In online marketing, social media continues to be a high priority. Thirty percent of online activity occurs on networks like Facebook and Twitter, making these platforms critical for publicity. As a small business owner, you can increase brand visibility and attract thousands of prospective customers by:

Sharing Hot Stories

The easiest way to gain visibility on social media is to connect your company with popular stories. Any event, controversy, or celebrity development that relates to your company can earn you quick but lasting publicity. Say that you are an environmental consulting firm, and Bono is coming to your town for a concert. By publishing content on social media about what Bono has done to bring awareness to environmental issues, you will attract attention from his fans while demonstrating your company’s broad knowledge of these issues.

Using Influencers to Increase Brand Visibility 

Influencers could be bloggers, vloggers, comedians, and others who have attracted a large following on social networks. These individuals command both the attention and the trust of thousands if not millions of social media users. If you can get them to mention your brand, you will instantly gain access to a multitude of potential customers.

Influencers’ support is reciprocal; they are more likely to show interest in you if you first show interest in them. Begin by sharing and retweeting their posts and linking to their websites. When they see that you are providing them with free publicity, they will be inclined to return the favor by following you, publicly thanking you for your support, or even working your brand organically into their posts. This strategy is most likely to be successful if you choose an influencer who has demonstrated an interest in your product or services. If you sell exercise equipment, for example, reach out to influencers who focus on fitness in their content.

Vying for Visuals

The most effective way to raise visibility on social media is to associate your company with visuals. Customers are more likely to remember you if they can connect your brand to a logo, picture, or other image that relates to what you do. Photos and videos of yourself, your employees, and your customers are especially valuable, as they humanize your company, associating it with real people rather than an abstract product or service. The better you leverage visuals on social media, the longer your increased visibility will endure.

Timing Your Targeting

Social media platforms don't raise awareness indiscriminately. They collect information on what their users are doing and let you leverage this data to target potential customers when they are most likely to buy. Say that you sell furniture. Social media can identify users who are planning to move to a new house, have a child, or otherwise make changes in life that will cause them to need new furnishings. You can then publish ads or content directed specifically at them. Likewise, if your business offers tutoring, you can target users who are about to start college or take licensing exams.

As valuable as social media is for raising brand awareness, this is only the beginning of what it can offer your company. Remember these tips to increase visibility, and build relationships with current and prospective customers until they’re ready to buy.