Introduction The majority of us are familiar with at least one social media platform, whether its Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter. For many of us being familiar with a platform is different to being confident using it as a business tool. This article aims to help you understand Why Social Media is a useful business tool, What decisions you need to make before you start and Who you are aiming to reach. Along the way we’ll share a few tips to help you understand more about the bigger picture of social media in a business context. Please note that the information contained in this article is a brief summary of information about the social media industry and figures will be historic. Why Social Media as a Business Tool Many people who have a profile, or two, on social media see them as a means of staying in touch with friends, family and business contacts. However, there are also many individuals and businesses that are using all platforms as successful marketing and sales tools...

Why to Consider Outsourc ing Your Social Media Activity As a micro business owner you have a suite of plates to keep spinning – delivering your product or service, accounting record keeping, networking, keeping customers happy securing new customers, all feature in a days work. During quiet times it is possible for you to take a breather and start to think strategically about marketing – but what happens when you become busy. In this month’s blog we look at some benefits, concerns and key considerations for micro businesses when thinking about how they handle their social presence and marketing activity. The key outcome for this blog is to assist you in weighing up the pros and cons, carefully, to determine whether outsourcing to a digital marketing agency aligns with your specific needs, resources, and business goals. It's essential for us as micro business owners to undertake this important part of the decision as some of you may find value in outsourcing specific tasks or ...

  What Is a Customer Avatar? A Customer Avatar is the modern name for a customer profile. The easiest way to explain what it is, is to give you an example. Imagine a photograph of your best friend. You know everything about them … their age, what country they live in, what they like, dislike, what family, pets, type and size of home they have, their dreams and desires and also their frustrations.  A Customer Avatar is a collection of this type of information that you imagine describes your ideal customer. We will explore how to create one a little later. Just remember ...the more in-depth and detailed your collection of information, the more accurate your customer avatar will be. This ideal customer avatar represents a single most perfect customer you could possibly have, that is to say a person who completely needs and wants your product, your content or your services. This ideal customer could even be the perfect person you would love to work with. An Ideal Customer Av...

Starting a blog for your business is a great way to attract customers, build a business brand and educate your audience that you can provide the solution to their challenges. However, there are things to consider before you embark on the commitment blogging requires from you. TIP 1 -  Make a Start Blogging is a great way to share your thoughts with the world. Blogging is not just about getting traffic to your site, it's also about driving targeted traffic to your business. What do you want to blog about? Make a list of topics that you are familiar with, issues that you can talk knowledgeably about. Choose a niche: Select a specific topic or area of interest that you are knowledgeable or passionate about. This will help you establish your authority and build a loyal audience. Then build your schedule of topics so that you can plan ahead for writing your content. Who are your readers? Define your target audience: Identify the people you want to reach with your blog...