Social Media Marketing: How Can Businesses Expand & Tap into New Markets?

These days, Social Media Marketing has evolved from a nice-to-have tactic into an indispensable growth tool for businesses. However, some questions still remain

Once upon a time, expanding a business meant hiring local representatives, getting ads out in a newspaper, printing thousands of flyers to hand out, or even securing a 30 second radio or TV spot for outrageous amounts of money, all with no guaranteed return. As a business owner or entrepreneur, if you wanted to break into new markets you had to be physically there, shaking hands, hanging out at the fancy country club, networking at trade fairs, and crossing your fingers that word of mouth would be enough to carry your brand across borders. 

Fastforward to today: with just a phone and an internet connection, you can convey a message to a Parisian client base while sipping coffee in Hamilton, Ontario with your favorite techies at Dunham. You can launch a product in Spain without ever having to step foot in European soil. The marketing game has drastically changed, and social media is at the heart of this amazing transformation. 

These days, Social Media Marketing has evolved from a nice-to-have tactic into an indispensable growth tool for businesses. However, some questions still remain: 

• Is Social Media Marketing enough? 

• Is one platform better than another for certain markets? 

• How can I reach out to new markets by harnessing the power of Social Media Marketing? 

Download our free social media guide to help you get started. 

Can social media help a business expand into a new market? 

Yes, absolutely! 

In the past, expansion required massive budgets. Nowadays, a well-crafted Instagram post or LinkedIn campaign can introduce your business to thousands or even millions of potential customers across the world. 

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, etc. are used by people all around the world. The creators of these apps have invested billions of dollars in marketing to ensure this. 

What does this mean to you as a business owner? You have less legwork to do as far as finding and connecting with the right audience because these platforms have already built massive, diverse user bases for you. Instead of starting from scratch, you can tap into their advanced targeting tools to reach potential customers based on location, interests, age demographics, behaviors, etc. And the best part? You can do all this from the comfort of your home/office. 

• You are in control – your message, your platform, your timing: Years ago, you had to adhere to a series of rules set by newspaper publishers, TV, or radio hosts: messaging, text length, imagery, etc. Moreso, if your ad was not in the right publication and at just the right spot, you were practically invisible. Today, you do not need to wait on anyone or rush to meet print deadlines. With just a few clicks, you can place a targeted Ad on any platform of your choosing and this ad can be viewed by your niche audience anywhere around the world. 

• Cost-Effective Reach: You no longer need to spend tens of thousands to get a 30-second spot on a popular TV or radio channel. Now, you can create a well-optimized campaign for way less and reach out to a highly targeted audience. Moreso, you get real-time analytics that will help you improve your campaign strategy. 

• Realtime feedback: Social media has helped reduce the heavy reliance on mailed-in customer feedback (complaints, compliments, surveys, etc.). Now, if customers love (or hate) your product or service, they can provide valuable instant feedback via comments, direct messages and even video posts. As a business owner, you can refine your products or services to better please your customers by integrating this feedback into your product/service development process. 

Social media is not just a marketing tool; it is a real-time budget-friendly business intelligence system that lets you adapt and refine your strategy on the fly. 

If Instagram is used all over the world, and my business is on Instagram, is that enough or do I need to do something else? 

Social media is very powerful – but it is not enough on its own. Just like having a well-placed ad on a popular channel (e.g., right in the middle of a Friends episode in the 90s) was not enough. You needed to complement it with other things like a strong product, great customer service, word-of-mouth marketing, reliable distribution channels, strategic partnerships, etc. The same applies today: 

• You need a multi-channel approach: Imagine running a business in the 80s and only advertising on one radio station. You would miss out on thousands of potential customers who prefer reading the newspaper or watching the TV. The same logic applies today – if you focus solely on Instagram but completely ignore LinkedIn, Facebook, TikTok, you are leaving money on the table. 

• Social media is just the start: Social media creates buzz and attracts attention, but you also need a nice modern website, to tell your story and showcase your products/services, an SEO strategy to rank higher on search engines, topnotch customer service to keep clients coming back, and effective email campaigns to nurture leads and grow your client base. 

Additionally, you need to strongly consider investing in paid advertising while maintaining organic engagement through valuable content. 

Are some social media channels used more in certain countries or languages than others? Or is it more about the age of the target audience? 

