You probably use Facebook to keep in touch with mates, but did you know it’s also great for business? While you may have your tried-and-tested ways of landing new jobs, like ads in the local paper or customer referrals, social media helps you get more work through the door.

Almost eight in 10 Aussies are on social media, and the average Joe spends more than an hour a day browsing through platforms like Facebook or Instagram. Because almost everyone uses it, social media is considered the best advertising for tradesmen. This is because you can communicate with all of your potential and current customers in one place. On top of that, creating a page on social media, and posting updates, is free.

However, using social media advertising for your business is different than using it to share funny cat videos with your buddies. Here, we round up some essential tips to help you use social media marketing for your business.

Choose the right social media

Even though it’s easy to kill hours on social media when you’re scrolling through your newsfeed, using it for business is very different.

There are a lot of different social media networks out there, from Facebook to Instagram and Twitter. While it’s tempting to jump on them all, remember that you’re responsible for posting updates. Unless you’re a photography whiz or want to lose your weekends to video editing, the best idea is to pick one channel and do it well.

94% of all social media users are on Facebook so this is generally the best social media to start out with. Plus, it supports pictures, videos, links and text posts, so you can keep it fresh with the type of content you’re sharing.

Plan (and schedule) content

‘Being on social media’ isn’t enough. You have to post regularly if you want to reach new customers. If you don’t post content regularly, your business won’t show up on peoples’ newsfeeds. What’s more, a social media profile with no updates looks unprofessional, and might turn off potential customers who think your business is closed.

If you’re scratching your head thinking of content ideas, here are a few social media strategy example ideas to get you started:

• Post updates on your business, such as new tools you have or a new tradie you’ve brought on to help with customers.
• Share helpful tips for customers. If you’re a plumber, for example, you could make a post about the 10 causes of a clogged drain.
• Create ‘before and after’ pictures from your latest jobs to show a job well done.
• Share any deals or promotions you have going on, including offers for new customers or a discount for returning customers.

Tip: Facebook lets you schedule upcoming posts, so you don’t need to jump on and create a new post every day.

Ask for reviews

Good ol’ fashioned word of mouth is one of the best ways to get new customers through the door. After all, if you see a business that has five-star reviews, you’re more likely to go with that business than one with no reviews (or worse yet, bad reviews).

Most of your customers will be more than willing to help spread the word about your great work. Share your Facebook page with existing customers, and ask them to write a review about their experience. You could even consider giving customers an extra discount if they review your page, to help drum up more reviews.

Keep an eye on messages

If you received a phone call from a customer asking for a quote, you wouldn’t just let it go to voicemail. The same goes for social media, Someone might shoot a message your way asking if you offer a certain service, or asking for your availability. If you don’t reply, they’ll find someone else who will so remember to check your page and messages frequently.

Keep tabs on your messages and your comments, and respond to them quickly. This way, you don’t lose out on potential work.

With a strong social media strategy, you can stay connected with customers and find additional work. A job management app, like Geo, helps you keep track of your jobs, so you deliver awesome service to all your new customers. Try it for free here.