Make Your Dollar Go Farther

Low- and no-cost tips to help you make the most of your social media marketing budget

Let’s be honest: it’s been a weird year for the Canadian economy, and there’s no reason to think that’s going to change anytime soon. We know every business, non-profit, and entrepreneur is looking for a silver bullet to protect them from uncertainty. And while we don’t have that (darn!), we DO have some tips to help you make the most of your social media marketing spend.

Read on for some low- and no-cost recommendations that can help you and your social media team deliver the best possible results, no matter your budget.

Simple actions you can take to rev up engagement

1. Spend a few minutes a day engaging with other accounts related to your business (particularly on Instagram). Engagement sparks engagement!
   

2. Encourage your staff to reshare posts to their social platforms, ESPECIALLY on LinkedIn, where it can be difficult for small organizations to gain traction.
   

3. Where possible, tag your vendors, partners, etc, to help tap into each other’s audiences. And if you’re not already using it, get familiar with the “collaborative post” feature on Instagram.
   

4. Invite your customers to tag your business in their social media posts. This serves two purposes. First, it exposes your account to new audiences. Second, it might generate some great photos! 

Help us help you make your content pop

1. Take Behind-the-Scenes Photos/Videos. Authentic content performs so much better than stock imagery! Snag photos and videos of your staff, workspace, or products and send them over to your social media team to edit and post. PS: We love when we receive both vertical AND horizontal pictures and videos, because it gives us more options, and makes it easier to incorporate the pictures into our designs!

   
   

2. Send us b-roll. If you have outtakes, silly moments, random videos or photos around your office or storefront, we want to see them! You never know how we’ll be able to transform these things… but they have to come from YOU to be authentic. Because people want to feel connected to you online.
   

3. Video is everything right now, and it doesn’t have to be fancy. In fact, the trend continues to be all about authentic, everyday videos. So if there’s something you’d like to address or promote, grab your phone and shoot a casual video while you’re out on a walk, sitting at your kitchen table, etc etc.

   
   

4. Help us get to know you. Set aside some time in a team meeting to collect info from your team members for fun or informative posts that go beyond what’s in their bios. They could explain their role in the organization (in their own words), or talk about their favourite product/service offered by the business, or give some examples of how they’ve helped clients.

   
   
   
   

   

Work collaboratively with your social media team, and make sure everyone is on the same page

1. Really be clear on goals and plans. We know that things change, and we’re flexible! However, effective social campaigns take time, planning, and attention. So set your social team up for success by giving them adequate lead time, and being clear about deadlines and details.

   
   

2. Is your website up to date? If not, it can lead to a lot of confusion, both for customers AND for your social media team. If your copy has changed, that should be a quick fix for your web team. But if, for some reason, you can’t update your website right away, keep us in the loop, so we’re not pulling outdated info for your socials.

   
   

3. Make sure your agency/social media manager has your team’s social handles (if they have public accounts), and the handles of any partners or stakeholders (i.e. board members, performers, companies that have donated to your organization or partnered with you on projects). 

   
   

4. Let your social team know what’s coming up. Tell us about promotions, sales, events, etc, as early as possible, so we can plan a comprehensive communication strategy.

   
   

5. Make sure you’re reviewing content carefully and in a timely manner. 

   
   

Small investments that can make a big difference

1. Buy a tripod. I know… earlier, we said that casual is fine… and it is! But unless you’re recording a walk and talk, a shaky video isn’t a good look. There are SO many affordable options available. It’s a small investment that can be the difference between getting your audience hooked vs making them nauseous. 

   
   

2. Make your space enticing for selfies. Whether it’s a designated selfie corner with a backdrop, or just something simple (like some pretty wallpaper, or an ornate mirror)… a few thoughtful touches, some good lighting, and a small display with your social handles can go a long way towards getting the word out about your organization!

   
   

3. Consider running a contest to boost engagement on your posts. Offer a prize package and ask followers to tag a friend in the comments to enter. This can lead to a spike in both engagement and follower count. The added bonus? Most social media algorithms reward posts that get lots of comments and interactions—so the more engagement your contest drives, the more likely it is that your future content will be shown to others.

   
   

4. Talk to your team about a small social spend. It’s not a requirement, but there are times when even a really small investment in social ads can have a big impact. If there’s something important coming up, ask us if paid social might be worth it.