Social Media Marketing for Small Business: Everything You Need to Know
Updated: Dec 6, 2022

If you’re a social media user, we’re sure you have stumbled across posts promoting certain brands. HubSpot discovered that 79% of marketers buy paid advertising on social media, so it’s not surprising that social networks are flooded with ad campaigns.
But what is exactly social media marketing? How does it work? What makes this marketing method so popular these days?
We will share several knowledge nuggets about social media marketing and answer some of the questions about this particular topic. By the end of this article, you’d want to jump on the bandwagon and start your own business accounts.
What Is Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing uses social media networks to advertise a brand, product, or service. This marketing method leverages the popularity of social networks to achieve the company’s marketing and branding goals.
If done properly, social media marketing allows you to build meaningful relationships with the audience, build brand credibility, increase sales, and establish a brand voice.
Why Social Media Marketing?
As of January 2022, there are over 4.62 billion social media users across the world. 424 million new users have joined social media since last year, projecting a strong growth rate that shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon.
In terms of usage, most social media users spend an average of 2.5 hours per day on social networks and messaging. 54% of customers utilise social media to research products during that period.
From these statistics alone, it can be concluded that:
Social media networks have a massive audience, which means lots of eyes on your brand.
The chance of your brand getting discovered by potential customers is high.
You can leverage social media networks to influence people’s buying decisions, resulting in higher revenue growth.
The rapid growth of social media makes it essential for businesses today and for years to come, regardless of your industry.
How Does Social Media Marketing Work?
Social media marketing offers a lot of opportunities to boost brand awareness. For one, this marketing method is excellent for driving website traffic and turning them into leads. If you have a business website, linking it to the social media posts will prompt potential customers to visit the site and stimulate brand awareness.
Another benefit of having a social media presence is establishing a direct communication line with customers. You can address their questions and concerns directly, making nurturing strong relationships with them easier.
Social media's accessibility and broad audience also make for the perfect platform to build hype for upcoming events and product releases. Many companies even do giveaways to encourage audience participation and word-of-mouth marketing – and it works!
Which Social Media Platforms Should I Use?
It depends! Each social media platform has its own target demographic. For instance, Facebookand Instagram’s largest demographic is men and women between the ages of 25-34 years old. Meanwhile, LinkedIn is more popular with older users aged 46-55 years old.
Another factor to consider is the social media platforms’ characteristics. Instagram and Pinterest work best for businesses that mostly rely on visual content. On the other hand, Facebook is a much better choice if you want to share a lot of detailed information.
When Is the Best Time to Post on Social Media?
To get the highest clicks, it’s important to post your content during peak traffic times. Doing so ensures that your posts are seen by your target audience, making it easier to achieve your marketing goals.
Each social media platform has its peak traffic times, so it depends on which one you end up choosing. There’s a consensus saying that the best time to post on Facebook is between 8 am and 12 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while the best time to post on Instagram is around 11 am on Wednesdays.
However, running your social media accounts with this knowledge alone is far from enough. You also need to consider the targeted age group’s unique social media behaviours when planning your social posting schedule.
For this reason, many businesses experiment with their posting schedule and types of content to find the perfect time frame to post.
Who Is Virtually Social?
Virtually Social is an Australian-based marketing agency that offers social media management services. We help small businesses establish a strong online presence to generate leads and grow their audience base by leveraging popular social media networks.
Growing social media channels takes a lot of trial and error. As not everyone has the time or energy to do it, we offer our services and years of experience in the industry to get your accounts up and running in no time.
By allowing our social media experts to manage your channel’s growth, you get more time to focus on running your business – you know, the important things!