Unleash Your Creativity and Revolutionize Your Marketing Approach

Discover the transformative power of these three essential strategies and cutting-edge digital tools to captivate your audience with your business’s distinctive narrative.

At Meta, a crucial aspect of my role involves engaging with small business owners to explore their successes and, more significantly, the hurdles they face. Through this valuable interaction, we strive to enhance our support for the SMB community. While each small business possesses its own unique attributes, it is often evident that they encounter similar challenges, irrespective of their location in San Francisco or Sao Paulo or their longevity in the industry.

One area where this rings particularly true is marketing, as new trends and tools emerge constantly. Business owners frequently express a sense of intimidation rather than empowerment when confronted with these novel digital resources at their disposal.

In fact, a staggering 40% of small businesses identify “insufficient experience and understanding of digital marketing” as their primary marketing obstacle. Furthermore, our collaboration with small business owners has revealed that time and budget limitations impede their creative endeavors. Despite entrepreneurs inherently possessing a remarkable degree of creativity, as demonstrated unequivocally by their resourcefulness throughout the pandemic, numerous business owners have shared the difficulty they face in translating that creativity into their online presence.

I firmly believe in aiding business owners in embracing their creative potential, enabling them to effectively promote their enterprises and forge connections with customers both online and offline. Allow me to dispel the myth that only creative professionals can craft astonishing online content.

Here are three invaluable tips to empower entrepreneurs to tap into their creativity and master the art of marketing their businesses online.

Optimize for Mobile Excellence

Although “mobile-first” has become a well-worn catchphrase over the years, it remains an indispensable mantra. So, what are the fundamental principles for achieving success when creating mobile content? I recommend adhering to several best practices.

First and foremost, our research indicates that vertical videos outshine others, capitalizing on the expansive real estate offered by people’s phone and tablet screens. Notably, content featuring individuals, rather than mere product shots, tends to yield superior outcomes. Consider innovative ways to incorporate human elements into your content, whether by featuring employees, employing professional models, or showcasing customers who have granted permission for their images to be used. Additionally, strive for clear and concise communication. Our findings demonstrate that ads featuring succinct text overlays and captions below 300 words deliver optimal results.

Let’s take the example of Prose, a subscription-based hair care brand. By diligently applying mobile-first best practices to their content, they experienced remarkable benefits. Encouraged by these results, they ventured further and crafted an advertisement exclusively tailored for Instagram Reels, leveraging the insights they had gained. This holistic approach, combined with a mobile-first mindset, propelled them to achieve a 52% increase in unique audience reach and a 20% boost in impression delivery, particularly within the coveted 18-34 age demographic.

Harnessing the Power of Video

Hrag Kalebjian, co-owner of Henry’s House of Coffee in San Francisco, experienced remarkable results by incorporating video into his digital campaigns. The inclusion of video alongside static images increased his return on ad spend by an impressive 139%. This trend is not exclusive to Hrag; we have witnessed similar success across our platform. Video-only or video + static image campaigns consistently outperform static-only campaigns, driving higher conversions and fostering top-of-mind awareness.

When experimenting with video content, remember that brevity is key. In general, we find that 15-second videos yield the best performance. Within this limited timeframe, avoid trying to do too much. Instead, focus on highlighting your brand and delivering a singular, impactful message. If possible, conclude with a clear call to action that directs your audience to the next step, such as visiting your website, making a specific purchase, or contacting you for further information.

Engage and Inform Your Audience

Instagram Reels now occupy over 20% of users’ time on the platform, indicating a strong interest in engaging with a brand’s story through this format. When creating content for Reels, think of it as “infotainment.” The content should be both informative and entertaining, inspiring your audience to delve deeper into your brand.

For instance, consider the most frequently asked questions from your customers and develop video content that provides concise answers to the top three FAQs. When launching a new product or service, create a video that offers a sneak peek and showcases the benefits it offers to customers. Strive to strike a balance between entertainment and information for optimal results.

PlantIn, a global gardening app, sought to boost trial app subscriptions and decided to embark on a standalone Reels campaign. This dynamic and fun approach allowed them to bring their brand to life while educating people about their offerings. Anastasia Karlova, head of marketing at PlantIn, reported a nearly one-third reduction in the cost per app install through this successful campaign. If your brand shares similar goals, an infotainment campaign on Reels could be a highly effective strategy.

In addition to strategies such as optimizing for mobile, educating and entertaining audiences, and integrating video content, business owners have numerous avenues to explore in expanding their marketing horizons and tapping into their creativity. Alongside these tips, I encourage small businesses to experiment and embrace their creative potential. Consider partnering with Meta Business Partners like Adobe and Vimeo, who offer invaluable resources and support. Starting this month, Meta is launching an exciting new initiative, providing small businesses with free in-person trainings, events, and online resources, empowering them with the necessary tools and inspiration to translate creativity into their marketing and branding efforts online.

Lastly, I want to emphasize to all business owners: Never doubt your creative capabilities. Your business is unique, and now you possess the tools and skills to showcase it to the world.