Social media is a valuable tool for business owners trying to reach their current audience and target new demographics. However, not all social platforms are equal, especially when it comes to advertising. For instance, TikTok may be the best place to advertise products that appeal to young consumers, but LinkedIn may be a better bet for targeting company decision-makers or older business professionals.
Entrepreneurs can use social platforms’ advertising capabilities to expand their reach if they have a solid understanding of each channel’s strengths and audience. Here, 14 members of Forbes Coaches Council share their top-recommended tips and strategies to get the most out of social media advertising for those just getting started with it.
Members pictured from left to right.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Figure Out Your Core Values
Entrepreneurs must figure out their core values and why they do whatever they do. Knowing our core values helps us act intentionally and with integrity. It helps us be authentic and valuable. Once they increase awareness about core values, I suggest they define a quality content strategy aligned with their core values and targeted to the customers they want to attract. - Kalina Terzieva, My Coaching Brain
2. Use Blogging As An SEO Strategy
Make sure your social media handles are consistent and your branding and bio taglines are clear across all platforms, and use blogging as an SEO strategy to draw in more traffic from Google. Social media is your vessel to share branded content and subject matter expertise. - Wendi Weiner, The Writing Guru®
3. Grow Your Network Organically
Hold off on the advertising and focus on growing your network organically by connecting with influencers in your industry via LinkedIn and publishing relevant content across all social media platforms, thus increasing your visibility. The more your content resonates and engages, the more your audience will do the advertising for you! - Mark Moyer, Win Again
4. Know Whose Problems You Solve
Get crystal clear about who you serve, what problems you solve and what makes you unique. Many business owners I meet are not willing to put in the work to clarify these questions that can only be answered by them. A confused prospect won’t buy, and no amount of marketing can save a poorly positioned product, so it’s worth diving deep into those questions. - Chuen Chuen Yeo, ACESENCE Agile Leadership Coaching and Training Pte. Ltd.
5. Develop A Company-Branded Campaign
I recommend developing a campaign not as a personal brand but as a company. The personal brand creates dependence of all prospects and clients toward the owner, and the operation will not be able to move beyond the owner because the personal brand teaches the audience that the owner is the one who runs the company. Thus, it will be difficult for the head to grow past self-employment and create an institutional company. - Maria Ines Moran, Action Coach
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
6. Find Out Where Your Audience Is
To get the most out of social media advertising, it will be important to learn which platforms are best for your target audience. There are many social media platforms to choose from. Placing an ad on a platform that your target market does not frequent will not result in new business. Conducting the right research will help a new entrepreneur become more strategic with their marketing dollars. - Stacy Sufka, Gladegy Consulting, LLC
7. Invest In Paid Ads For Your Thought Leadership
As an award-winning advertising expert, I can speak from over a decade of experience here and say—it’s all about generating brand awareness through your unique thought leadership. And, in 2022, that means investing in paid ads. Something as simple as $500 per month to drive traffic back to your website or blog should be enough to kick-start this process, depending on your niche and goals. - Vix Reitano, Consulting by Vix Reitano
8. Create Consistent, Easy-To-Digest Video Content
To get the most out of your social media advertising there are a couple of things to keep in mind: Make your content consistent and make sure it’s easily digestible. I recommend doing two to five videos per week, all under 60 seconds and with an educational bend toward your field. The key is posting them consistently so that your audience will know when to expect your content. - Jon Dwoskin, The Jon Dwoskin Experience
9. Be Wary Of Big Tech’s Advice
First, be wary of what the big tech firms are telling you—yes, really! Get your personal and business foundations right, especially as a service business, before you get into the promotional aspect (social media advertising). Then, find a master in the social media field with proven results. Ask them why you should hire them. Get them to show you the evidence, and then use your critical thinking skills to decide what comes next. - Jon Michail, Image Group International
10. Find Your Niche Audience
Every day, millions of people use social media, so it’s important for you, as an entrepreneur, to know exactly which niche audience you want to talk to. Build a rapport with them by sharing value propositions that match their needs. Develop content that will attract your followers to your website to learn more about your business, and eventually, retarget these website visitors with sponsored advertisements. - Nabil Bouassaba, Ai 4 Ei
11. Master Visual Storytelling
Social media that reaches people is nothing more or less than the stories we tell about our customers and the solution(s) we offer. Master storytelling with visuals and language, and simply feed that into the template of social media. Social media done any other way is less than compelling, likely to turn people off and may even do more harm than good. - Abe Brown, Certified Flourishing Coaching
12. Consider What You Are Advertising
It’s essential to ask, “What am I advertising?” Advertising solutions to your target audience’s problems is more powerful, interesting and engaging than advertising yourself. When your audience is consistently able to find resonance in your writing, resources and videos, they seek to learn from your experiences. So ask yourself that essential question, and keep a check on the value you are creating. - Jaya Bhateja, Abhyudaya Consulting Services
13. Do Fewer Things Better
Social media is incredibly powerful, but it is easy to get distracted. Start with a single, clear goal and choose the platform and objective that can best deliver. Then, focus and optimize. Don’t try to do too many things—you’ll likely not get great results with any of them. - Krista Neher, Boot Camp Digital
14. Offer Freebies To A Cold Audience
The best way to get the most out of social media advertising is to offer a free guide or training to a cold audience and then implement a retargeting strategy to sell your products or services. Money is on the table, and therefore, having a solid email campaign system in place is critical to maximizing your efforts and getting the best ROI. - Reelika Schulte, Dream Lifestyle
