If you have a small business, you’re probably spending a lot of time trying to find the latest social media marketing tips.

There are nearly twice as many active social media users as there were only five years ago!  Every day those users spend around 2.25 hours scrolling their social media feeds.

Those 2.25 hours offer an incredible opportunity for businesses to build brand awareness, grow customer relationships and potentially make sales within social media channels.

If you're wondering how to use social media for small business, check out these essential tips to get started:

1. Plan

It’s easy to get started using social media for business. It doesn’t cost anything to create a Facebook Page for your business or to start posting on Instagram. But before you jump in feet first, keep in mind that every good strategy starts with a good plan. Without a plan, you have no clear goal for what you’re trying to achieve.

Take time to create a social media plan. This ensures that all your social efforts support your business goals.

Here’s a couple of tips to create a social media marketing plan:

• Set social media goals and objectives
• Base your goals on metrics that will have a real impact on your business. For example, you could aim to acquire new customers or raise your conversion rate, rather than gaining likes and followers.

2. Research the competition

How are your competitors using social media? While you don’t want to copy them, learning from what others have done is a great way to see what works.

3. Look for inspiration

You’ve looked at what your competitors are doing online, but what about other businesses? Take inspiration from the success of businesses in all industries.  Pay attention to what your favourite brands are doing. What makes you want to click, follow or buy?

4. Create a social media calendar

A social media calendar helps you post the right content to the right social channels at the right time. Try the 80-20 rule. Use 80% of your content to inform, educate, or entertain your audience. Use the other 20% to promote your brand or sell your products.

5. Decide which platforms are right for you

Don’t make assumptions about where your audience is spending their time online. Your instinct might tell you that if you’re targeting Gen Z, you should skip Facebook and focus on Instagram or TikTok. But data shows that nearly a quarter of Facebook users are aged 18 to 24.  If you’re wanting to sell to baby boomers, you might be interested to learn that adults over age of 65 are Facebook’s fastest growing audience.

6. Know your audience

One reason using social media for business is so effective is that you can micro-target your audience.

7. Build relationships

The unique benefit of social media marketing for small business is that it allows you to talk directly to customers and followers. You can build relationships over time, rather than asking for a sale upfront.

8. Pay attention to trends

Pay attention to trends in social media, so you understand what people are looking for when they sign into their social channels. Social listening is a highly valuable information gathering tool, helping you understand what your audience (and potential audience) might want to hear from your brand.

9. Mix up your formats

Make sure to switch up your social post formats from time to time. If you usually post GIFs, try a JPG. If you normally post still images, try a video!  You can also take advantage of all the formats within each social network, like Stories or Live video.

10. Quality over quantity

The number of social media marketing options for small business might seem overwhelming, but you don’t need to do it all. It’s more important to create quality content on a couple of key channels than it is to have a presence on every network.

At Sprout, we understand the importance of having a social media presence. If you would like to start building awareness for your business, contact us today at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.