How should you be using social media as a small business owner? Here are six smart ways: 

1. Build brand awareness. Simply having a presence on social media is a smart way to build brand awareness. Regardless of what you sell, having an account on social media makes it easier for potential clients or customers to discover you. Customers can check-in at your establishment and tag you in their pictures, plus, fellow businesses can feature you in their posts.

2. Encourage customer reviews. Since online reviews can boost local search performance and strengthen your reputation, it’s beneficial to get more positive reviews for your business. If you have a Facebook page, customers can leave a star rating and write an authored review. You can also use sites like Twitter or Instagram to encourage customers to review you on Google. The post can be as simple as, “Reviews from awesome customers like you help us out. Will you take 60 seconds to share your experience?”

3. Provide customer support. Active social media accounts are also a great way to provide customer support. Whether you’re answering a customer’s question in Facebook Messenger or responding to a recent tweet, social media provides a casual access point between your business and your clients or customers. Just be sure to respond in a timely fashion. According to one study, 65% of respondents expect a Twitter response within 60 minutes.

4. Answer frequently asked questions. Social media also provides a way to proactively answer commonly asked questions. For instance, in your Instagram bio, Twitter bio, or the About section of your Facebook page, outline your hours, brick-and-mortar address, and/or contact information.

5. Showcase how your business is unique. As a photo-centric site, Instagram is a good platform for showing how your business is unique. If you own a coffee shop, you may want to share pictures of your intricate latte art. If you own a tattoo parlor, you may want to share your favorite tattoos. And if you run a humane society, you may profile a different adoptable dog or cat each week.

6. Announce specials and promotions. Last, but not least, social media is an effective way to share specials and promotions. You may want to post your happy hour prices, discounted furniture, or your newest t-shirt designs. This is also a great way to promote your mobile loyalty program or old school punch card.

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