Economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic could very well continue to play out over decades. Change is a forerunner to growth and businesses across the nation were forced to pivot over the last two years. Perseverance was tested, resilience was built and the presence of small businesses on social media, or lack thereof, was noticed.
Small businesses, which account for 99% of businesses and employ 47% of workers in the US, were hit hardest by the pandemic. Many closed their doors, let employees go and canceled shipments upon shipments. On the other hand, many small businesses rose to the top thanks to a strong presence, honest vulnerability and calculated strategy on social media.
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In order to stay relevant on social media channels, small businesses should consider incorporating the following strategies into their content in 2022:
1. Maximize micro-influencers: Micro-influencers are defined as creators with between 10k-75k followers. The reason it’s a good idea for small businesses to partner with this tier of influencer comes down to a few factors; engagement rate, collaborative partnerships and click-thru capabilities. Micro-influencers tend to be a perfect fit for brands of every kind and size because they have enough experience to create high-quality, professional content, yet they’re still in a stage of growth that allows for maintaining a highly engaged community.
2. Talk the Tok: This might seem like a no-brainer, but if your business doesn’t have a TikTok profile, it’s time to pull the trigger in 2022. This platform has proven to be an absolute monster when it comes to connecting with untapped audiences. By incorporating TikTok into your marketing strategy, you can solidify brand recognition and messaging, highlight product and service offerings and connect with a growing and influential audience that has the potential to become loyal and lifelong customers.
3. Double down on Reels: If you’re creating 60 second videos on TikTok, copy and paste it to Instagram Reels. Video engagement is already dominant on Instagram, while Reels is its fastest-growing element. Naturally, the app has focused great attention to updating these features. With such quick and high-scale advancements in videos on social media, you should expect a major change to Instagram’s traditional format if this trend continues in an upward direction and studies say it will.
4. Cater to your audience’s interests: Many businesses pull social data to observe the latest or emerging trends to edge out competitors, but try shifting the focus to your audience’s interests and needs. Create content around your most popular products that are flying off the shelves. Discover which platforms your customers prefer by identifying where your audience is most active. You can even survey your customers to figure out who they really are, who they follow and what they really like.
5. Use buzzwords: One thing we saw during the pandemic was an overwhelming amount of support for small businesses. People wanted to support local and shop small and they still do. Don’t be afraid to use words like “help” and “support” in your posts. By being vulnerable and honest, there’s a huge opportunity to reach consumers who want to shop small. Try networking with other small business owners and plug each other’s causes, highlight inspirations and note the struggles you’ve both overcome.
6. Rack up reviews: What do you trust more, business mission statements or customer reviews? Most consumers trust other consumers over brands, so be wise and add user generated content (UGC) to your marketing game plan! Organic content boosts your opportunities to build trust with consumers, so make sure to get curated content that will resonate with your brand.
Candie Guay is the co-founder and creative director of Scottsdale-based Envida, the nation’s leading multifamily creative industry.
