What I’d tell small business owners to do on social media in 2024
Personal style is the vibe this year…
The trend cycle has officially sped up to the point that nobody can possibly jump on all of them anymore, and this combined with the current cost of living situation is manifesting in a few ways…
We’ve been seeing a hugeeee increase in DIY trends on TikTok, with creators making and customising their own clothes, re-wearing outfits, and styling their pieces in unconventional ways - all somehow matching to a specific yet niche aesthetic.
Some of these brands are trying to do it all, and the outcomes are… messy.
You need to have a strong sense of who your brand is for, and stick to trends that fit that niche, rather than shoving your niche into every trend.
Not to mention, if a piece of content you made for that trend goes viral, cool? That audience will go to your website and see your brand’s vibe is nothing like that.
Unpopular opinion, but advertising to the wrong audience isn’t worth a million views.
Slow down and make it ART
It’s already hard to stand out on social media, so you want to make sure that the trends you are jumping on are bringing in the audience that’s actually going to buy from you.
I want to see you nurturing your inbound audience, because ironically, this is the content that’s also going to spark the interest of your outbound audience too.
Have the professionalism of a business with 50k followers, but the intimacy of a business with 10 followers.
Professionalism is kind of a given. Nobody wants to buy from an unprofessional brand, whether it’s lazy photography or bad copy.
You want your followers to feel at home. Comfortable enough to comment, message you asking a question, and engage in your story polls, all before they've even made a purchase.
How do you do this? By treating your customers like your friends...
They’ve left a comment? BAM. You’ve replied.
They’ve asked a question? WHAM. You’ve answered it.
They just liked 6 of your posts in a row? SHABOOM. You’ve given the love straight back.
You need to PROVE that you’re trustworthy, reliable, & an ACTUAL REAL PERSON.
Because its 2024, and A.I is giving everyone headspins.
Small businesses aren’t usually untouchably glorified, meaning your customers are going to expect you to reply to their messages and comments. And if you can prove you’re on board, then you’ve already established yourself as a LEGITIMATE-LOOKING business. (Very important, obviously). 😌
Educate WHERE NECESSARY
(and no, this doesn’t mean pointing out the most obvious sh*t I’ve ever heard)
The hot thing at the moment is educating, and providing ‘value’ to your audience, but before you let your inner dog off its leash, ask yourself this:
Do you have a reason to educate, and would they already know the answer.
Be so real with yourself.
If you're getting a common question in appointments, or DMs, that is a good reason to turn that educational message into a post.
Telling your lash clients how to care for their lash extensions is smart. Telling them what lash extensions are isn’t.
Play to YOUR strengths, not Jessica’s
Are you an excellent writer? Then baby I wanna see you WRITE. Great at speaking to the camera? Let’s see some FACE. No format is ‘dead’ if you’re good at it.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - there’s never a one-size-fits-all for socials, but if you can establish trust in your audience, you’re already ahead.
You’ve got this.
x Lauren