How to use Social Media Marketing for a Startup

Whether you are launching an app, hosting an event or opening a restaurant if you want to grab people's attention you must be on Social Media. With almost 40% of total world population and almost half the population of Nepal having access to the internet, Social Media has become one of the most important marketing platform.

Not convinced with Social Media Marketing yet? Here are few other reasons, Social Media Marketing is a cost effective platform for startups and new businesses, it costs nothing to be on Social Media unless if you want to run paid Ads (We will discuss about it in future). And since almost half the population is on the internet, if no one is talking about you, you have no chance of growth!

So how can you get started in Social Media Marketing and use it for your startup or business? Well here are few things you will have to do.

Determine your goals.

Grab a piece of paper and write down all the things that you want to achieve from your participation in Social Media. Answer questions like Why are you doing it? Are you trying to generate sales? Are you trying to increase downloads of you app? Are you trying to offer some kind of costumer service? Do you want to build relationship with your costumer and amplify loyalty? Are you trying to promote your business and attract potential costumers? Who are your target audience? Answering these questions can always keep you on track with your vision and help you focus on Social Media platform that you want to participate in.



Create your Social Media account(s).

Once you have your answers for the above given questions now decide which Social Media platforms are most suitable for you and create your account. For example, if you are running a restaurant choose Facebook and Instagram because it allows you to promote your restaurant through pictures and reach interested costumers through hashtags. Once you do that create an account or page with your business's name and fill in the necessary information. Don't worry if your content, profile picture or timeline photo isn't ready yet, you can create those after you have your account ready.



Learn necessary skills or hire someone who has it.

There are few things you will need to learn if you haven't already to run a Social Media account. Social Media accounts needs to have contents to post so learn to make a good piece of content using images, videos and texts. You will also need to learn how to maintain your accounts so that everything is up to date and most importantly can you be the face of your business online and communicate with your costumers through comments and messages? If you are not willing to learn then you can hire someone to do these things for you, s/he doesn't have to be an expert or someone with tons of experience, you need just someone who can do the job!



Integrate your marketing efforts.

A successful Social Media Marketing campaign is always backed by traditional forms of marketing at first. Make sure your Social Media and traditional marketing efforts work together seamlessly. For instance add links to your Social Media accounts in your visiting/business cards, ask your friends and families to follow your Social Media accounts and tell your customers if they have any query they can contact you through your Social Media accounts easily.



Focus on quantity not quality.

If you are just starting, frequency of content is more important than the quality of content. You just have to put something out and see how the world reacts. Then you can learn and grow.



Don't give up, Keep learning.

Social Media Marketing is not a short term marketing campaign, it is a marketing marathon. You cannot expect to post few contents for a month and then hope for the results to show up! You have to be persistent and very active. You have to keep observing and learning, you need to be flexible and accept changes to have success in Social Media.

ALSO READ: How to use Facebook to grow your business