5 Essential Social Media Strategies for Small Businesses in 2024
As a small business owner, you‘re always looking for ways to do more with less. Nowhere is that more true than social media marketing. With limited time, budget and expertise, it can feel impossible to keep up with the endless stream of new platforms, features, and best practices.
But here‘s the thing: social media is a non-negotiable for small business growth and customer engagement in 2024. In fact, 71% of small businesses actively use social media, and 52% post at least daily. (1)
So how can you make social media work smarter, not harder, for your small business? We surveyed over 100 small business owners to find out. Discover the five essential strategies they‘re using to drive real results – not just vanity metrics – plus the free tools that make it all possible.
Strategy #1: Go All-In on Short-Form Video
If there‘s one social media trend to bet on in 2024, it‘s the continued dominance of short-form video. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels have exploded in popularity, with users watching an average of 19.6 hours per month. (2)
For small businesses, mastering short-form video is a game-changer for expanding reach and engaging younger audiences. But what makes a great short video on social media? Here‘s a quick checklist:
- Grab attention fast: You have 2-3 seconds max to hook viewers as they scroll. Start with an intriguing statement or visual.
- Tell a story: Even a 15-second clip can pack a narrative punch. Storyboard your concept with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
- Design for sound off: Many users watch videos muted, so use text overlays and captions to get your message across.
- Leverage trends wisely: Joining trending challenges/audio can boost views – but only if it feels authentic to your brand voice.
- Show your human side: Ditch the corporate jargon and let your unique personality shine. Casual, behind-the-scenes content tends to perform best.
Not sure what type of short-form videos to create? Here are some ideas to get the creative juices flowing:
- Product demos/tutorials
- User-generated content (UGC) compilations
- Behind-the-scenes of your business
- Quick tips or how-tos related to your industry
- Teasers for longer blog posts, videos, or podcasts
- Repurposed content from other platforms
The key is to experiment, track what resonates, and double down on your top performers. And don‘t forget to optimize your profile for discoverability with a clear bio, relevant keywords, and a compelling CTA.
Free tool: Canva
To create thumb-stopping short-form video, you need eye-catching visuals and engaging audio. That‘s where Canva comes in clutch. This free graphic design tool offers customizable templates for every short-form video format plus a library of stock footage, photos, music, and sound effects. You can easily add text overlays, animations, and your brand logo in a few clicks.
Strategy #2: Cultivate Community Over Followers
We get it: watching your follower count tick up is a nice ego boost. But in 2024, savvy small businesses are shifting focus from vanity metrics to building an engaged, loyal community.
What does that look like in practice? It means prioritizing quality interactions over quantity. Responding to every comment and DM. Encouraging followers to share their thoughts and experiences. Making your audience feel seen, heard, and valued.
Why does this matter? Because a strong community breeds trust, advocacy, and ultimately, sales. 76% of consumers say they‘re more likely to buy from a brand they feel connected to on social media. (3)
Not sure where to start? Here are some ways to cultivate community on social media:
- Host live Q&As or workshops: Give your followers exclusive access to your expertise and build relationships in real-time.
- Run a user-generated content (UGC) campaign: Encourage customers to share photos/videos featuring your products with a branded hashtag, then reshare the best submissions.
- Collaborate with complementary brands: Partner up for a joint giveaway, Instagram takeover, or content swap to cross-pollinate your audiences.
- Create a Facebook group: Build a destination for your most engaged fans to connect with each other and your brand on a deeper level.
- Participate in relevant conversations: Join Twitter chats, Reddit threads, and industry forums to organically connect with potential customers and peers.
Remember, building a thriving community takes consistency and genuine care. Treat your followers like friends, not just leads, and the rest will follow.
Free tool: Hootsuite
To keep track of all your community-building efforts, a social media management platform is key. Hootsuite lets you monitor mentions, comments, and DMs across all your social profiles in one dashboard. You can also schedule posts, track performance, and collaborate with team members. The free plan includes basic features for up to 3 social accounts.
Strategy #3: Embrace Social Commerce
Social media isn‘t just a place to connect with customers – it‘s now a full-fledged shopping destination. In 2024, global social commerce sales are expected to hit $1.2 trillion as more users, especially Gen Z, embrace the convenience of in-app buying. (4)
To capitalize on this trend, small businesses need to turn their social profiles into virtual storefronts. The good news? Most major platforms now offer native commerce features that make it easy to tag products and enable seamless checkout.
Here‘s a quick overview of what‘s possible on each platform:
| Platform | Social Commerce Features |
|---|---|
| Facebook/Instagram | – Product tags – Customizable shops – Live shopping – Collaborative ads |
| TikTok | – Product links in videos – Live shopping – Shoppable hashtag challenge |
| – Product pins – Visual search – Shoppable spotlights |
|
| – Shop module – Product caroursels |
Not quite ready for native social commerce? You can still optimize your profiles to drive shoppers to your website:
- Link to products in your bio: Use a tool like Linktree to turn that precious "link in bio" real estate into a shoppable landing page.
