A2X Consulting

Social media is a key component in advertising, marketing and executing sales for any business. But for green entrepreneurs, it’s a seriously important battlefield in the war against big business. You want to carve out your niche in the industry, but in an environmentally responsible way. It’s a commendable approach, and so necessary in today’s business world. But since you may not have the same level of resources as the big boys and you certainly don’t want to do a bunch of traditional print advertising, you will find many of your biggest supporters and most dedicated customers on the social networks. The fantastic thing about all of the networks, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest or any of the dozens of other options people use, is that they don’t discriminate. Any business has the ability to find their target audience, and people who care about the environment are all online. Just follow a simple strategy for using each aspect of social media to your advantage, and you’ll be able to successfully promote your green business to a massive, international audience.

Start with creating your business profile on each platform you want to tackle. Keep in mind how you want your business to be branded, as once you create the username, you usually aren’t able to change it. Make sure that green initiatives are front and center on your profile page, making it clear to anyone searching for environmental options in your industry that you are the best partner. Add photos to your homepage on Facebook and Pinterest, and create a great avatar for Twitter that lets people know your site is managed by real people at the company, not robots. Next, fill your page or feed with as much relevant content as you can. Think of what will be most interesting to your target audience, and lay a solid groundwork of material to launch your social media presence.

Next, think up ways to establish you and your company as experts in the field. This will come from high-quality content and consistent posting. Participate in forum and blog conversations on a number of sites, reminding people that you talk about these issues on your own platforms as well. Consider ways you can repurpose similar subjects or content on various sites to take advantage of their differences. Post links on Twitter, great photos on Instragram, or stories and events on Facebook. And get something new up at least once every day. You want people to know that your company is always working to bring higher quality and accountability to your field, while incorporating green initiatives and that means hard work and dedication.

Finally, stay engaged with others in the larger world of the internet. Educate yourself as to what your competitors are doing by following their networks. Do your best to stay current on events within the market, and report them to your followers. You’ll improve your own offerings while also expanding your base of followers significantly. And learn as much as possible about how to get the most from each platform. If you don’t have the time or inclination to become a social media expert, hire one to optimize your sites. Word choice, Search Engine Optimization and hashtag usage are all key components to maximizing your exposure. Take the time to perfect what you’re doing, and the results will be measurable in your company’s thriving bottom line.

Jamie Lewis is a contributing writer for GetShared.us the premier company for all of your social media management needs.