SOCIAL MEDIA RESOURCE GUIDE 2018 - Downtown Kingston!
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SOCIAL MEDIA RESOURCE GUIDE 2018
Downtown Kingston! BIA
In this guide:
• FAQs
• Facebook
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Tools for Social Media
This Social Media Resource Guide is also available at:
www.downtownkingston.ca/for-members
Follow us on social!
Facebook: @downtownkingston
Instagram: @downtownkingston
Twitter: @downtownktown
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Contact us:
Downtown Kingston! BIA
353 King St. East, Suite 200
Kingston, ON K7L 3B5
613-542-8677
info@downtownkingston.ca
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Social Media Resource Guide | May 3, 2018Downtown Kingston! BIA
FAQs
What is Social Media?
Social Media is a collective of online communities that share information, ideas, personal messages,
news, and a wide variety of other content. This digital network, made up of these online communities or
channels, allows you to engage with your loyal, existing customers and helps you to reach new, potential
fans. Social Media also allows you to stay up to date with news, industry trends, promotions, etc and
discover people, brands, businesses, and more.
Why should a small business use Social Media?
The number one reason you should use Social Media to market your business is simply because your
customers are already there every day. In addition, Social Media:
- Creates brand awareness
- Increases customer loyalty
- Offers an opportunity for engagement
- Assists with leads/sales generation
- Allows you to track your customers and gain a better understanding of the demographics of
your consumers
Which platforms are right for your business?
In order to establish which platforms are right for your business, two things must be taken into
consideration - target market and ability. Your target market will determine which platform you invest
your time in by evaluating where your consumers spend their time. Your ability, or time and effort you
are willing to put towards Social Media Marketing, will also determine which platform you use. Use the
following general guide to help you chose the best platform for your business.
Target Market:
- Facebook (A.K.A. the biggest social network on the web): Imagery, promotions, news, events
- Instagram: Imagery and promotions
- Twitter: News and short text
- Linkedin: Recruiting and networking
- Pinterest: Inspiration and planning
Ability:
- Facebook: Recommend to post 3 to 5 times a week
- Twitter: Recommended to post 2 to 3 times a day
- Instagram: Recommended to post daily
Take this quiz to help you evaluate which platform is best for your business:
https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7832-social-media-for-business.html.
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Social Media Resource Guide | May 3, 2018Downtown Kingston! BIA
FACEBOOK
Is Facebook right for your business?
Facebook is the world’s largest social networking website that allows users to connect with people from
all over the world. You can share thoughts, opinions, photos, videos, links and more. You can customize
your profile and receive personalized news and industry trends while posting information and
inspiration directly related to your business.
For business owners, having a Facebook Business Page is an invaluable marketing tool. With over 1.7
billion active users on Facebook (18 million based in Canada), you can use a public business page to stay
connected with your current customers or invest in Facebook advertising to generate new leads and put
your brand and products in front of the right audience.
How do you sign up? What are the requirements for creating a Facebook account?
In order to create a Facebook account, you will need:
1. Your Real Name
2. Gender
3. Email Address
Visit www.facebook.com to sign up now.
What are the requirements for creating a Business Page on Facebook?
1. A name for your page
2. Description or blurb about your business
3. A profile photo and cover photo
Best Practice Tip: Include a call to action on your business page. At the top of your page, describe the
action you want people to take when they visit your page. For example, “Visit our website”, “Call today”,
or “Email for a free consultation.”
What is the demographic of Facebook users in Canada?
Facebook is the most frequently used Social Media Network. With more than 20 million users in Canada,
53% are women, and an overwhelming majority of users are between the ages of 24 and 54, with 30
being the most active age.
What information should you have on your Facebook profile?
There two very important pieces to include on your profile for your Facebook account - your description
and your images. Your description should be an accurate representation of your business or services.
The second, and possibly most important piece of your profile, is imagery. Present your profile with up
to date and clear imagery that is eye catching both to repeat and prospective customers.
