Social Media as a Growth Tool for One-Person Businesses
Laakso, Lucas (2026)
2026
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2026052617264
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2026052617264
Tiivistelmä
The research objective of this thesis is to understand the ways of using social media as a growth instrument for one-person businesses. The aim of the research is to explore successful strategies to promote their business, build audiences and find new business opportunities using social media. This work is not sponsored by any organization but performed independently; the main target group is one-person entrepreneurs.
The research development activity includes an analysis of social media marketing strategies in the context of a one-person business environment, as well as the formulation of practical recommendations based on theoretical knowledge and actual implementation of social media strategies.
The theory of the study is grounded in the relevant literature on digital marketing, social media marketing, personal branding and entrepreneurship. Main concepts are content strategy, audience engagement, personal branding and social media growth tools.
The research methodology applied in the paper includes the use of qualitative research techniques. Data collection was done by means of observations and content analysis of social media channels such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Besides, there was an implementation of the chosen social media strategies by conducting a personal case.
As a result, the thesis reveals that the consistency of content generation, communication and audience-oriented approach contribute greatly to social media growth. Personal branding becomes an essential element in achieving success on social media. However, various barriers have also been identified; these include such issues as time management, content creation challenges and the unpredictability of algorithms.
Overall, the findings imply that social media is an effective marketing strategy for single-owned businesses in case of proper implementation. Nevertheless, achieving success in social media is a long-term goal which needs to be reached gradually. Therefore, based on the results obtained in the study, some recommendations are made, which include such aspects as choosing a few social networks to concentrate on, developing a consistent schedule for posting new content and concentrating on generating valuable and relevant information.
The research development activity includes an analysis of social media marketing strategies in the context of a one-person business environment, as well as the formulation of practical recommendations based on theoretical knowledge and actual implementation of social media strategies.
The theory of the study is grounded in the relevant literature on digital marketing, social media marketing, personal branding and entrepreneurship. Main concepts are content strategy, audience engagement, personal branding and social media growth tools.
The research methodology applied in the paper includes the use of qualitative research techniques. Data collection was done by means of observations and content analysis of social media channels such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Besides, there was an implementation of the chosen social media strategies by conducting a personal case.
As a result, the thesis reveals that the consistency of content generation, communication and audience-oriented approach contribute greatly to social media growth. Personal branding becomes an essential element in achieving success on social media. However, various barriers have also been identified; these include such issues as time management, content creation challenges and the unpredictability of algorithms.
Overall, the findings imply that social media is an effective marketing strategy for single-owned businesses in case of proper implementation. Nevertheless, achieving success in social media is a long-term goal which needs to be reached gradually. Therefore, based on the results obtained in the study, some recommendations are made, which include such aspects as choosing a few social networks to concentrate on, developing a consistent schedule for posting new content and concentrating on generating valuable and relevant information.