Social media is big business, with millions of people accessing social networks every day.  It is an important area of online marketing to consider when setting up an online business.  There’s huge marketing potential in social media, but understanding how to do it well can make a big difference.

Firstly, it is important to understand and think about your target audience, and which social networks they are most likely to use.  Once you have established this information, it should be easier for you to begin planning your marketing campaign.

Next, it is worth looking at the different options each social media site offers.  Facebook for example, offers the chance to create pages and groups for free, as well as paid advertisments to fit in with these pages.

Growing your network is the last step, so sharing your posts and creating interesting updates for your followers to share around will help you to increase your audience.  Encourage shares by including insider information on your page which others wouldn’t know about – this way people feel more important sharing the updates with their own friends.