Social media usage varies significantly based on region, culture, and age demographics. Just like newspapers had different readerships in the past (business owners read The Wall Street Journal (in America) or The Globe and Mail (in Canada), while families read The Sunday Times (Britain) or The Toronto Star /The National Post (in Canada)), social media platforms cater to different audiences. 

By Region: 

• Europe: Facebook and Instagram still dominate, but messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram are crucial for direct customer interaction. 

• Asia: Western platforms like Facebook and Twitter are often restricted, with WeChat, TikTok (Douyin), Xiaohongshu (which translates to “Little Red Book”) and Line taking over. 

• Latin America: WhatsApp is a business lifeline. Many companies use it as their primary customer service tool. They also use Facebook and Instagram. 

By Age Group: 

• Gen Z (1997-2012): YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat 

• Millennials (1981-1996): YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn 

• Gen X & Boomers (1965): YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Pinterest 

Just like TV networks appealed to different demographics—daytime soaps for women, prime-time news for working professionals, sports for primarily male audiences, cartoons for kids—social media works the same way. You have to be active where your audience is. 

What are the top 3 things that I need to do with my company’s social media channels if I want to shift my sales from the US to Europe? 

Europeans and Americans have different culture, language, interests etc., so, if a Canadian business is serious about shifting sales from the US to Europe, you can’t just copy-paste your existing strategy – you absolutely have to change and adapt. 

1. Localize Your Content & Messaging 

• Translate your content properly: Do not just rely on Google translate, invest in native speakers who understand cultural nuances and can properly relay not only the message but also the tone of voice and emotions of the text. 

• Use regional trends and references: For instance, while the reference “We Were on a Break” from the popular show Friends (Season 3, Episode 15) may resonate with a US-based audience may not work in Germany or Poland where dating norms and communication styles differ. Reseach local trends, humor, communication styles, references, customs, and shopping habits of the region(s) you are trying to target. 

• Adapt your visuals: Colors, symbols, emojis and even hand gestures can mean different things across cultures. For example, did you know that a thumbs-up gesture (which is a sign of approval in the US), can be interpreted as an insult in some places, similar to what the middle finger represents to Americans? Save yourself the potential embarrassment and risk of getting cancelled by doing ample research. 

2. Leverage Local Influencers & Business Networks 

In the past, businesses expanded through local partnerships—media outlets, dealers, distributors, or franchises. Today, the modern equivalent is influencer marketing. 

• Find local influencers who already have trust and credibility in the market you want to enter: In recent years, you may have heard content creators and influencers saying things like “click the link in my bio/video description” or “use my promo code for a discount.” This is because companies reach out to content creators who have dedicated followers and collaborate with them to promote products/services. Because most people trust their favorite content creators, they are predisposed to buy anything these content creators advertise. 

• Partner with European business networks: Facebook or LinkedIn groups, trade associations, and virtual events can connect you with potential B2B and B2C clients. 

• Create broadcast channels and mailing lists: These allow you to send a message to several people at once. You can create separate broadcast groups and mailing lists for campaigns targeting clients in different regions. 

3. Optimize Paid Advertising & Comply with Local Laws 

One of the biggest mistakes businesses make is assuming that US-based advertising strategies will work in Europe. Here is what to consider: 

• Geo-target your ads: Use Facebook and Google Ads to target specific European countries, cities, and even language speakers. 

• Adjust pricing and currency: Displaying prices in USD or CAD to a European audience kills conversions. Use local currencies. 

• Comply with GDPR: European data privacy laws are strict. Ensure your website and social media ads follow GDPR regulations, or you risk hefty fines. 

This may sound like a lot at first but once you get the ball rolling, the game gets easier, and you are well on your way to winning. We’re here for you if you need any help. 

In Summary: Social Media is Your Digital Megaphone 

If you were running a business 50 years ago, you would have dreamed of a world where you could reach millions of potential customers in another country without opening a physical office. Social media has made that dream a reality—but only if used strategically. 

To succeed, you need: 

• To start by leveraging the power social media gives you 

• A localized content approach that respects cultural differences 

• A multi-channel digital strategy beyond just social media 

• Smart advertising with precise geo-targeting 

• Partnerships with local influencers and business networks 

Social media is not just a marketing tool—it is the bridge between where your business is today and where you want it to be tomorrow. 

So, business owners, the question you should ask yourself is: Are you using that bridge to cross into new markets, or are you still waiting at the border? 

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