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Social Media Resource Guide | May 3, 2018Downtown Kingston! BIA
What should you post on Facebook?
Facebook is ultimately a tool for connecting with peers. You should be posting whatever will connect
with your audience. As a general rule of thumb, stick to the 80/20 rule. Keep your content 80%
informational and 20% promotional. This way, your followers are more likely to build a relationship
with your business.
How often should you post on Facebook?
It is recommended to post on Facebook 3 to 5 times a week. Within this model, it is important to give
yourself 1 to 2 hours of preparation time at the beginning of each week.
Best Practice Tip: Use a Social Media planning tool like Hootsuite or Sprout Social that will allow you to
draft your content and schedule your posts for a later time and date.
How do you access Insights on Facebook?
Once you’ve created a business profile on Facebook, you will be able to access Facebook Insights.
Insights provide information about your Page’s performance, like demographic data about your
audience and how people are responding to your posts. You can use insights to understand how people
are engaging with your Page, view metrics about your Page’s performance, and learn which posts have
the most engagement. You can even see when your audience is most active on Facebook so you can
time your posts accordingly.
To access your Insights on your business page, select “Insights” on the top panel of your page. Once
you’ve accessed your insights, you can measure data from the past month for your promotions, total
followers, likes, reach, page views, page previews, actions on page, events and more.
Advertising is already expensive. How much should I spend on Facebook ads?
If you only have time for one Social Media platform, make sure it is Facebook! A small business can
increase their reach exponentially by spending very little. On average, a small business is recommended
to spend $25/month.
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Social Media Resource Guide | May 3, 2018Downtown Kingston! BIA
INSTAGRAM
Is Instagram right for your business?
Instagram is a social networking app for sharing photos and videos directly from a smartphone. Similar
to Facebook or Twitter, everyone who creates an Instagram account has a profile and a news feed.
When you post a photo or video on Instagram, it will be displayed on your profile. You’re familiar with
the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words.” Instagram is predominantly a method of sharing your
story through a world of imagery.
For business owners, Instagram can be an exceptionable marketing tool. Using Instagram, businesses
can promote their brand to the over 800 million active users, build connections with liked-minded
people and potential customers, boost sales through marketing qualified leads, tell their business story,
and stay up to date with consumer trends.
How do you sign up? What are the requirements for creating an Instagram account?
In order to create an Instagram account, you will need:
1. Email account (@gmail.com for example)
2. An Account Name (usually your business name)
Visit www.instagram.com to sign up now.
What is the demographic of Instagram users in Canada?
With over 10 million Instagram users in Canada, 56% of users are female, and the majority of users are
between the ages of 18 to 44, with 30 being the average age for most active users.
What should you post on Instagram?
Similar to Facebook, you should post what your consumers will find interesting. However, unlike
Facebook, vivid imagery and captivating video content is more crucial than ever. A recent study by
HubSpot found that video content was 40x more likely to be shared than other types of media. In a sea
of Instagram traffic, make sure your imagery stands out.
How often should you post on Instagram?
There are two places you can post content to on Instagram – your Feed and your Story. For your
Instagram Feed, it is recommended to post 3 to 5 times a week, around the same time (there are
analytical tools where you can look to see when your followers are tuning into your account and it’s
advantageous to find this information out and cater to your followers.) In comparison, the sweet spot
for posting to your Instagram Story is 5 to 7 posts a day!
Because of the higher volume of posts required, allow yourself 1 to 2 hours of preparation at the
beginning of each week to gather your ideas for content creation and schedule the times of your posts.
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What is a hashtag and why should I use it?
Every Instagram post can be accompanied by a short message (referred to as a caption) and a hashtag.
These hashtags help organize and categorize photos and video content, which aids the process of
content discovery and optimization.
