While many small business owners are spending lots of money on paid ads and social media marketing, they may be overlooking the value of the “humble” local communities.
Chasing followers on social media can be a nightmare, given the constantly-changing social media landscape. All of the big players frequently adjust their algorithms in the hope of generating more revenue.
For the average small business owner, keeping up can be exhausting – or expensive if you outsource it.
And let’s not even get into the cost of paid advertising, which only generates revenue as long as you keep paying.
But here’s the thing: When it comes to small, local businesses, marketing shouldn’t feel like shouting into a stadium. Instead, it should feel like a simple handshake.
The power of micro-communities for small business marketing:
If you sell to other businesses, you probably engage in the local chamber of commerce. It’s a great place to network.
But what if your target market is the general public?
You have several options to look at, including local Facebook groups, Nextdoor, private industry forums, and – depending on your target market – even local Subreddits.
Smaller groups mean it is easier – and faster – to establish trust, purely because there is less “noise”, resulting in better visibility and better conversion rates.
What classifies as a micro-community?
If broad social media is like the city square, then a micro-community is like the backyard barbeque.
Instead of having 10,000 followers, most of whom will never even see your content thanks to the algorithms, imagine being in a group of just a few hundred, highly engaged people.
Instead of fighting for visibility, it comes naturally every time you post or comment. And when you leave valuable comments (answering questions), people notice. You don’t have to fight the algorithm.
Engaging in smaller communities allow you to build relationships, and leverage word-of-mouth. Instead of chasing the next trend, you simply use your experience to contribute value, and to be noticed.
Side note: If your business is online and/or not bound to any specific area, you can still use industry-related or interest-related micro-communities.
How do you make use of these micro-communities?
1. See what is available.
Do some research, and check Nextdoor, local and/or industry-specific forums, and Facebook groups (you can search for “your town name” + “community network” or “business network” and similar phrases. You can do similar searches on Reddit if you deal with younger customers.
However, look at the activity and engagement in the community. For instance, you can have a Facebook group where a lot of posting is happening, but no engagement. In reality, it might just be a bunch of interns popping out ads each day. Look for real conversations.
It is better to engage with 200 people, or even 100 if you run a service-based business, than to shout at 5,000 when nobody is listening.
2. Listen before you jump in.
Once you have identified potential micro-communities, spend a week monitoring them. See how regularly people post, how the conversations develop, and what members are asking for. Don’t just drop links. Also, use the time to see if each/any community you identified will be worth your time. Some probably won’t.
You will see soon enough if there is real engagement, or whether it is just a handful of members who keep the numbers rolling, or whether it is just a place for people to dump ads, placed by junior staff who will never react to what you post.
3. Become the helpful expert.
Instead of just posting ads, start answering questions. It doesn’t just have to be questions related to what you offer – you can answer anything for which you can offer solid advice. You can also ask clarifying questions – questions which other people would like to know the answers to – in your comments.
Doing this – instead of asking for a sale – will establish trust and undeniable authority in your field, and makes you a respected member of the community.
In conclusion:
When you do SEO or run paid ads, you drive people to your website or business location, and hope they will trust you.
When you actively and effectively engage in micro-communities, people end up visiting your website or premises BECAUSE they trust you.
While visitor numbers might seem low, many of these people will be ready to buy. It’s a whole different ball game.
Not to mention that you, as the owner of the business, builds a solid personal brand in the process.