Fingers to my temple as I ponder the multitude of choices I have out there when it comes to Social Media. Hmmm, it is like going to an ice cream store and having to make a decision when there are so many different flavors out there. (make my ice cream anything with peanut butter in it) Social Media is not a one size fits all type of platform. All social media apps are a download away on all phones and tablets. The only thing separating you, a business owner, from your consumers, is a screen. In order to decide what platform works best for your business you have to decide on the following:
- Identify who your audience is.
- Consider your company goals.
- Research your competitors and others in your industry.
- Understand the different platforms and their uses.
Sometimes less is more. In other words, don’t sign up for every Social Media platform out there. You will be wasting your time and efforts for nothing. Here is a little Primer on the most popular ones so you can make a decision on what you may want to set up an account in.
Facebook: Facebook is the most popular social media platform worldwide, and one of the best social media websites to market any business. On this platform, you can specifically target your audience by age, employment, interests, and other characteristics, making this a very dynamic platform to advertise and build brand awareness. Facebook is also a good platform for building relationships, showing the human side of your business, and turning leads into loyal followers and customers.
Twitter: Twitter is the go-to platform if your business is about immediacy, and if you want to reach out to followers with breaking news, announcements, important messages, and other in-the-moment information. It was originally designed for quick and concise thoughts, they have upgraded to allow users to share videos and photos, but ultimately text posts still are the most popular posting style.
Twitter uses the application of hashtags, which is a way to “tag” terms to become searchable through the platform using the pound sign “#” (similar to Instagram), but you are limited to 280 characters. Twitter is a great way to get the top news and to stay current on trending topics, letting you as a business owner keep timely posts on your content calendar.
LinkedIn: LinkedIn has an old-fashioned feel, but a basic principle that drives networking —everyone is connected in some way, just like everyone is connected to the six degrees of Kevin Bacon. Having a company page is a great way for other professionals to find your business and get a glimpse of who you are as a business owner. LinkedIn also uses SEO similar to your website and Facebook so it’s important to keep your descriptions and information as current as possible. LinkedIn is great for sharing any changes you are making in your business to adapt to a current trend, or to provide unique industry insights.
Instagram (owned by Facebook) is a fantastic place to humanize your company, showcase your values, or elevate your brand with striking images and video. As a business owner, one of the best things about Instagram is the ability to grow your follower base organically through the use of storytelling, good images, and hashtags. Authenticity goes a long way on this platform.
YouTube is a great place to add depth to your business content by creating videos and playlists, and engaging with your audience while boosting your SEO. Think about it – when you type a search into Google, any video results are displayed above the page and post URLs. By creating videos around your target keywords, you can appear above your competitors.
Oh, sure there are so many more out there like Pinterest, SnapChat, TikTok, WhatsApp, WeChat, etc. If I left one of your favorites out, I apologize profusely.
The trick to choosing the right social media platform for your business is all about confirming the goals you want to achieve through social media marketing, figuring out what platforms your target audience is already on, and choosing a platform that matches the type of content you create.