For screen printers that have been in the business for a while, it may seem redundant to invest time and resources into developing a social media presence; however, this aspect of your business is equally as important as setting up an online store for your print shop. That being said, we understand that not everyone is social media savvy and creating original content can seem daunting for some. Keep reading for resources and ideas on how to fill your empty social media feed and grow a loyal following.
Why Your Print Shop Needs a Social Media Presence
There’s a reason that 97% of business owners are using social media as part of their marketing strategy. Whether your business is new to social media or has accounts that are underutilized, it’s time to put more effort into your online presence. In this digital age we live in, a social media presence is crucial for businesses, even if they have a small following.
For starters, having an up-to-date social media account gives your brand credibility. Potential customers are much more likely to make a purchase if your brand appears established. Brand awareness is another benefit of social media. Social media accounts can make increasing your traffic and spreading the word about your business that much easier!
Social media also offers you a unique and effective way to get feedback from your customers. You can interact with them directly, ensuring customer satisfaction and fostering a relationship that buyers appreciate. And by promoting your products and services across your social media accounts, they’ll be kept in the loop on all the new and exciting things you’re offering.
Different Social Media Platforms and Their Benefits
There are five main networks to consider utilizing: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. Before deciding which platform(s) to use in your social media strategy, it’s important to understand how they work and the potential benefits:
- Facebook is geared towards offering both news and entertainment. For businesses, it can be beneficial because it drives more website referral traffic than any other platform. Most brands have at least a Facebook page.
- Instagram is a highly visual platform for sharing photos and videos. It’s not well suited for driving website or blog traffic, but recent updates have helped Instagram offer users a more user-friendly and interactive shopping experience. This means that you can easily have your Instagram account double as an online shop. And because print shops need to share visuals of their products, your brand is likely to prosper on Instagram.
- Twitter operates as a news platform as well as a social network. It’s best suited to brands that want to share content and rely on retweeting to foster engagement.
- LinkedIn is excellent for fostering a professional network for your screen printing business. Your content on this platform will vary greatly from what you share elsewhere and be geared towards your professional audience. This is great if you have a blog that offers technical insight or industry-related articles.
- Pinterest is excellent for print shops, especially if you have a strong internet presence through your website, online shop, or other social media. That is because Pinterest is the only account that operates solely to direct people to your business.
How Do You Write a Catchy Social Media Post?
Social media marketing is certainly a learned skill, and for an inexperienced social media user, it may initially be difficult to think of engaging post ideas or keep track of trending topics. This is why creativity and research are key. Check out what similar businesses are doing and note what methods garner the most engagement and purchases; then you’ll be able to incorporate this into your own brand! If you still need a push in the right direction, we’ve compiled some fun and effective social media content ideas to fill your calendar:
Product sneak peek
- Do you have a new product or service coming soon? Share a sneak peek to get your followers interested.
Share your company’s blog post
- If you have a blog, then sharing it on social media is a great way to generate traffic to your website. Share your insight and expertise while increasing awareness of your business!
Make posts about industry developments
- Showcase your industry knowledge by posting about new technology or techniques that arise.
Showcase your personality
- You’re the face of your brand! And if you feel comfortable enough, sharing personal content on your brand’s accounts can be a great way to generate a relationship with your customers. Some ideas include hosting a Facebook Live or Instagram live!
Answer customer questions
- Answering frequent customer questions not only informs followers about your brand and offerings, but it also shows that you actually care about their satisfaction.
Polls
- Polls are a fun way to increase follower engagement on your accounts!
Time-lapse videos
- If you’ve got the videography skills, a time lapse video of you going through the t-shirt printing process is a different, highly visual form of content.
Testimonials
- Testimonials are a great way to share other customers’ satisfaction with prospective buyers. If others have had consistently positive experiences working with you, more people are likely to do so.
Giveaways
- Giveaways encourage your followers to interact and allow you to show your appreciation for your loyal customers!
Holiday posts
- These posts don’t have to be exclusive to major holidays! There are all sorts of fun, quirky national and international holidays, so this is a great way to fill gaps in your feed.
Tips for Staying on Top of Social Media
So, you’ve got some ideas about what to post, but how do you remember to keep up with posting? There are plenty of free social media management programs that help you plan and schedule your posts across various platforms in advance. Facebook also allows you to create and schedule posts. If you choose to post manually, it may help to set an alarm or reminder to keep you on track.
About EXILE Technologies
At EXILE Technologies, we know that your business matters to you. That is why we have made it our business to offer several computer-to-screen printing solutions, each with the specific ability to increase productivity and generate savings in your production area. Our high-quality products include the Spyder III, V-Lux, and more! Now that you’re equipped with social media post ideas, contact us today to learn more about our products and how they can elevate your business.
