Marketing Your Business with only a Smartphone
In today’s digital age, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Google are essential tools for brand growth. Understanding how to effectively get your message out using just a smartphone is key to success.
With the right strategy, you can turn your smartphone into a powerful marketing tool to engage with your audience. Social media have revolutionized marketing by integrating photos and videos to promote products and services. A strong and visually appealing presence on these platforms makes it easier for potential customers to find you.
An engaging and well-curated social media profile can drive your target audience to your brand.
Importance of social media marketing
- Social media is where customers spend their time.
- Canadians spend on average over two hours a day on social media.
- Social media users have grown by over 13% over the last year (2022).
- 42% of people in Canada use social media to search for products and services.
- Gen Z shoppers use social media more than Google for their search.
- Social media influences purchasing decisions—92% of users act after seeing a product.
- It’s the most efficient form of marketing in the world.
Best Practices for Photo and video
- Candid shots of happy people in action get the most engagement.
- If people aren’t available, focus on action shots (e.g., movement or activity). This increases scroll stopping and pausing. The algorithms love this.
- Outdoor shots with interesting backgrounds are more engaging than indoor shots.
- Use portrait mode to make your subject stand out.
- Capture content during golden hours (sunrise/sunset) for visually appealing photos.
- Always hold your phone vertically.
Creating Reels for Social Media
- Reels are the highest ROI of any form of social media content with respect to reach and engagement.
- Movement in the first two seconds of a Reel is crucial to grab attention.
- Use short, high-definition clips (2–10 seconds) to keep viewers engaged.
- Happy people in action are key to top-performing Reel content.
- Don’t overthink Reels—focus on real, simple content for authenticity.
Posting Reels on Instagram in 7 Easy Steps
- Hit the plus sign on the top right-hand corner.
- Hit the reel button.
- Tap the video you want to use in your Reel (navigate to your own camera roll to find the video you are looking for).
- Sync your videos to songs (it will automatically suggest audio).
- Hit the edit button, edit your reels. You can add a few different reels here. Keep in mind 15 seconds or less is ideal. Ensure you they are ordered correctly.
- Position them in order you want them viewed.
- Upload and add hashtags. As a general rule, include one broad hashtag, one niche hashtag and one geo hashtag. Up to five hashtags can be included if you find them relevant.
Essential Platforms for content posting
Post on Google My Business, Facebook, and Instagram.
Key Information: Google my Business
- Have both Google My Business app and Meta business suite on your phone to post content to both.
- Google My Business is good for posting static content.
- Google My business is a free search engine results page.
- Google My Business favors brands that are active and updated.
- Google my Business is very similar to Facebook. You add your photo, then add a description just as you would on Facebook or Instagram.
Posting on Meta
- Cross-posting between Facebook and Instagram saves time.
- Engage daily by responding to comments and interacting with other brands.
- Consistently update social media in both high and low seasons to stay connected with customers.
- Use hashtags strategically for discoverability, including broad, niche, and geo-specific tags.
Tips to keep in mind for Facebook and Instagram
- Consider when to post now or schedule the post for a day or two.
- Build customer loyalty—engage with customers.
- Comment back when someone make a comment on a post.
- Answer DM’s.
- Follow other brands in your space.
- Commit 5–10 minutes a day on each platform.
Conclusion
Using your smartphone is an easy, affordable and efficient way to build your brand.
It allows you to interact with your customers and to build a community around your brand using reels and videos on different social media platforms.
Using social media can be simple, as long as you can invest the time and create meaningful posts.
The algorithms will favor you by diffusing your content to more people—increasing your organic footprint on social media and reducing the amount of money you need to spend to reach the right people.
About the Author
Ashley Drummond is the CEO of Wow Factor Media and works with a diverse range of community leaders and business owners throughout Western Canada.