Maximise your business reach with social media

In the digital era, social media has transformed into a marketing tool for businesses of all sizes. For any entrepreneur, leveraging social media channels can be a game-changer, offering an affordable, effective and efficient way to engage and connect with customers, raise brand awareness, and boost sales.

But diving into the world of social media can be intimidating - especially if you're unsure of how to begin. To help, we've asked our Wise Social Media team to share their expert advice on launching your business' social media presence, effectively leveraging different platforms, and identifying the variables that can impact your digital footprint, ultimately leading to business success.

According to Teoh Lander-Boyce, the Social Media Manager of Wise's accounts, businesses must not underestimate the influence of social media: “When you have so much to prioritise, social media is really easy to overlook in your marketing mix for small business owners, but it’s the one place where potential customers can really get to know you, your product, and your services.”

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Picking the right platform

One of the first steps in establishing a successful social media presence is choosing the right platforms. With so many social media platforms available, it's important to pick and choose the ones that align best with your business goals and target demographics. “Pick a channel or two. Figure out what’s within your means to create. Create a rough schedule, and then stick to it. From there, you can start experimenting with different copy or styles of content as you go, learning lessons on what works and what doesn’t,” says Teoh. Understanding where your audience spends their time online is crucial for maximising your reach and engagement.

Teoh suggests choosing the platform may be easier if you know the type of content you're going to be creating: “Selecting the right channel depends on the type of content you intend to produce. If you enjoy creating short and engaging videos, then TikTok and Instagram are ideal. If your focus is on product photos and real-life stories, consider Facebook and Instagram.”

Facebook
With a user base that spans various age groups, particularly those aged 25-55, Facebook is ideal for local restaurants, community events, and family-oriented businesses. Its features, such as groups, events, and targeted advertising, allowing businesses to engage with local communities and create a strong online presence through posts, videos, and interactive content.

Instagram
Known for its image-centric approach, Instagram is perfect for brands that rely on strong visual appeal, such as fashion boutiques, travel blogs, and lifestyle brands. Its primary user base consists of younger individuals, aged 18-35, who are drawn to high-quality images, stories, and short videos. Businesses can showcase their products creatively and engage with a trend-conscious, millennial, and Gen Z audience.

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X (previously Twitter)
X is a fast-paced platform that suits businesses needing to share real-time updates and engage in timely conversations. It's particularly popular among professionals and individuals aged 18-49 who appreciate concise information and quick interactions. Ideal for tech startups, news outlets, and thought leaders, X allows businesses to share news, updates, and industry insights, as well as engage directly with their audience.

LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the go-to platform for B2B marketing, professional networking, and industry insights. With a user base primarily consisting of professionals aged 25-50, LinkedIn is perfect for businesses offering B2B services, recruitment agencies, and industry experts. It allows businesses to share professional content, network with industry peers, and position themselves as thought leaders through articles, posts, and participation in groups and discussions.

TikTok
TikTok has rapidly gained popularity, especially among Gen Z users aged 16-24. Known for its creative, short-form video content, TikTok is an excellent platform for brands focusing on entertainment and viral content. Beauty brands, music artists, and other creative industries can leverage TikTok's trends and challenges to create engaging and shareable content that resonates with younger audiences.

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Creating high-quality and relevant content

Once you've identified the right platforms for your business, focus on creating high-quality content that resonates with your audience. This could include engaging posts, informative articles, eye-catching visuals, or even live videos. Remember to maintain consistency in branding across all social media channels to reinforce recognition and trust.

Juliana Cruz, Senior Social Media Executive for Wise's Brazilian channels, emphasises the importance of tailoring content to your audience: “One of the most important tasks as a Social Media manager is to tailor your content to your audience’s interests and understand their behaviours. Your content calendar should be consistent—find out what works for your niche in terms of frequency and quantity, but always prioritise delivering quality above all else.”

To enhance social media performance, businesses should develop a robust content pipeline by first understanding which formats, series, and topics resonate with their audience. This involves conducting thorough competitor analysis to identify successful content strategies within the industry. By analysing competitors' high-performing posts, businesses can discern patterns in content types—such as videos, infographics, or blog posts—that attract high engagement.

Additionally, recognizing recurring themes or series that capture audience interest can guide the creation of similar content tailored to their brand.

Engagement is key when it comes to social media marketing. Respond promptly to comments and messages from followers and actively participate in conversations related to your industry. Building genuine connections with your audience will not only increase brand loyalty but also encourage word-of-mouth referrals.

Don't forget about analytics! Most social media platforms provide insights into engagement metrics such as likes, shares, and comments. Use these analytics regularly to measure the success of your campaigns and make informed decisions about future strategies. Juliana also advises against investing in expensive tools before setting clear goals and objectives: “There are several tools available to aid in social media management, but before investing your money and time in any of them, define your goals and objectives so you can choose the best tool to help your business achieve them.”

Growing your business sustainably with social media

Social media has revolutionised how individuals and businesses connect and thrive. Ali Galan, Social lead at Wise, highlights its transformative power: "Social media is by far the ultimate tool for anyone looking to grow their business or personal brand. It's the only channel where everyone has the same opportunity to succeed, and depending on the level of value you produce, anyone, anywhere can come out on top."

While growing your brand is important, there are other benefits of having active social media profiles, one of which is getting real-time feedback from your customers. "One of the greatest benefits of social media is your direct access to your audience's attention. You can create an infinite feedback loop with your target market at virtually no cost, allowing you to continuously improve your offerings and build a dedicated community," says Ali.

Here are some of the most important social media metrics for businesses:

Impressions indicate how many times content is being displayed, helping a business understand the potential visibility and reach of campaigns.

Engagement rate is a key metric, reflecting how actively users interact with content through likes, shares, comments, and clicks; it provides insight into audience interest and connection. Reach measures the total number of unique users who see a post, allowing businesses to gauge brand visibility across platforms.

Likes and comments are an indicator of content popularity and approval, helping to identify what types of content resonate most with your audience. Comments provide direct feedback and offer insights into their thoughts, questions, and concerns.

Clicks track the actual number of interactions with your links, helping to measure interest and traffic to your website.

Additionally, analysing follower growth helps businesses understand their expanding or contracting audience base over time.

Harnessing the power of social media is not just advantageous but essential for maximising your business reach. It provides a cost-effective platform to engage with customers, elevate brand visibility, and drive sales. As emphasised by our Wise Social Media team, understanding your audience, selecting the right platforms, and consistently delivering quality content are key steps in building a successful social media presence.

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