You can use social media marketing to connect with your customers, help new customers find your business, and build relationships! Since many small business owners and employees are familiar with at least one social media network, it can be easy to get started. Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn all offer free accounts and Pages for businesses, too, so there’s no up-front monetary expense.

Managing social media, though, especially if your company has Pages on multiple networks, can be time-intensive. And when you’re running a small business, your time might be better spent serving customers, keeping track of finances, and managing employees.

Should you make the jump?

Five reasons to use social media tools

1. You can see feeds from all of your social media channels in one place. Jumping back and forth from site to site can be a big part of the social media time suck. If this sounds like a typical day for you online, consider trying out a tool that has this feature.
2. You can post to any combination of your social media channels. Similarly, many social media tools make the updating process faster. You don’t have to post to every channel every time, too - pick and choose which ones get updated each time. You’ll save time and effort.
3. It makes it easier for someone else to step in. Once you’ve set up a social media tool with all of your accounts, it’s easy to share access with a co-worker. If you’re sick or away, share just one login with your co-worker instead of five!
4. You can learn more about your social media performance. Many tools offer analytics and reporting. You won’t need to go to yet another site to see which links get clicked on, what content gets shared, and how often people are talking to or about you. This gives you instant feedback on what’s working, enabling you to do more of that! You can even share the report with co-workers, too.
5. You can check and update your social media channels anywhere. Switching from social media site to site is a pain on your computer, but it can be twice as annoying on a smartphone! While all of the major social media networks now have their own apps, you can save time by checking your social media tool’s single app while you’re on the go. This makes it easy to check in if something’s getting a lot of activity.

Five reasons to not use social media tools

How many social media posts do you really read word for word? What makes you stop your scrolling and take notice?

Make sure you include compelling social media copy in all of your posts - even if you’re posting to share a video, photo, or link. Even though Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+ will make your post look appealing by providing a video, photo, or link embed, you’ll miss an opportunity to engage your reader if you don’t include a relevant caption.

Keep It Simple

Think again about how you browse social media. You probably skim posts, right? Make sure your copy is easy to understand even at a glance. Unless your social media audience is primarily made up of professionals who are well-versed in and expect high-level content, you probably want to write simple, easy-to-read copy, using a tone of voice that’s consistent with your branding, that includes clear headlines and calls-to-action.

You don’t know who makes up the majority of your audience and what they expect? Read on…