If you’re planning to put up a business this year, it’s important that you also have some knowledge on how to conduct the business online. Especially with the growth of social media, you need to know how you can make this work for your advantage. Here are some social media tips that will help you grow your brand:

Tip #1: Have a Strategy

Before implementing social media channels, make sure you have a social media plan or strategy that you can follow. Otherwise, you might not be able to grow your business. You won’t be able to regularly post things on social media without a strategy to follow.

Tip #2: Differentiate Each Social Media Channel

One thing you have to remember is that not every social media channel is the same. Each one works in a different way so you have to remember to follow what works best for each one. As the business owner or social media manager, you have to learn what works best on each channel you plan to use. You should also learn when and how often to post things on these accounts.

Tip #3: Don’t Be Spammy

While the reason your business is on social media is so you can sell to your customers and attract new people, you should not spam your followers. Avoid ending your posts with “Buy Now” or “Sign Up Now” as this will hurt your reputation on social media. These words are counter-productive and will not be good for your campaign.

Tip #4: Be Consistent

Even though you should be customizing each post according to which social media channel you’re posting to, you should remain consistent. This means that you should use the same logo, brand colors, links, and other things that identify your brand. This way, your followers can easily recognize you whenever you use a new social media platform.

Tip #5: Don’t Buy Fake Followers

While it’s good to have a lot of followers on your social media channels, you should also identify whether these followers are real or fake. This is because there are so many fake profiles on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram that are used to follow certain accounts. If you are hiring a social media manager who promises you can get a certain number of likes in a short amount of time, you should be cautioned already. This is a dirty tactic that could potentially backfire on you in the long run.

Tip #6: Avoid Talking About Your Brand Too Much

The idea behind social media is to be, well, social. This is why it is good that you don’t only post things about your business. You should also take time to post about your industry and things that are related to it. Your followers might find it annoying to see you talking about yourself all the time. If this happens, they’re likely to unfollow you or see you as spammy.

Tip #7: Share Original Content Too

Even if you’re sharing the posts of other individuals you feel is relevant to your business, you should also remember to share your own unique content. Invest in a blog so your followers get more acquainted with your business. If you haven’t put up a blog yet, it’s important that you get this up online before starting a campaign on social media.

Tip #8: Make Use of Social Media Tools

Thankfully, there are a number of tools you can find online to help out with your social media strategy. These tools can help you manage your posts so you don’t have to stay connected to the Internet 24/7. Try to do more research on which tools will best work with your business.

Tip #9: Be Wary of Your Metrics

From time to time, try to see how well your social media campaign is working. This will give you a deeper look at how efficient your efforts are. Since most social media channels have their own analytics features, you can take advantage of these tools to help you see your progress.

Tip #10: Properly Use Hashtags

Hashtags are important. It’s important that you use hashtags sparingly and not at every single word you post. One or two hashtags is recommended. Anything more than that is considered overkill. You should research on the best hashtags to use so you can achieve the right results you need.

Tip #10: Engage with Your Followers

Remember to reply to all the comments, messages, and the shares you get on your social media channels. This is a good practice to follow, especially if you are a startup.

Tip #11: Identify Your Target Audience

One of the best ways you can do a good job on your social media campaign is to properly identify who your target audience is and find out where they are found. If your business targets other businesses, the best platform to use is LinkedIn. If your target includes women, Pinterest and Instagram are the best websites to use. Do a lot of research to get the results you need so you can have an effective strategy.

Tip #12: Don’t Share Too Much

You should also remember not to post too often on your social media channels. Even though you share other people’s content, you have to limit the number of posts you share.

Tip #13: Make Use of Paid Ads

Set aside a small budget that you can use for paid ads. Though this will cost you some money, you’ll be able to reach other people who do not have access to your posts.

Tip #14: Work with Influencers

Look for influencers whom you can work with to promote your business. These are individuals that have established profiles and a large follower count. With just a few posts, you can get your business noticed by these individuals.

Tip #15: Show Your Culture

Let your followers peek into your business. If you can do this, you’ll have a winning social media strategy. Your followers want to see the people who are behind your brand, letting them realize that you are human after all.

Try these tips to see how well your followers will respond to them. As always, social media is a continuous experiment that you get to learn a lot from. Don’t be afraid to explore your options and research new trends.