How Data-Driven Social Media Can Help Your Boutique Thrive

A big thanks to Logan from Talking Social for writing this piece for us! Watch her full workshop with us👇👇

When you look at social media, do you see an opportunity or a huge list of tasks that seem to be never-ending? It’s easy to see social media as one more thing on your to-do list, especially as a small business owner. Social media often falls on the back burner between managing employees, having your operations down to a science, working the store, packing orders, and being the number one customer service representative. It’s easy to do, and when you finally have time to make a post or have your girls film an awesome TikTok, it either doesn’t drive sales like you hoped, or it doesn’t reach who you want it to. It feels like an endless cycle. You know how important social media is, but why isn’t it working?

My name is Logan McCabe, and I, along with my sister, Caroline, own Talking Social. We’re not just another digital and social media marketing firm. We’re a team that’s deeply invested in your success. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, our ultimate goal is to help small businesses like yours grow and scale. We do this by taking the time-consuming task of social media management off your plate, allowing you to focus on what you do best. What sets us apart? We’re not interested in generic strategies. We’re focused exclusively on YOUR data, what makes YOUR brand unique, and how YOUR customers differ from the rest of the World. Just like Angela and her team, we are focused on your unique branding to actually reach and acquire more customers in your perfect target market. 

By leveraging tools I learned in my Digital and Social Media Masters program at The University of Alabama, I realized that diving into our client’s specific data and creating a specific marketing plan for each individualized brand yielded the highest results. Often, companies are checking the box by getting posts up and “showing up” for their customers. But are you really reaching YOUR customer? Chances are, that’s why your TikToks aren’t producing sales, your Instagram feels stagnant, or you are not getting clicks on your Facebook profile. By measuring your specific data and consistently checking post performance, we can create a social media plan that not only is on brand and helps you stay consistent, we can help you actually drive results. There’s nothing more important than to reach your customers where they are, make them feel valued, and stay top of mind.

For instance, one of my favorite platforms to utilize is Pinterest. It’s not just a place to share pretty pictures. It’s a goldmine of information about your audience. Pinterest is great for building organic SEO, but even better, it’s great for understanding your audience and creating curated content. By understanding your audience’s interests, you can create content that resonates with them. If your audience loves cooking, it makes sense to combine your outfit recommendations with easy-to-share recipes. You do not need to reinvent the wheel here. Creating branded graphics that feature an easy-to-follow recipe and the original chef’s tag and draw your customer to click to learn more is huge for not only driving traffic to your website but also remaining top of mind with your customer. It’s not just about a sales post; social media is so much more. Connection is key- how are you going to connect?

Meta Business Suite is a fantastic and FREE resource for business owners. You can utilize this platform to understand everything about your followers. For instance, you will be able to find out where they are located, how old they are, the percentage of men to women, and so much more. Utilizing this information is KEY because chances are, your following is different on all platforms. Creating a reel featuring summer crop tops for Instagram is amazing for an 18-28-year-old audience, but if your Facebook audience is 35-55, your crop tops probably won’t sell at the same rate. Keeping your audience in mind is the best way to create content that is going to make a lasting impression. 

Overall, this may seem extremely daunting, and let’s be real, I could talk about social media data for days and days. But my biggest encouragement for you is to start with ONE platform. Understand what makes that platform different from the rest. Look through the data and make one small change each week to help optimize that platform for success.

If you’re overwhelmed, I get it. I’d be more than happy to talk more about our data audit service, where we break down all of the stats from your platform and give you action items to optimize your platform, or even our takeovers, where we run your social media from start to finish. 

You have a lot on your plate, but making time or hiring a qualified company to provide the service is key to your success online. Talking Social is here to help you every step of the way! Drop us a line, let’s chat and optimize your platforms for success.

XOXO

Logan