For example, a bricks and mortar clothing store might post a picture of new prom dresses that they’ve
just received, take a photo of the new products and then use the hashtags #prom2018 #shoplocal
#ygkdresses when it’s uploaded to Instagram. By using these three hashtags, the image is cataloged so
other Instagram users who enjoy shopping locally and are looking for their perfect prom dress can find it
too.
When it comes to using Instagram hashtags, it can be a bit of a touchy subject; some people hate them,
and some people love them a little too much. But, numbers don’t lie. Posts with at least one Instagram
hashtag see a 12.6% increase in engagement than posts without a hashtag. So love or hate them,
hashtags are a very useful tool for getting your post noticed.
Should you have a business profile or a personal profile?
If you have a business, you should have a business profile. It is common to feel tempted to add your
business content to an already active personal profile. However, the problem with this is threefold:
- Confusion: Having mixed content on just one platform may confuse your audience. Stick to a
cohesive message and theme. Creating a business profile will allow your fans to know exactly
who they are following
- Content: The content you will be sharing will be different. You may be your business, but your
followers are not interested in what you ate for dinner. They are looking for tips and tricks in
home hardware or when their favorite heels are going on sale
- Consistency: Followers are looking to your business to answer a question or fulfill an interest. If
you are inconsistent in your posting, they will look elsewhere
In addition, by registering as a business profile on Instagram, you will have access to the following
important insights:
- Number of followers
- Demographics: gender, age, and location
- Actions: measure your followers’ engagement
- Discovery: measures the reach and number of impressions
You do not need to be the face of your brand. By making a business profile, you are making the business
the focus.
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Why should you tag another business in your post?
Engagement is a huge part of being a successful business on Social Media. By tagging another business,
you are tapping into their network of followers and building a mutually beneficial association with them.
Who should you follow and who should follow you?
With regard to which accounts to follow, Social Media platforms are smart, so be mindful. Follow and
engage with like-minded people and businesses that have similar functions to your business. This may
seem counterintuitive in a competitive market, however, algorithms on Instagram and Facebook are
built to pair similar topics. Therefore, by associating within a network of similar businesses, you are
increasing the likelihood that a prospective consumer will find your business.
In regards to who is permitted to follow you, it is suggested to all businesses to keep their profiles
public. By keeping your profile public, you are allowing a wider audience to engage with your account.
However, privacy settings are in place to ensure that your content and business are in front of the right
eyes. You can make changes to your privacy settings at any time.
Why is it important to engage with your customers?
It is important to engage with your customers in order to create brand loyalty and foster your fan base.
It takes twenty minutes of your day to engage with customers who have liked or commented on your
post. By reacting to their efforts, you are building a strong network of followers who know that your
business is one worth investing time in.
How do you find like-minded individuals on Instagram with content that is relevant to your business?
The best place to find like-minded individuals on Instagram is on your Explore Page. With a set of
algorithms in place, Instagram tracks which accounts you personally engage with and fills your Explore
Page with similar content.
What is an Instagram Story? Why use it?
Make your content come to life with the Instagram Story feature. You can post a photo or video to your
Instagram account in a Story. There are filters, text, and icons that you can use to enhance your imagery.
This tool is more interactive with your audience than a regular post. Your followers will see that you
have posted to your Story and click on your account on the banner running on the top of their news
feed. Stories allow you to put a personal style and personality behind your brand and products. It is
important to note that the Instagram Story lives for only 24 hours and then is erased.
What is Instagram Live? Why use it?
Going Live on Instagram allows you to create a video in real time! It is most similar to live television. As
opposed to a story, your followers will receive a notification directly to their phone that you’ve gone
Live. It is important to note that your followers can only engage with this content if they opt in to
watch. The video content will be erased as soon as you stop filming.
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Social Media Resource Guide | May 3, 2018Downtown Kingston! BIA
How do you increase your following on Instagram?
The most effective way to increase your followers is to engage with your fan base and other businesses
directly on Instagram. In other words, be active.
