Which Social Media Platform is Best for Your Business?

In a sea of social media platforms, it’s hard to chart the right course for your business. Facebook? Linkedin? Twitter? What about Instagram or even Snapchat?

Unless you have lots of time, plenty of content, and are a Kardashian, you probably don’t need to use all of the social media platforms. But the right one can make a difference for your business. The first step: figure out your target audience. With whom are you looking to connect? Younger? Older? College students? Business professionals?

Once you know the target audience, it’s easier to figure out how to reach it. Here’s a look at our overview of the top social media platforms to help you decide for your business…

Facebook:

The kids may say Facebook is “old school,” but it remains the powerhouse. Just today, Facebook reached two billion active users. Two billion!! That’s billion with a ‘b.’ A full one-third of the world’s population is on Facebook – which is why your business should be too. Users between the ages of 25 and 34 dominate the demographics, which is perfect for targeting Millennials and Gen X’ers. They may not readily admit it, but more than 70 percent of teenagers are on Facebook, along with 56 percent of retirees.

When posting, don’t just stick to text. Add photos, infographics or videos to increase “likes” and “shares.” For a start-up company, Facebook is the way to go because it is easy to use and a safe bet.

Twitter:

Twitter is the place for conversation. It is the fastest way to communicate with consumers, announce company news and engage in discussion with others in your industry. The best reason to be on Twitter is to get feedback from your customers. But let’s be honest – it’s not all going to be positive. Don’t let the possibility of a bad tweet scare you away. If someone Tweets in a complaint about your company, you can address is quickly, make adjustments and improve. Your customers will respect you for that.

With an average of 500 million tweets per day, Twitter is a fast-paced platform with users constantly refreshing and posting. Sometimes all it takes is one sassy tweet to grab the attention of thousands – just look at Arby’s tweet during the Grammy’s. But don’t be too quick with your thumbs or you’ll get it wrong like DiGiorno Pizza with the 2014 SuperBowl. The joke wasn’t totally on them because it did get thousands of retweets and plenty of laughs to go around (That game was hardly over after 20 minutes). Keep content light-hearted and fresh and use any pop culture or news headlines to your business’s advantage.

 

Instagram:

Hashtags, filters, and selfies – oh my! While Instagram may not seem like an obvious choice for a business, it has changed quite a bit since the dark times of the “duck face” and is now one of the hottest social media apps. In order to land on a potential customer’s feed, you need to have exceptional photos and graphics. Pair it with a witty caption and make it a point to use plenty of #hashtags on your posts. But, unless you are paying for your posts to be displayed as an ad, it can be a challenge to land people on your website. The best thing to do is put the link to your website in the bio and tell them the link is in the bio at the end of every caption.

Companies with photogenic products or services, such as coffee shops and hair salons will find it easier to snap pictures, but you can always subscribe to a stock photo service to achieve the most on-trend images. Keep in mind that women are more likely to use Instagram than men. When seeking new followers, try to tailor your content a bit more toward women in your targeted age demographic.

Snapchat:

Teenagers and college students are addicted to Snapchat. They make up 70 percent of all Snapchat users and check the app an average of 18 times per day (much to the aggravation of their parents). Take advantage of their digital addiction and use Snapchat to show them all about your business. Whether you’re a car dealership testing out new models or a boutique at your seasonal photoshoot, entice them with Snapchat photos and videos and make them need your product or service in their life.

Posting once or twice in a day isn’t going to cut it on Snapchat. Because users are checking the app so often, you need to post multiple times. Eventually, you may want to dedicate a person to manage the account with frequent updates to keep your followers engaged. If it leads to sales, the investment is worth it.

LinkedIn:

It is all about connections. Personal connections, business connections – it can all benefit you and your company on LinkedIn. Companies in sales, medicine, and law will find LinkedIn perfect for establishing new clientele and receiving recommendations from old ones. Hiring? If you want a better pool of applicants to draw from, LinkedIn is the hub for attracting some of the best potential employees with over 40 million college students and recent graduates signed on. But be aware, some hiring features aren’t included in the free version.

Your strategy for posting on LinkedIn should be different from you other social media accounts. Be a thought leader and share insights and developments in your industry. Keep your company relevant in the eyes of competitors or potential partners by promoting accomplishments and new products and services.

YouTube:

YouTube is the second largest search engine. With the average human attention span at only eight seconds, no one is going to read paragraphs about your business. An engaging video is the going to be more effective and increases purchase intent by 97 percent.

Since everyone and their mom has a smartphone, you don’t need any fancy equipment to make a really good video. Make sure to keep it short, no longer than two minutes – and cut it even shorter if you find yourself catching some zzz’s while watching it back.

Recap:

Starting off, limit your business to one to two social media platforms. Hone in on quality content, frequent posting and gaining followers. Once you have a good hold on those accounts, seek to add more. If you have the infrastructure, designate a Social Media Manager to oversee all of these accounts. If not, set aside 30 minutes a day to check, plan and post on all your platforms. Staying on-trend and up-to-date with your business’ social media presence will put you ahead of the current and will help you to welcome aboard new customers.