Every business has, at a minimum, an organic social media presence. For larger companies with big budgets, there’s a well–researched strategy, a team, and ample data for informative metrics. For those of us with small businesses, we mostly rely on intuition, scraps of time, and thin data. So here are some thoughts about maximizing your impact.
Is it true that video is best?
Yes. Short-form video is, without a doubt, going to get you more views than a still image. And yes, it’s because of the algorithms. All of the platforms are pushing short-form video to viewers. Even YouTube has begun YouTube Shorts. Not all businesses lend themselves to video. But if you do, go for it! Shoot in short bursts to minimize (or eliminate) editing. In the charts below, you can see that the top platforms are all working hard to promote video.
For every age demographic, the top two platforms are video-obsessed.
Lennon Bone helps artists grow their businesses, but I find that most of his wisdom applies to all types of businesses.
He recently said this…
“When you’re trying to build an audience, they don’t know anything about what you make, why you make it, why they should like you, or why they should trust you. You have to educate them on how they can get to know you. How they can start to like and trust you as an individual, and as a seller of the thing that you make.” What better way than video?
He makes a good point. Wouldn’t you be more likely to hire or refer someone whose videos you’ve been watching, enjoying, and learning from for a few months?
But I don’t want to be on camera! I’m self-conscious!
This is obviously common. And frankly, for women, camera time is a bigger lift. But if a prospective client wants to talk about hiring you, you’re probably going to hop on Zoom. You can’t hide forever. And you’re more likely to GET the prospect call if people get to know you on social media.
So give it a go. There are tons of free tutorials online, and lots of interesting inexpensive apps that can help you get creative. And of course, I can help. We can mix face-to-camera with other types of videos to intensify our effort at growing your reach. If your social media growth is flat, what have you got to lose?
If you have expertise to share, get out there and shine.