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Social Media Marketing Tips for Local Businesses

More people are online than ever before, and many of those people are on social media. Social media offers a powerful platform for people to stay connected, and that’s something we could all use right now.

There’s no doubt about it; people are active on social media these days, and that means that your business needs to be active, too. If you’re not currently using social media, it’s time to start.

There are many different aspects to a successful social media marketing strategy, but one aspect that should never be overlooked is posting regularly.

How often you should post on social media depends on the platform you’re using. With some platforms, you can get away with posting weekly, but with others, like Twitter, for example, you’ll want to shoot for a daily strategy.

However, knowing that posting regularly is important and finding content to post that often are two very different things. After all, some industries are more ready-made for social media than others. For businesses in the service industry, like plumbers, electricians, pest control companies and the like, figuring out what to post on social media can be exceedingly difficult.

It’s not like anyone wants to see a video of you unclogging a toilet or eliminating a rats’ nest, so what should you post about on your social media platforms? Here are a few tips to help local businesses like yours get it right on social media.

5 social media marketing tips for local businesses

#1. Post about upcoming events

In many industries, being local is a major selling point. Local businesses are the pride of their communities, and social media is a great place to highlight the fact that you’re local and involved in the community. There are all kinds of events in your local community, and you can show your support for your community by posting about the local upcoming events.

With the coronavirus, there may not be concerts, plays, or other in-person events, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t events that you can post about in your community. Post about upcoming cyber town halls or other online events. You could also post about the different problems in your community, about how your business is helping, and about how your followers can, too.

#2. Post about local schools and sports

Local sports are the glue of many communities across the United States, and showing your support for local, high school teams is a great way to show your community how devoted you are. It’s also the kind of content that will generate engagement with people in your community, which means that you’ll have a higher chance of getting likes, shares, and comments.

There aren’t exactly local games being held right now in most states, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t highlight past success and accomplishments of local athletes. You could also post about what people can do to support local schools and athletes during the coronavirus pandemic.

#3. Promote entertainment-based businesses in your community

Although your industry may not be the most natural fit for social media marketing, there are plenty of other local businesses in your community that are. One effective way to generate more engagement on social media, while also demonstrating your commitment to your community, is to promote and support those businesses on social media.

There are lots of great local businesses in the entertainment sector of your community that have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. These include restaurants, bars, venues, and the like, and many of them are struggling to stay afloat right now.

Do your part by posting about them on social media. This may include posts about which local businesses are still operating and what adjustments they’ve made, and how people in the community can support their favorite local businesses.

#4. Post beautiful images of your community

We could all use a little beauty in our lives right about now, and every community around the country has its own unique form of it. Maybe it’s a natural landmark, like a distinct-looking rock, a river, mountains, or a beach, or maybe it’s something man-made, like a mural that covers a building or a historical building. Whatever it is that makes your community special is perfect to post on social media, but first, you need professional pictures of it.

Hire a local photographer to take pictures from around your community of familiar spots and favorite haunts, and then post one per week on social media. You’ll be bringing a little light into your followers’ lives. You’ll have something engaging to post about. You’ll also be able to support a local photographer who is probably in desperate need of business due to canceled weddings and photoshoots with families, seniors, etc.

#5. Give life lessons, advice, and encouragement

The point of posting about your community — including the local businesses, sports teams, events, and more — is to post about what’s relevant to your audience. One great way to do this is by connecting with their human side by posting about life lessons you’ve learned recently, as well as by giving helpful advice and encouragement.

Every day brings a new life lesson, and when you learn something new that may help or inspire someone else, post it on social media! We’re also all facing a lot of challenges and changes right now, and if you have any advice that could help someone adjust to the new reality or get what they need, share it! If you’ve come across an encouraging story or quote, share it!

Getting it right on social media doesn’t always mean posting what’s relevant to you. Generating engagement on your posts requires a different kind of strategy — one that’s centered around posting what’s relevant to your audience.

Social media marketing is something every local business needs to get behind, but you also need a website to send your followers to when they want to learn more or schedule an appointment with you. That’s where we come in.

With the Websites 360® website builder, you can build a professional, high-quality website easily and quickly, regardless of how much design experience you have. Start building your local business website today!

Originally published on 4/16/20