Social Media Basics: Choosing the Right Channel for Your Business
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Your first year in business is crucial, how you start will set the tone on how you will treat your business. It’s a period of survival, learning, and laying the foundation for a brand that lasts. For the future leaders of this generation and the entrepreneurs going through their first year in business, social media is the tool used TODAY where your business's identity is forged. New accounts are opening up every single day, with the same aspirations and dreams as YOU. The difference from setting YOUR BRAND apart from everyone else is using these platforms strategically.
This guide expands on 10 essential tips, providing the depth and practical advice you need to navigate your first year, and will give you the launch pad to turn your brandOn.
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1. Know Your Audience, Find Your Platform
The foundation of any successful social media strategy is understanding who you're talking to. Don't just pick a platform because it's popular; choose it because it's where your ideal customer lives.
Go Beyond Demographics: While age, gender, and location are important, dig deeper into psychographics. What are your audience's values, interests, and pain points? What content do they consume, and why? A B2B (Business-to-Business) audience might be on LinkedIn for professional insights, while a creative or retail brand might find their community on Instagram or Pinterest, where visual content reigns supreme.
Align Content with Platform: The content you create must fit the platform. Short, punchy videos are perfect for TikTok and Reels, while long-form articles or detailed guides excel on LinkedIn or a blog. If your business is highly visual (e.g., a clothing brand or a food service), platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are non-negotiable. If you offer a service or expertise, LinkedIn and Twitter (X) are your arsenal for building thought leadership.
Practical Tip: Create a customer persona. Give them a name (e.g., "Student Sam" or "Creative Carla"), identify their age, profession, and most importantly, their pain points and interests. This exercise helps you visualize who you're speaking to and which platform they're most likely to use for a solution. For example, if your business sells professional services, LinkedIn is your primary target. If you're a fashion brand, Instagram and Pinterest are non-negotiable.
2. Master One Platform Before Scaling
The temptation to be everywhere at once is real, but it's a recipe for inconsistent content. The most effective strategy is to become a master of one or two platforms first.
The Power of Consistency: An algorithm's best friend is consistency. It's better to post high-quality, valuable content three times a week on one platform than to post a random mix of content once a month across five. Consistent posting signals to the algorithm that you are a reliable creator, boosting your visibility and reach.
Analyze and Optimize: Use the native analytics tools of your chosen platform to understand what's working. Track engagement rates, peak posting times, and the types of content that resonate most with your audience. Once you have a solid, repeatable system for success, you can then strategically expand to a new platform and apply your skills and strategy.
Practical Tip: Choose one main platform and a secondary one to start. Dedicate 80% of your effort to the main platform. For example, if you're a food blogger, focus on Instagram Reels for viral content and use a blog or Pinterest as your secondary channel for long-form recipes and visual inspiration.
3. Storytelling: The Human-to-Human Connection
Facts are forgettable; stories are memorable. In a crowded marketplace, your brand's story is your most powerful differentiator. It's what makes humans connect with YOU on an emotional level.
The "Why" Behind the "What": Instead of just selling running shoes, tell the story of the athlete who trained in them, the inspiration behind the design, and your company's mission to support clean-up efforts in local parks. This humanizes your brand, building empathy and a sense of shared purpose.
Authenticity over Perfection: Your customers want to see the real journey—the struggles, the victories, and the lessons learned. Brands like Patagonia have built a loyal following not just through their products, but through their dedicated commitment to environmental activism and their authentic narrative. This builds trust and makes customers feel like they are part of something bigger than a transaction making the experience transformational.
Practical Tip: Use your Instagram Stories or TikTok to share behind-the-scenes content. Show the process of creating your product, introduce your team, or talk about a recent challenge you overcame. Your audience will connect with vulnerability and authenticity, not just perfect, polished content.
4. Engagement is the New Currency
If you are just basing success off follower count, that is a vanity metric if those followers aren't engaged. True growth comes from community building, not just posting for approval.
Turn Followers into a Community: Go beyond a "like" or "comment." Actively respond to questions, start conversations, and use features like polls and Q&A stickers to make your followers feel seen and heard. When you engage, you're not just broadcasting; you're building relationships.
Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage your customers to share their experiences with your product or service. This is a powerful form of social proof. By featuring their photos, videos, or testimonials, you not only validate their experience, but also build trust with potential customers. This strategy transforms customers into brand ambassadors.
Practical Tip: After you post, set aside the first 30 minutes to respond to every single comment. Ask open-ended questions in your captions to encourage discussion. Use interactive stickers in your Instagram Stories like polls and Q&A boxes to get direct feedback from your audience and make them feel heard.
5. Learn from the Best: Insights from Top Influencers
The most successful creators don't just get lucky; they have a strategic playbook. By studying their methods, you can adapt their winning formulas to your own brand.
Gary Vaynerchuk: The "Document, Don't Create" Mantra. Instead of trying to craft perfect, polished content, GaryVee advocates for documenting your daily life, your struggles, and your insights. This raw, behind-the-scenes approach builds authenticity and provides an endless stream of content. His "Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook" philosophy is a masterclass in giving value (the "jabs") before ever asking for a sale (the "right hook").
Jenna Kutcher: The Art of Authentic Storytelling. Jenna built her brand on a foundation of vulnerability and genuine connection. She uses social media to share her personal journey, providing real value and building trust with her audience. Her strategy is proof to the idea that humans buy from humans they know, like, and trust.
Alex Hormozi: The Repurposing Machine. Hormozi's strategy is all about efficiency and scale. He creates one long-form piece of content (a podcast or a YouTube video) and then "repurposes" it into dozens of smaller, bite-sized clips for different platforms. This allows him to be "omnipresent" without constant creation, breaking one huge piece into smaller pieces is a strategy for posting consistently.
Practical Tip: Follow top marketers and influencers in your niche. Don't just follow their main account. Join their email lists and watch their Stories. Pay attention to how they use different features, their tone of voice, and how they build trust with their audience. Then, experiment with applying their tactics to your own content.
6. Utilize Native Tools and Algorithms
Social media algorithms are designed to reward creators who use their built-in features. By leaning into these tools, you can significantly boost your reach.
Play the Algorithm's Game: Use Instagram Reels and Stories, TikTok’s trending sounds, and LinkedIn’s articles. These native features are favored by the algorithms and can help your content get seen by new audiences. Don't just post; use interactive stickers, polls, and carousels to increase engagement.
Practical Tip: On Instagram, make a habit of using Reels with trending audio, Carousels for educational content, and Stories with interactive elements. The algorithm prioritizes content that uses these features because it wants to keep users on the platform longer.
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7. Consistency Builds Trust
Trust is the foundation of any long-term human relationship period. On social media, trust is built by consistently showing up.
The Power of a Content Calendar: Plan your content in advance. Even if it's just two or three posts a week, sticking to a schedule signals reliability and professionalism. A content calendar helps you stay organized, maintain a consistent brand voice, and ensure you are always providing value to your audience.
Practical Tip: Use a content calendar. It doesn't have to be a complicated software tool; a simple spreadsheet or even a planner will work. Plan your posts for the week or month ahead. This prevents last-minute scrambling and ensures you maintain a steady, reliable presence.
8. Lead with Value, Not Promotion
Social media is a conversation, not a billboard. If all you do is promote your products, the audience will tune you out.
The 80/20 Rule: Dedicate 80% of your content to providing value, whether through educational tips, behind-the-scenes looks, or entertaining insights. Reserve the remaining 20% for direct promotion. This approach positions you as a helpful expert, not just a saleshuman.
Practical Tip: Adopt the 80/20 rule: 80% of your content should be a form of value (entertainment, education, or inspiration). The remaining 20% can be direct promotion. For a freelance graphic designer, this means sharing tutorials on a design tool, a behind-the-scenes look at their creative process, or a client success story (80%), and only then promoting a new service or opening their booking calendar (20%).
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9. How to Read Instagram Insights
Stop guessing and start measuring. Instagram's native analytics tool, Insights, provides a wealth of free data to guide your strategy. By understanding what the numbers mean, you can optimize your content for maximum recognition and growth.
Awareness Metrics: The Big Picture. These metrics tell you how many humans are seeing your content.