A second, and effective way, is to run Social Media contests and giveaways where the consumer has to
follow you, like your post and tag a friend in order to qualify.
A third way is called an Instagram Take Over. Find an influencer (someone on Social Media with high
engagement and followers) that is right for your brand. Allow them to post on behalf of your business
for a duration of time (at an event, over lunch, for the week). Please note, they will need your login
information to perform a takeover. You can always change your login credentials afterwards.
What is engagement and how do you measure it on Instagram?
The most common way to measure engagement on Instagram is to measure:
- Number of likes received
- Increase in following
- Comments received
- Hashtag participation
*Best Practice Tip: If you see a follower that is engaging with your business a lot, reciprocity is key.
Follow this person back, like a few of their photos, and leave a comment showing that you are
committed to reciprocating the support.
How much should I spend on advertising on Instagram?
Instagram is a very cost effective way of engaging in Social Media Marketing. There is no cost to creating
a profile and with an effective advertising strategy, the potential reach is huge. If you are interested in
running an Instagram Ad Campaign, you can expect that you will have to pay somewhere between 20
cents and $2 per click (CPC). If you prefer to run your ads on a cost per mille (CPM) basis, focusing on
impressions, then you are likely to pay around $5 per 1,000 visitors on average.
A good starting point is $40. Run an ad for several days and see if this channel is worth investing more
in. A study by Nanigans, a Facebook marketing partner, found that while Instagram ads cost less for
impression and clicks, a Facebook ad has higher click through rate. Establish upfront what is more
important to your business.
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Social Media Resource Guide | May 3, 2018Downtown Kingston! BIA
TWITTER
Is Twitter right for your business?
Twitter, one of the most popular social networking services in the world, is a microblogging platform,
which allows registered users to post short messages to other registered users. These short messages,
limited to 140 characters, are called Tweets.
With almost 70 million active users, Twitter can be a useful marketing tool. Unlike Instagram and
Facebook, Twitter is predominantly a written social network and is a great way to get your message out
fast and share real-time news. Twitter can also help businesses stay on top of industry and market
trends.
How do you sign up? What are the requirements for creating a new Twitter account?
In order to create a Twitter profile, you will need:
1. Full Name
2. Email address
3. Your Twitter @name
4. Profile pictures
5. Bio
6. Header Image
Visit www.twitter.com to sign up now.
What are the demographics of Twitter users in Canada?
Twitter has an average reach of 7.3 million users in Canada, with 57% male, 43% female, with an
average active user between the ages of 18 to 34.
What should you post on Twitter?
Twitter has become a news-dominant outlet. The most important content for Twitter is that which
conveys value and inspires action. The most engaging content is original, related to industry news and
trends, and includes high quality images (yes, imagery is important on Twitter too!). The average shelf
life of a Tweet is 3 hours. So keep it short, sweet, and straight to the point.
For optimal engagement on Twitter, use hashtags related to the content of your Tweet, as this will
increase the likelihood of gaining traction and expanding your reach. In fact, tweets with hashtags will
see twice the engagement as a post without.
Best Practice Tip: Keep an important Tweet at the top of your timeline by pinning it there. Click on the
“more” option on the Tweet you want to pin and select “Pin to your profile page.” Use this feature to
make sure visitors to your profile can’t miss your biggest, latest news.
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Social Media Resource Guide | May 3, 2018Downtown Kingston! BIA
Can I select who receives my Tweets?
There are two types of profiles when you create a Twitter account – public and private. If you have not
actively selected to be a private account, your profile will default to public, meaning anyone can view
and interact with your Tweets. If you choose to protect your Tweets by becoming private (which you can
do in your account settings), you will receive a request when new people want to follow you and wish to
read your posts. In summary, public tweets are visible to anyone, whether or not they have a Twitter
account, and private tweets are only visible to your Twitter followers.
