Social media affects our lives every day. From casual interaction to developing your brand and your business, to networking. Social media is the new wave of networking and connecting with others. learn how to Promote your business and grow as a notary with this article.
In recent months, we have seen how the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed us to rely on social media, even more, to reach out and connect with others. While much of the world went to a “halt” due to lockdowns and social distancing, a lot of businesses still functioned by working remotely. Notaries were still in demand. Exposure to clientele is important now more than ever. But how do you get the exposure you need to grow your reach and your business? You guessed it, social media!
Networking online
The big 3 giants of social media; Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn open you up to the new world of networking. Networking is key to promote your business. But networking no longer just involves meeting in social areas and events. Making your presence known on social media opens you up to a wide range of people and clientele in need of your expertise and services.
You may find yourself asking, “But which social media platform is best for me to use?” Some things to consider are comfort and usability, your target audience, and content you plan to add to your page, to name a few. Ask yourself what type of content you want to post on your page. Are you looking to share snippets of information and stories? Or will you be sharing more photos or videos? Many social media platforms offer different features that cater to different types of content, so think about which one fits best with the type of content you plan to post.
Next, consider which platform your target audience is more active on. For example, if you’re looking to reach out to the younger demographic, Snapchat and TikTok may be a better choice than Twitter or LinkedIn.
Similarly, if you’re looking to reach professionals, Instagram may not be the best option for you as compared to LinkedIn.
Ask yourself as well how comfortable you feel using the platform. Different platforms may require different levels of technical knowledge and understanding in order to navigate the features. Consider your comfort level when it comes to using a platform before choosing one.
So, let’s start by breaking them down.
With Facebook, you can separate your business page from your personal page to promote your business. Facebook alone boasts over 2.3 billion active users monthly according to Statista.com. This makes Facebook the leading contender with regard to social media. This is a great place to start. Facebook is also a good place to incorporate tutorials and informative videos about your business.
A great notary business on Facebook I found was Sign and Thrive Notary Training Course by NotaryCoach.com. This is a great site to start for not only training purposes to become a better notary, but to build a promising business to be proud of. As stated previously, Facebook has over 2.3 billion active users, which confirms that this platform reaches all target audiences and demographics. This, in turn, allows you to connect with other notaries and businesses as well as others discovering your business through ongoing content, likes of posts and information, and connection.
Read the full post on the advantages of Facebook for your notary business.
Here you have another giant platform gaining force in business social media. 1 billion people use Instagram per month, and 500 million use Instagram stories every day according to the blog site Hootsuite. With Instagram, one of the main differences you have here is your demographic and display of information.
In my experience, I find the millennial generations are heavy on Instagram users. This is not to say that Instagram users are not connected to Facebook. Instagram uses photos on a timeline attached to short stories or statements. Videos can be used, but if longer than 60 seconds they roll into a platform of IGTV.
One great thing about Instagram, whatever information, stories, or photos you post on Instagram, you can easily connect them to your Facebook page. This in turn makes it quite easy to reach all your audience and promote your business Instagram also uses likes for your posts and content. These likes connect you to others who follow you and others who follow them. These people in turn see your content, which can direct them to your page to join and follow you.
Both Facebook and Instagram allow others to tag the name of your business (ex: @nameofyournotarybusiness) so that it is highlighted, which lets the reader click on the link to direct them to your page. With this social media platform, you also can separate your personal social page from your business page. On Instagram, in your bio section, you can also add links to your Facebook page and your website.
If you think this is the channel for you, we’ve got a whole post on how to get started and thrive with Instagram.
LinkedIn is a networking social media page geared more strictly toward business and professional connections. You can consider it Facebook for business. This site helps build professional relationships as opposed to Facebook and Instagram which expose you to everyday people, as well as businesses.
With LinkedIn, you can connect with a variety of businesses from title companies, real estate companies, mortgage companies, banks, and law firms. These businesses continually need access to excellent notaries (you!). As a professional, this is a great way to connect with other businesses.
Since LinkedIn is geared toward business, you don’t get lost in a lot of the social content that can be posted on Facebook and Instagram. Companies can view and target you for the services that they need, and then you can scope out building networking business connections with companies that require your services. LinkedIn allows you to promote your business to about 500 million users according to foundationinc.com.
Attracting the attention your notary business needs
Whichever platform you choose, or even if you choose all 3 platforms (which is a great idea and recommended) your business needs attention and a good following. A good following doesn’t just happen; it takes effort and dedication to build. Make sure to post regularly on your chosen platforms, engage with followers and other businesses, and create content that is valuable for your target audience.
Additionally, it’s important to optimize the visuals and text of your posts for maximum engagement. Investing in search engine optimization and paid advertising can also help to grow your reach and make sure that the right people are seeing what you have to offer. Ultimately, with a bit of effort and creativity, you can build a thriving online presence for your business.
It’s important to remember that building an online presence is a long-term investment but it will pay off in the end with a larger customer base, more leads and ultimately, increased revenues. The key is to keep up with trends and continually improve your approach and content. With that dedication to success, you will be sure to reach new heights for your business.
Know your business
Be knowledgeable about your business. Know current trends and laws that apply to notaries. As COVID-19 added virtual notary as an acceptable form of notarization in some states, understanding the details is crucial. By being allowed to do virtual notarizations, kept notaries in business and helped many people get important documents notarized. I work in a law firm and I saw firsthand how virtual notarization was a substantial help in getting documents notarized to keep business going and help clients see movement in their cases.
Content, content, content!
Nothing grabs more attention than continual and consistent content. Post content to your social media channel(s) regularly. Describe your knowledge in your bio section on your pages. Let your audience know where your experience lies. Do you have experience with mortgage closing documents? Affidavits? Are you also a mobile notary?
Adding a personal touch to your pages is a great way to help clients feel comfortable, -it makes you seem “human” and people appreciate that. For example, one post I loved on Notary Jane was on Instagram. Notary Jane included a playlist of upbeat songs during COVID-19 that was accessible to all, and invited others to comment on some of their happy feel good songs.
Engage with your audience
Engaging with your audience is just as important as content. Sometimes people may ask you questions about your post, or general notary questions. Answer your audience and anyone that is taking the time to reach out to you. You never know, by engaging with someone, they may become a client, or even better, -an ongoing client that refers others to your services.
A notary is always needed!
Notaries are always in demand. Using social media is a surefire way to enhance exposure to prospective clients. Social media is the networking tool of the present and future, which in turn becomes a great outlet for success. Do not limit yourself to just one platform. Working with all 3 can give you great exposure to produce great content, build clientele, and showcase your expertise and knowledge.
Make sure you have the time to manage them all, however. It’s better to use one channel really well than all 3 in a mediocre way. As a beginning notary, I am learning every day that with the right tools and information, social media has become a great friend in growing my notary business.
Last, but certainly not least, a great benefit to your notary business would be joining us here at NotaryJane.com to gain exposure and promote your business so that potential clients can find you online when searching in their area.
Thanks for reading, and we would love to hear about how social media has helped promote your business and helped you succeed.
By Keesha Hughes
Sources:
Foundationinc.com: B2B LinkedIn Content Marketing Stats
Sproutsocial.com: Important Instagram Stats You Need to Know for 2020
Hootsuite.com: 37 Instagram Stats that Matter to Marketers in 2020