Social Media For Small Business Tip: Talk About The Things That Interest Your Customers

Effective use of social media, which builds relationships and grows your audience, requires doing more than posting about your monthly specials or even featuring user-created content by hosting selfie stations in your place of business.

It requires understanding your customers and creating conversations and sharing information about other things they are interested in, besides just those your business offers.

On Facebook, you can start by going to Insights under “People” and see a little bit about the demographics of your fans, your followers, and all people who see your content in their newsfeed. Starting with their ages, gender, and geographic location, you can get a feel for who you are currently reaching. Then think about who you want to reach. You probably already know who your target customers are – not just age, gender and geography, but possibly their general income level, education level, and possibly even career options.

Beyond your own product or services, what are their interests?

For example, if a med spa’s primary target market is women in their 30s to 60s, in a middle to upper income bracket, what other topics besides skin care might interest them? A few that come quickly to mind may be fitness, healthy eating, or travel. Consider sharing content through your social media channels that also appeals to those interests, while remaining true to the brand image you have built for your business.

Another example could be a family restaurant focused on affordable meals and an atmosphere where kids are welcome. Consider sharing content that appeals to families on a budget with young kids, such as at-home craft ideas or day-trip travel ideas.

By sharing content that relates to your target audience’s other interests, you show that you really do understand them.