Calling all small business owners looking to jazz up their online presence! Start your social media off right this month by taking part in our March New-Media Marketing Challenge.
During this month’s challenge, you will be asked to:
- Post a Facebook Live video – With Facebook’s current algorithm, Live videos are pushed to the top of your followers’ news feeds. By utilizing this video tool, you will be increasing your chances of being seen by your followers and hopefully engaging with them.
- Plan a content calendar (for your blog, social media platforms, or e-newsletter) – It can be a tedious task to do, but they pay off is great. Try planning out your month’s content calendar to reduce the workday stress of posting on social media. You don’t have to have a post everyday, but try to think of a few ideas for each week.
- Create or use a pre-existing hashtag in your social media posts – In using hashtags, you are compiling your post to other related posts and making it visible to a wider audience. Hashtags are commonly used to identify messages on a specific topic and group them together. For example, during the Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement’s New-Media Marketing bootcamp, we used the hashtag #newmedia2017 in our posts.
- Produce your own Canva-generated or in-house graphic – Research has shown graphics are more likely to receive engagement on social media versus a text-only status. Try your hand at Canva.com to create a fun and free. If you’d rather have just a picture, try showing a behind-the-scenes look at your business or something exciting going on in your store.
- Promote your social media platforms through in-store posters – We sometimes tend to forget that gaining followers online can be something we can do in-person. Try adding a sign by your register that urges customers to “Give us a like on Facebook to stay up-to-date with our store!” Another idea to gain an audience is to have a sign-up box for your e-newsletter. Be sure to include information about what topics you might cover in the email, so they can know what’s coming their way. Then have the customer write their email and name, viola! You have easily added another follower to your brand.
The challenge is set-up so you can move at your own pace throughout the month of March. Take on one of the five challenges each week and send us a screen shot on Facebook or by email for the chance to …
All participants have a chance to be featured on our #FollowFriday spotlight where we will highlight small business’s taking big steps with their social media. Participants will also be entered to win a 30-minute consultation with us to assess your current social media presence!
Want to join in on the fun? Either message the Center for Rural Enterprise Engagement on Facebook or shoot us an email at newmedia@ksu.edu to sign-up!