Social media is no longer just a place to share photos and connect with friends. It’s also the best way to build your business. The thing is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to social media platforms. Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses, so you have to decide which ones are right for you—and figure out where you can get the most value from them. Let’s see if we can figure out which ones might be right for your brand.
What platform is best for your business?
It isn’t enough to just be on the most popular platforms—you need to make sure that the ones you choose are right for your business and will help you reach your goals. Don’t use every platform, it is an exercise in futility that will leave you frustrated. Remember what you focus on and nurture – grows.
As a small business owner, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the social media platforms out there. But don’t let that be an excuse for not being on them—and don’t let it stop you from growing your business online. Instead, take some time before launching a new campaign or strategy to research which channels are best suited for what you want to achieve. If you do this work up front, then it’s much easier for everyone involved in executing that plan later on down the road.
The Audience
When you’re picking your social platforms, it’s important to consider who your audience is.
It’s also important to look at what other businesses are doing on those platforms and how well they are doing it.
To help narrow down the best options for your business, consider these questions:
- What do my customers like?
- Where does my target audience hang out online?
Research will also help you determine which networks are most relevant for your business and its target audience.
There are plenty of ways to do this research—such as google trends and other keyword research tools—but there are also simpler methods such as asking friends and family who use these platforms regularly what they engage with from businesses. Even if their responses aren’t very helpful, the act of seeking out information from those who know your target market as well as your business, might provide some valuable insight.
The Competition
It’s also worth considering what your competitors are doing. Are they active on certain platforms that you aren’t? Do they have more followers or subscribers than you do? By looking at your competitors’ social media accounts, you can learn from their successes and failures; how they are engaging with customers; and what platforms are most effective for them.
This will be a great way to get an idea of what you should be doing on social media and where you might need to improve.
An Engaged Audience
The key is to concentrate on the platforms where you can build an engaged audience. In order to do that, you need to know your audience, competitors and goals.
If you’re a new business with low online visibility, it might make sense for you to try out multiple social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter before settling in one place. Similarly, if your brand is already established in one sector but not another (e.g., fashion-focused), then it might be worth investing time into building an audience on Instagram rather than Twitter or LinkedIn. It all comes down to understanding where your customers are spending their time online and focusing efforts accordingly.
Once you’ve chosen the social platforms that work best for your business, it’s time to start promoting yourself. This is where many people get overwhelmed and simply give up. After all, there are only so many hours in the day and there are so many different ways to promote yourself online that it can feel like a full-time job!
There are lots of different social media platforms and it can be overwhelming for a business to figure out which ones are right for them. The good news is that no matter what kind of company you run, there’s a social media channel waiting for you. From Facebook and Twitter to Instagram or LinkedIn—there’s something out there for everyone! Check out the carousel post we made below that highlights the four major channels, their demographics and user base.
If you find yourself struggling with social media, and content ideas, Reach Out! We help businesses just like yours find new customers, grow their businesses, and kill it on Social Media everyday. You could be next!
