There’s no denying that social media is powerful these days – especially for brands and companies. In fact, there are plenty of statistics that prove the importance of social media for companies, including those that show an increase in customers due to social media marketing efforts. But with so many social platforms to choose from – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Google+ to name a few – it can be hard to determine which platform works best with your products and services. Since there’s no sense in spending time and marketing dollars on a platform that isn’t the right fit for your brand, we’re going to help you out.
Below, we list some of the major industries in Riverside, CA, indicate which social media platforms work best for each, and share some thoughts on how to use them.
Restaurants
As a restaurant owner, you want people to know about your food and you want them to crave your food. Because if they crave your food, then you know they’re going to want to go to your restaurant. Have you ever heard the expression “eat with your eyes?” It means that just looking at food can cause our mouths to water and cravings to set in, and that’s exactly what we’re going for.
There are three main social media platforms that you should focus on as a restaurant owner. They are:
Yelp – Any business with a physical location should be using this platform, but especially restaurants. Make sure yours is listed on Yelp. Be sure to include correct hours, location, and website information. Then, encourage your customers to leave ratings, reviews, and photos when they visit your restaurant. Monitor comments and provide positive feedback, especially if a customer leaves a negative review. You can let customers know that you’re on Yelp by placing the logo somewhere they will see it. You might even want to consider offering incentives to Yelp users, such as a free beverage or discount when they “check in.” People view Yelp as a trusted referral service, so you want to make sure you have a strong presence on this platform.
The Best 10 Restaurants in Riverside, CA
Real Time Search Results Provided By Yelp.
Instagram – We all know someone who likes to take pictures of their food. Hey, you might even be one of them. Instagram, a visually driven social media platform, is ideal for restaurants for this very reason. Post photos of your food and use hashtags to attract new users. Research and use popular, trending hashtags. Go a step further by creating your own hashtag and encouraging customers to use that hashtag anytime they take photos of your food. Instagram is also a great platform to give your customers a behind-the-scenes look at how some of their food is created, or what the company’s employees are like.
Facebook – Facebook is still one of the leading “sharing” platforms. It offers a great way to gain new business. Posting delicious food photos can encourage your customers to share on their own page, attracting new “fans” and new customers. Facebook is also a great platform for letting customers know about special menu items or restaurant changes. Make sure your Facebook profile is complete and includes an attractive cover image (like a popular dish from your menu) and a profile picture (your logo – or even better – a picture of you). Encourage your customers to interact with your page by posing fun questions, such as “What is your favorite dish on our menu?” and “If you could add one entree to our menu, what would it be?”
Retail
You’ve got some great products and you want everyone to know about them. Along with making sure your products get seen in printed advertisements and flyers, you want to make sure the online world knows about them too. After all, every year more and more people choose to purchase items online rather than in-store.
For restaurant owners (above) we mentioned the importance of having a Yelp account. This holds true for retail business owners too, so make sure you read our tips on that above. Along with Yelp, here are the three social media account you should be using as a retail business owner:
Facebook – Whether you’re selling clothes or toys, subscription services or kitchen appliances, your business needs a Facebook account. Facebook is still the best way to keep in touch with your customers and encourage discussion, especially when you’re trying to pass along information. It’s a great place to share new items you’re selling, special sales and discounts, and store events. Encourage your customers to interact and to share by posting engaging content, and lots of pictures. One idea is to have fun by posting close-up photos of products and asking your customers to guess what product you’ve posted.
Pinterest – Believe it not, Pinterest isn’t just for the DIY-ers and Foodies. Pinterest is a great platform for retail businesses. In fact, check out this great infographic from Shopify on how Pinterest can drive traffic and sales to your business. On Pinterest, users, including company pages, can create themed boards. These themed boards will often feature products, projects, and ideas that other users can save to their own boards. Users love to see what kinds of ideas companies come up with for their own products, and, because Pinterest’s pins are clickable, users can buy the products by clicking on the pin which directs them to the website. The key to a successful Pinterest lies in having the right images, using the right descriptions, pinning at the most active times, and making sure the “Rich Pins” feature is enabled (this is a feature that gives the user more information about the product when they click on the pin).
Real Time Search Results Provided By Pinterest.
Instagram – The platform that’s all about photos is perfect for showcasing your products. Post photos, use popular hashtags, and keep your image descriptions brief. While Instagram does not allow links in posts yet, you can include a clickable link in your Instagram profile that can redirect to a specific item or to your website, just be sure to remind them in your posts. Feel free to give your Instagram followers a sneak peek when new stock comes in or re-gram images of customers using your products, as these will encourage comments and feedback.
Technology & Professional Services
You want your customers to think of your business as the expert in the industry. Your primary concern is getting people interested in what you’ve got to say, and letting them know what your company has been working on, what they can expect from you, and how you can make their lives easier with your services. If that’s the case, then there are a couple of social media platforms that are perfect for you.
Twitter – There’s no easier way to provide real-time updates to your readers than with Twitter. With a Twitter account you can keep your readers and fans in-the-know with the latest information or events happening in your industry. Twitter makes it easy to include links in its “tweets” too, so you can provide short snippets of information and direct traffic back to your blog post or article with even more information. And, because Twitter makes open-communication easy, it’s a great platform for answering questions your followers may have. Be sure to include trending and relevant hashtags in your tweets.
LinkedIn – With thousands of professionals using this social media platform, LinkedIn is a great platform for those who perform professional services, as well as those in the technology industry. This platform isn’t just for recruiting or job-seeking (though it still works great for that), it’s also a way for users and businesses to share their blog posts, connect with experts in various industries, show off projects, and build relationships. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete and begin working on creating connections. You can start by connecting your business with employees and other industry leaders.
Google+ – Most people who use Google+ are interested in technology and engineering, so it’s obvious that, as a technology business, you should want a strong presence on this platform. Google+ is very similar to Facebook, in that posts can be shared, liked, and commented on, so be sure to share interesting photos, facts, and articles about your business. It’s also rumored that having a Google+ account can help improve your Google search rankings, which will mean more clicks through to your site.
Go forth and socialize
Finding the right social media platform for your business can be a little bit tricky, but we hope we’ve been able to make it easier for you. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you want to make sure that you’re using the same platforms that your customers are using. Also, if you’re using multiple social media platforms, try to make it easier for yourself by using social media management accounts like Hootsuite, which can combine several accounts into one easy platform, allowing you to schedule and view posts without having to login to multiple places.
If you’d like more information regarding which social media platforms are best for your specific business, please contact A Graphic Advantage! at (951) 786-4178. We look forward to assisting you in your goal to grow your business.