- Create shoppable content: Add direct product links to your posts, Stories, and videos to create a frictionless path to purchase.
- Highlight customer reviews: Build trust and urgency by featuring glowing testimonials and user-generated content.
- Provide stellar customer service: Enable direct messages and set clear expectations for response times to quickly resolve any pre or post-purchase issues.
Free tool: Facebook Commerce Manager
If you‘re just dipping your toes into social commerce, start with Facebook Shops. This free tool lets you create a mobile-friendly storefront that syncs across Facebook and Instagram. Customize your shop‘s look and feel, add products, and manage orders all within the Commerce Manager dashboard. You can also use the Marketplace to connect with local buyers.
Strategy #4: Get Strategic with Paid Social
Let‘s face it: organic reach on social media is on a steady decline as platforms prioritize paid content. While it‘s still possible to grow your following without ads, embracing paid social is one of the most effective ways to amplify your impact as a small business.
In fact, 25% of small businesses we surveyed said social media advertising drives the biggest ROI compared to other channels like Google, email, and influencer partnerships.
And you don‘t need a massive budget to get started. Even $5-10 per day can be enough to test different ad formats and targeting options to see what moves the needle for your specific goals.
Here are some ideas for high-performing social ads:
- Video ads: Grab attention in the feed with eye-catching product videos or brand story vignettes. Keep them under 30 seconds for best results.
- Collection ads: Showcase a range of products in a single ad, clicking through to an instant storefront experience. Great for ecommerce.
- Lead generation ads: Collect emails, phone numbers or sign-ups directly within the app – no clunky landing page required.
- Retargeting ads: Serve personalized offers to past website visitors or customers to bring them back and drive repeat purchases.
- UGC ads: Repurpose your top user-generated content into authentic, relatable ads. Don‘t forget to get permission first!
Of course, effective targeting is just as important as great creative. Here are some lesser-known options to try:
- Custom audiences: Upload your email list or website visitors to create a lookalike audience of similar users.
- Interest stacking: Combine multiple related interests (instead of just one) to narrow in on a highly relevant audience.
- Life events: Target users based on major milestones like getting married, having a baby, or starting a new job.
- Automated targeting: Let the algorithm optimize ad delivery to the people most likely to convert based on your chosen goal.
Free tool: Facebook Ads Library
Not sure what kind of ads will work for your business? Browse the Facebook Ads Library for inspiration. This public database lets you search active and inactive ads from any brand across Facebook apps and services. Filter by country, ad format, impressions, and more to find examples in your industry to spark ideas and see what your competitors are up to.
Strategy #5: Design for Accessibility & Inclusion
As a small business, making your social media presence welcoming to all customers isn‘t just the right thing to do – it‘s a competitive advantage. Unfortunately, many brands still fall short when it comes to accessibility and inclusion.
Consider this: 71% of people with disabilities leave a website immediately if it‘s difficult to use. (5) And 64% of consumers took some action after seeing an ad they considered diverse or inclusive. (6)
Here are some simple ways to make your social content more accessible and inclusive:
- Add alt text to images: Describe the key details so visually impaired users can fully experience your posts.
- Provide closed captions: Not only do 85% of videos on Facebook get watched without sound, but captions also help hearing impaired users follow along. (7)
- Improve color contrast: Avoid low-contrast text and images that may be hard to see. Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.
- Represent diversity: Showcase a wide range of skin tones, body types, ages, and abilities in your visuals. Avoid tokenism by integrating diversity throughout your feed.
- Use inclusive language: Steer clear of jargon, idioms, and expressions that could be confusing or offensive. Address your whole community.
- Offer trigger warnings: Preface sensitive content with a brief notice so people can choose whether to engage.
Small gestures can go a long way to making your audience feel seen, heard, and valued. And that builds the kind of brand affinity that lasts.
Free tool: A11y Color Contrast Checker
Not sure if your text is legible enough? Pop your foreground and background colors into the A11y Color Contrast Checker. This free browser extension will flag any low-contrast combos and suggest accessible alternatives. It also checks your images and hover states to ensure WCAG 2.0 compliance across your whole site or app.
Putting Your Social Media Strategy into Action
Small businesses may be short on resources, but they have one big advantage: agility. You can test and iterate quickly to find what works for your unique brand, audience, and goals.
Start by auditing your current social presence:
- Which platforms are driving the most engagement and website traffic?
- What types of content get the most likes, comments, and shares?
- How does your audience compare to your target customer profile?
Based on those insights, brainstorm some achievable goals and metrics for the next quarter. Maybe it‘s increasing your posting frequency, improving your response rate, or experimenting with a new content format.
Then, block off some dedicated time each week (or even each day) to chip away at your social media tasks. Consistency beats sporadic bursts of effort every time.
And don‘t forget to celebrate your wins along the way! Whequippedher you gain 100 new followers, land a major client, or launch your first viral video, take a moment to reflect on how far you‘ve come.
Social media success is a marathon, not a sprint. But with smart strategies and the right tools, your small business can go the distance.