How do you link to your website or promotional landing page in Twitter?
Linking to your website is important part of any call to action. All links (URLs) posted in Tweets are
shortened using Twitter’s t.co service. This means any URL will be altered to 23 characters. Your 140
character count will reflect this. Once your copy and URL are added, click the Tweet button to complete
your post.
Best Practice Tip: link to the page on your website that best suits the content of your Tweet. Do not just
bring the consumer to your homepage.
What is a hashtag on Twitter?
A hashtag on Twitter is very similar to Instagram. A hashtag is a keyword or phrase that categorizes
similar posts. Hashtags are very useful for findability, the action of searching and discovering content on
Social Media.
What is a Retweet? What are the advantages of Retweeting?
When you come across content that fits your business, you can Retweet it! Retweeting is sharing
someone else’s original post with your own followers.
There are many benefits of this method of User Generated Content. First, there is already an
overwhelming about of good content on social channels. For a small business, taking advantage of
existing content that is relevant to your brand and amplifying the message through your own social
channels is a time effective and smart way of creating content. With a simple click, you have supported
an individual while simultaneously adding to your business profile.
Secondly, Retweeting is the best way to engage with your existing followers and entice prospective
followers. When you Retweet a post, you are attracting the creator to notice you in a really welcoming
manner. If they already follow you, you are reinforcing the relationship. If they have yet to follow you,
Retweeting is perfect for getting noticed and entice a new fan.
What is a “Trending Topic” on Twitter?
A trend on Twitter refers to a hashtag-driven topic that is immediately popular at a particular time.
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Tools for Social Media
How do you stay relevant on Social Media?
There are two ways to stay relevant on Social Media. First, stay up to date on consumer demands for
content. For example, video production is booming. Consumers want to be entertained with bright and
fast-paced content. If you are willing to produce the content consumers want to see, you are increasing
your likelihood of engagement and retention of followers.
Second, the consumer journey is not what it used to be. It’s multi-directional and extremely difficult to
track. In order to stay top of mind, have a drive-to-purchase strategy in place. Be clear with your
intensions when posting – is your post purely informational, is it promotional, does it require a like, or
drive traffic to your website. It is one thing to build your following and produce like-worthy content; it is
an entirely different objective to successfully convert these followers to purchase your product or
service.
Best Practice Tip: Before you begin to post content, establish within your Marketing Team the best
strategies for qualifying Social Media leads. The criteria that are most important to your business will
drive your content strategy.
Surveys… Do or Don’t?
Surveys are an invaluable tool for engaging with your audience and hearing from your consumer base. A
personal email goes a long way, however there are online providers for survey solutions. The most
common is Survey Monkey, a free online tool for designing and distributing your survey.
Best Practice Tip: If you do not have a subscriber list or access to consumer emails, Facebook is an
excellent tool to capture consumer feedback. Simply post your question and a call to action to your
Business Page and watch the comments flood in.
What is the best tool for Social Media Planning?
There are a plethora of Social Media planning tools, but it is up to you and your business to figure out
which one suits your needs best. Sprout Social, Hootsuite, and Buffer are among the most popular.
What is the best tool for measuring Social Media Analytics?
There are many tools available for measuring Social Media analytics. It is important to measure your
analytics and make sure that your strategy works for your product and audience. One of the best tools
for planning and measuring a Social Media strategy is Sprout Social. Sprout Social allows you to draft,
schedule, and analyze your posts. Their detailed reports provide an analysis across multiple channels.
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Social Media Resource Guide | May 3, 2018Downtown Kingston! BIA
So, what should you be taking away from this Resource Guide?
The reality: Social Media is not going away.
For today: Your business should be on FB, Instagram, and Twitter. Create an account today!
For the future: There are countless tools and unique Social Media strategies that can help you to grow
your business. It is not super costly, but it will take time. Be patient. You have already taken the right
steps towards understanding Social Media by reading this guide!
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