and interests, maximising their impact.

Content quality: We know that loads of “so called experts”, tell you to post a lot of content. But, what they don’t tell you is you can do that, but it could be bad content. The reality is, you have to invest in good content and content that actually represents you/brand. Canva is OK, we use for our business, because of the type of content we talk about. But, if you want customer engagement and reach wider, you need real people/ your customers, your product/ service at the forefront. Not, every brand needs to have the owners face, but it needs personality. High-quality, engaging content is more likely to be favored by algorithms. This requires resources—whether it's time, money, or creative input.

Consistency: Maintaining a consistent posting across platforms requires planning and often, financial investment. It doesn’t have to be daily or even weekly, but find what works for you and use the data provided - use your analytics, insights to shape your posting as that is based on facts.

Analytics and adaptation: We can’t stress this enough, regularly analysing the performance of your social media efforts helps to build a better marketing approach. By adapting strategies based on data is essential, how do you reckon the big boys do it. They don’t build a feed that “looks good” or has a flow. They create the content the resonates and engages their customers. This might involve investing in tools or software that provide these insights.

Tips for improving your social media marketing 🤳🏼

While investing in social media marketing is necessary, there are several strategies that you can implement on your own to build your presence.

Engage with your audience.

There’s a reason nowadays that most brands have community managers (and no that isn’t a social media manager). This is key to brand, community managers are there to support brand reach and growth. Not come up the strategy, not scheduled content or anything like that. If you need to do this, set time aside to invest time into this. And if you’re going to outsource, these are some of the key things they should do;

• Respond promptly to comments and messages.

• Engage with followers by liking and commenting on their posts.

• Host Q&A sessions, polls and live videos to interact directly with your audience.

Leverage user-generated Content (UGC)

The biggest power in this, brands like (our friends) Lemonade Dolls have a strong social media presence, but also strategy. The team understand who their targeting and use the power of customer content. This is a great example of how to do it.

• Encourage customers to share photos and reviews of your products or services.

• Repost UGC with proper credit to the original creator. This not only builds community but also provides authentic content for your page.

Monitor analytics and adjust

No matter your size, you need to start to get comfortable with your data and insights. You think you know your customers, but sometimes you don’t. This should shape and determine your marketing strategy and not just social media. You maybe be small, but having access to Google Analytics, your social media insights and more can have a direct impact on your bottomline - if you use it to build your marketing.

• Use the analytics tools provided by social media platforms to monitor the performance of your posts.

• Identify which types of content perform best and adjust your strategy accordingly.

• Pay attention to your audience such as demographics, age and location. Not to mention, who engages with your content more - your actual followers or people who don’t actually follow. Use that data to either re-engage with your followers or attract new ones. Don’t try and do both, be clear as that leads to brand messaging and consistency.

Social media landscape has significantly changed and there is no slowing it down with the use of AI and CGI. The reality is, you must evolve with it and adapt as and when you can.

While organic reach has its limitations, strategic investment can drive brand awareness and conversions. Embrace these changes, invest wisely and watch your business grow in the digital age.

If you want me to cover a particular topic, let me know. If you want to learn more, join PR Sauce from £18.00.