Social media isn’t the next big thing in online marketing. It’s here.

Small businesses across the country have been taking to social media to build relationships with their customers, and establish themselves as an expert in their fields. And it’s all for good reason – there’s a massive consumer base on social media that small businesses have the opportunity to capitalize on. The trick with social media marketing, however, is doing it right.

Merely creating a presence for your business on social media is not going to cut it. It takes a lot more than that to attract customers, build your social media community, and create brand loyalty. Below are 3 tips to help get you social media game moving in the right direction.

1. Plan for what lies ahead.

When analyzing your social media efforts and creating your social media game plan, it’s important to first recognize where social media marketing is headed. Social media platforms, like Facebook, are becoming search engines in their own right, by bringing word-of-mouth recommendations online. What’s more impactful to your Facebook fans than having one of your customers give you a shout out for a job well done? By putting in the work to build your social media community now, you’ll be better equipped for the future, as more users move toward social media to make their buying decisions.

2. To get more customers to ‘like’ you, be someone they like.

Whatever your business model is, strive to be the best at it and establish yourself as an expert in your community and a trusted resource. By frequently sharing valuable information to your customers through tips, news, pictures, etc., you’re doing just that.

3. Stop selling and start sharing.

Leave your sales pitch at the counter. Social media isn’t the place for selling, it’s the place for sharing. Share content that’s valuable (see above), interesting, and engaging…and most of all, make it authentic.

When building your social media marketing strategy, it’s important to have realistic expectations. Cultivating a social media community around your brand takes a considerable amount of time and work but, as long as you’re following the these basic principles, you’ll see that the long-term payback will be worth it.