Reach: The number of accounts that have seen your post or profile. This is the most important metric for brand awareness. A high reach on a post means the algorithm is showing it to a lot of new people, often through the Explore page or hashtags. To boost reach, focus on creating highly shareable content (like memes, inspiring quotes, or valuable tips) and using relevant hashtags.
Impressions: The total number of times your content was viewed. If one person sees your post three times, that's one reach and three impressions. A high number of impressions relative to your reach can mean your content is compelling enough for people to look at it multiple times, a sign of strong value.
Follower Demographics: Under the "Total Followers" section, you can see the top locations, age ranges, and gender of your audience. Use this to refine your content. Are you reaching the audience you want? If not, you may need to adjust your topics or tone to better align with your target market.
Engagement Metrics: The Algorithm's Best Friend. These metrics show how an audience is interacting with your content. The Instagram algorithm prioritizes engagement, so a high engagement rate is the key to getting more reach.
Saves: This is often considered the most valuable metric. When someone saves your post, it tells the algorithm that your content is highly useful and worth revisiting. Focus on creating "save-worthy" content like infographics, tutorials, cheat sheets, or lists that people will want to refer back to.
Shares: When someone shares your content to their Story or DMs, it directly expands your reach to their network. High shares indicate your content is relatable, funny, or so valuable that people feel compelled to pass it along. This now includes the new Repost feature, which allows users to directly share a public post to their profile feed with a few taps. Getting your content reposted by other accounts is a powerful way to tap into new audiences and boost your visibility.
Comments: Comments show a deeper level of engagement than likes. They signal a conversation is happening. To increase comments, ask questions in your captions, run polls in your Stories, or create thought-provoking posts that spark discussion.
Website Taps/Profile Visits: These metrics track the number of people who clicked the link in your bio or visited your profile. A high number here means your content is effectively driving online traffic to learn more about your business.
Practical Tip: To make your data actionable, look for patterns. What type of content consistently gets the most saves and shares? Is it Reels, carousels, or single images? Are your followers more active on a certain day of the week or time of day? Use these insights to refine your content calendar and double down on what works.
10. The Long Game: Steady Growth Compounds
The biggest brands and influencers didn't go viral overnight. They played the long game, building their presence brick by brick.
Patience and Persistence: Your first year is a marathon, not a sprint. Celebrate small wins! New follower, a meaningful comment, a share, and stay committed to your long-term vision. The connections you build and the audience you create in your first year will become the foundation of your brand for years to come.
Practical Tip: Focus on building a small, highly engaged community over a massive, unengaged audience. Set a realistic goal for your first year, like reaching 1,000 engaged followers instead of 100,000. These 1,000 followers will be your loyal brand ambassadors, your first customers, and the launch pad for your brand to take off!
Build Connection, Build Growth.
Let’s make shIT HAPPEN!
Your first year in business is your foundation. By strategically choosing your platforms, focusing on authentic storytelling, and applying these 10 tips, you will stand out from every single startup in the market.
This journey is a marathon. It’s all about the human element, the humans you inspire in your first year will be your most valuable asset. This will establish you as an expert in YOUR field , and will leave a valuable first impression. If it isn’t your first year in business, but you’re looking for that edge to start momentum it’s OK. These strategies and tips can be implanted TODAY and it will reinvent your online presence. If you are looking for value please join the Newsletter for more content that will turn your brandOn.
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3 Simple Steps To Apply Concepts
Start with the 80/20 Rule
Before you post anything else, plan your next five pieces of content. Make sure four of them offer value—like a quick tip, a behind-the-scenes look, or an inspiring story. Reserve just one of those posts for a direct promotion or a call to action. This immediately shifts your presence from a sales pitch to a trusted resource.
2. Make Your Next Post "Save-Worthy"
Choose one topic related to your business that your audience would find incredibly useful. This could be a step-by-step tutorial, a list of helpful resources, or a quick-and-easy checklist. Create a single-image graphic or a short Reel with this information. At the end of the caption, explicitly ask your audience to "Save this for later!" This simple step can significantly boost your algorithm visibility.
3. Engage for 30 Minutes After You Post
For your next post, commit to staying active on the platform for a half-hour after it goes live. Respond to every comment, like and reply to other people's comments, and start a conversation. This signals to the algorithm that your content is valuable and sparks a genuine community around your brand.