At Tech Collective, we strongly believe that social media is the best and most cost effective way to scale your business if you’re an early stage startup. The power of social media is incredibly useful when it comes to your business – giving you the power reach and connect with thousands if not millions of people.
We have explored the impact of social media on your startup before, and highlighted key tips on how to run social media campaigns. Here we look at five tips on how to scale your startup using social media.
1. Consistency matters
Posting when you feel like it or when you have the time will not work for a growing startup. Consumers are ravenous and want content delivered to them and do not want to wait. Follow these simple rules to get it right:
- Figure out what will be a doable schedule for you
- Identify the best times to post content
- Post from once a day to two to three times on different platforms, but maintain a consistent schedule
- If you have customers in different timezone, cater to their needs and timings
Do not let your schedule change drastically such as from multiple times a day to less than once a week. This will impact your business and engagement online.
2. Speak to your followers
If you have 50 or 50 million followers online, make sure you engage them properly. Don’t just post content and expect to get engagement in return. Honestly, you need to be proactive and engage them on your channels. Here are some simple ways to engage users:
- Always respond to comments on your page
- Don’t be shy to ask your customers to share their thoughts, questions, and ideas to get to know them better
- Post about trending topics related to your business and ask for feedback
- Retweet, like and share user generated content if it fits your business and make sure your followers know they are appreciated
3. Be human
Corporate social media channels can be really boring, so giving it some personality can help you stand out. A great example is CB Insights on Instagram, which might be too extreme, but is a constant source of hilarity amongst our office.
Try to show the human side of the business by sometimes showing behind-the-scenes shots or even just responding to comments you receive on your page. This helps humanise the brand and creates engagement, which can lead to business down the line.
4. Align your message
Do not post content for the sake of posting content. Figure out what you want to say and then make your content fits into that bucket. Ask yourself these questions first:
- Is this relevant to my brand?
- Would my followers care?
- Does this help me grow my business (directly or indirectly)?
For instance, if you’re a food-related startup, maybe do not only post spammy ads about your service, but also focus on food and the industry around it. It is still relevant, adds value to your followers and shows you have a strong grasp of the wider industry.
5. Video is still king
Startups need to invest in video or learn how to take great videos on their smartphone. Video marketing is a great way to connect with your audience in real-time.
Brands can even start by just posting fun videos on Instagram stories or even do a Facebook Live. While it may take you sometime to gain traction, it will help you engage your audience and grow your following in the industry.