Whether you run a chamber, a local merchant association, or you are a local merchant, if you have dreams of creating a community where people think to shop local before running to a box store or ordering something online, you’ll need to implement social media best practices and use the following sites:
Paint a Picture with Instagram
One of the most overlooked factors in the appeal of local stores is one that’s often not talked about — charm. Most box stores resemble one another from community to community. Your local stores exude a unique quality that can be captured through images. Instagram’s popularity is growing and it is the perfect venue to showcase cozy stores and interesting items. Let’s not forget the delicious dishes of your town.
Ask Questions with Facebook
Facebook is still king with larger numbers than any other social media platform, for this reason it’s probably safe to assume your audience is on there. But it’s no longer enough to just broadcast your posts to your followers. They only see a small percentage of them.
However, every time they engage with your content through shares or comments, Facebook sees that as a sign that the user values your page. If you want to show up in their stream, you must get them to interact with you. The best way to do that is to ask the types of questions everyone can be a part of like favorite local shop or delicacy.
Get It Going with YouTube
I’ll save video for YouTube since we just discussed Facebook above, but you can easily post video to Facebook as well. Use this popular video channel to post a variety of topics. Don’t create ads. Make videos that demonstrate best ways to use products. Conduct interviews with industry experts. Highlight community shops or show your team having fun.
When it comes to getting the most bang for your social media efforts make sure you concentrate on where you can reach your audience and entertain, enlighten, and educate them. That’s the sort of content people respond to and a response (in the form of a post or share) is gold to your shop local campaign.
