How to use social media to benefit a business was the topic of the North Jefferson County Business Roundtable held March 15. About 35 people, most small business owners, attended. With social media experience ranging from “I hate my computer” and “I can barely keep up with my e- mail” to those who use Facebook, Twitter and more, attendees said they were there to learn.
Before deciding to get into social media, business owners need to answer questions about why they would use the tool, said presenter Chieko Horn of Social Media Marketing Solutions. Who are your customers, where do they hang out, what problem do they have that you’re going to solve for them – those are considerations to start with to arrive at the message to put out on social media, she said. “You really want to have a very clear picture of who your audience is,” she said. That should help determine what social media platform is right for the business, said Horn. SnapChat is really only useful for businesses marketing to teens, she said. Pinterest is a place where people tend to go to plan for later rather than to shop, and Twitter gets little business use in Montana, she said. “Most businesses that are on Twitter, I just tell them delete it. It’s not worth it,” she stated. “Instagram is definitely the next big thing in social media in Montana,” she predicted. “It’s completely photo-based, though, so if you don’t have a photo base, it may not be right for you.”
Facebook tends to be widely used in Montana, said Horn. Video, especially live video, is a growing trend and anyone using video should “definitely create a YouTube account,” she said. Any business using social media needs to have a well thought out strategy that takes into account marketing goals and budget, the audience, the platform, the manager, the timing of posting, the reach and more, she advised. “It’s better to not be on a platform if you can’t devote the time,” she said.
