Social networks are a showcase for SMEs. They act as channels for disseminating the brand, as a point of direct interaction with customers and as a point of sale and marketing. 

The most important social networks for an SME in Spain are: 

• Facebook: for all ages and with its own ad system with great targeting capacity. 

• Instagram: for a younger audience, the most visual network that it also has an interactive advertising system that easily redirects to products.  

• Twitter: for a heterogeneous audience, it is used for viral marketing and answering queries about brands  

• Youtube: a network that is still very popular, SMEs can create their own videos or collaborate with influencers.   

• Tiktok: the network that continues to grow among young people, being a niche for this sector.  

• LinkedIn: the professional network, with a more formal tone.   

Each SME or self-employed person will have to choose the social network that best suits his or her needs. The main advantages of making use of networks are: 

• Build brand image.  

• Create community connecting with the target audience. 

• Redirect traffic to the company’s website. 

• Increase sales, both because of the marketing strategy on networks and because some, such as Instagram, are direct sales points. 

• Reduce costs, compared to traditional advertising.  

• Improve positioning in search engines when a successful profile is created.  

• Analysing data and researching the market, thanks to de ease of tracking usage on networks and knowing what followers like.  

The following methodology can be used to make social media profiles work and provide valuable content: 

1. Make a preliminary analysis, and ask yourself "Who am I and what do I do?" and "What is my competence?”   

2. Set specific, measurable, and realistic objectives. For example, the number of posts per week. 

3. Define the target audience, know the real and potential customers, the social networks they use, their behaviour and their needs. You can create a "buyer person" profile, which is the fictitious representation of the target audience.   

4. Choose the most appropriate social networks for the target audience.  

5. Create the strategy with the choice of networks where to create the profile, the tone of communications, the type of format, the timing of actions, those responsible in the company for implementing the strategy and the key indicators to measure the actions.   

6. Make the schedule, the calendar with the publication of content on each social network, for which social network management tools can be used. 

7. Interacting with the public, i.e. replying to messages and creating closeness.  

8. Measure the results, monitor the content to know what works or what can be changed. 

In order to create quality content, it is essential to know very well the different types of formats (text publications, images, photographs, infographics, videos, competitions, etc.) and the different types of content on each social network (static publications or posts, stories, live broadcasts, advertising, etc.). Finally, it is also key to know the style of language to choose in each network and to consider criteria of inclusivity and accessibility. 

In this sense, social media management tools are of great help in scheduling and monitoring content. These are used to manage the company's profiles on all networks (some examples are Buffer or Metricool). Similarly, digital tools for the creation of designs are important allies, providing design templates, photo editing, videos... (such as Befunky, Creative, Genially...) and some even have artificial intelligence to create designs (Canva). 

In the end, it is essential for SMEs to make strategic use of social networks and create quality content.