If you’re a small business owner, you already know that you need some sort of “social media strategy,” but what exactly does that entail? Too many small business owners are rushing into social media blindly and getting poor results. But that doesn’t mean that social media should be left to the big corporations. In fact, with proper leadership, adequate resources, and well chosen marketing writers, small businesses can create powerful social media marketing strategies that generate followers, fans, and serious income.
Coconut Bliss
This Oregon based organic ice cream company has a robust social media presence, well-designed products, and national distribution. But Coconut Bliss started as a small operation between a single couple devoted to healthy eating and living. Their website is full of great images and stories, including the unique “Bliss Storybook,” but they also keep active on several social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ and Flickr. By offering quality content on all of these sites and promoting user-submitted images, Coconut Bliss has embraced their fan base and built up their visibility as a result.
The Social Man
The Social Man is a dating coach site created in 2008 that has grown in popularity thanks to its founders commitment to using video sites like YouTube and Blip.tv. Since life coaching and dating advice is highly personal, the guys at The Social Man knew they had to reach out to potential customers with more than just words, and video networking has proven to be a boon to their business.
JarvieDigital Photography
Scott Jarvie is a sought after photographer who has built up a strong following while running his studio from the unlikely home base of Utah. Jarvie works hard at distinguishing himself from other local photographers by highlighting his extensive travel experience and sharing photos on several social networking sites as well as his blog. Jarvie writes candidly about what drives him to take photos and values the feedback he gets from his followers. He even turned to them when it came time to name his own unique style of shooting, the “Jarvie Window.”
Liberty Bay Books
A locally owned independent bookstore in Washington state, Liberty Bay Books maintains a lively Facebook and Twitter presence to start conversations online that owner Suzanne Droppert hopes will continue when her many followers drop in to the store. Since joining Twitter, she’s reported a growth both in sales, and in the number of genuine connections with her customer base.
Smitten Kitchen
Launched as a recipe blog site in 2006 by home cook Deb Perlman, Smitten Kitchen is a great example of how to grow an organic following. The site features high-quality photographs and writing, with regular cross-posts in visual social media spheres like Instagram, Flickr, and Pinterest. Now that there’s an official SK cookbook, Perlman has a ready-made customer base built in that she attracted through steady production of unique, interesting content.
Caitlin C is a freelance writer available on WriterAccess, a marketplace where clients and expert writers connect for assignments.
