Utilizing Social Media to Fund Your Startup

startup funding
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The current digital age has made it the perfect time to start small businesses. This mainly has to do with all the outlets that are offered online for funding. Sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo allow for easy platforms that allow users to pitch their business, offer up plans of execution, and any other pertinent information that can get investors on board. While these platforms are extremely user friendly and easy to use, one has to remember that these efforts do not run themselves. Integrating social media outreach into your efforts are almost essential into your success. The following advice will give you a quick roundup of how to utilize social media into your startup fundraising.

Introduce Your Plan

Most of the online funding platforms allow you to add media to your fundraising pages so visitors can get a feel of what your company is, and who you are. This is an important step in starting your funding campaign, but once this is articulated, you need to get users to the site. You can do this by using Twitter, Facebook, and any other social platform to give a short synopsis and share the link. This introduction has to be more succinct than that which you put on the fundraiser site. You need to have a quick, eye catching message so people will want to visit the funding site. Fortunately, this is where social media shines, so it’s just important that you use eye catching language to get people to want to click to your site.

Update Your Audience

The most important thing in any fundraising attempt is to let potential investors know that you are always working. The fundraising platforms let you add updates to the, but you need to make sure that you share these updates on your social outlets so people will know that you are hard at work to make your business become a reality. These updates can really be anything, as long as people know that you are moving forward. This lets investors feel secure with their donation, and it also shows potential investors that you are serious, giving them more confidence to make a contribution. When all is said and done, that confidence is what is going to get you the capital you need to get your business off the ground.

Maximize Your Channels

One common misconception about sharing information about your fundraiser is that you can do it all from one place. That is not true. Facebook is a good resource, because it will get the message to your closest connections, and the ones most likely to give something. But by using Twitter, and tweeting at people to help you out, you can gain a huge audience. While these might not be guaranteed contributions, you don’t know you is out there ready to hop on an idea like yours. One highly recommended step is to also create a website presence using WordPress, Tumblr, etc. This allows another platform to give more detailed updates, and Tumblr is known to have very passionate followers, and if you tap into the community that supports your attempt, you have accomplished a great task. Mainly, you are giving yourself another avenue to reach supporters and funders, and having as many social channels at your disposal is great, because each channel plays a different role.

So with the above information, you should be on your way to a successful campaign to get your business off the ground. Fundraising is hard though, so it takes a lot of work. Don’t get discouraged if your results don’t come as quickly as you like. You just have to make sure you stay engaged, keep your audience up to date, and put all your effort into getting your dream to come true.

About the Author: Jordan Mendys is a social media blogger and media professional. He writes for DX3.net, and is finishing up his M.A. from American University. He currently lives in North Carolina.