Social Media Is An Umbrella Term, But A Business Can’t Treat It As A Single Entity.
If you find yourself uttering a sentiment along the lines of “let’s do social media,” it’s time to dig into the details of the different platforms to determine which are the best fit for your business and where your business will thrive.
Each platform has a unique tone and optimized content formats. At the same time, user demographic data provides tangible intelligence about each platform for business owners to consider.
Let’s look at the primary platforms to help your business discern where to focus its social media resources.
Not every platform is a good fit for every business. It’s better to hit it out of the park with thoughtful campaigns on well-selected platforms than attempt a presence on all of them when it may not make sense for your business.
It’s hard to make an argument for a business not to be on Facebook. A good social media strategy is Facebook and … Here’s why. First of all, it’s the most used social media network at 2 billion people worldwide. Secondly, it gives you access to arguably the most effective, targeted ad platform on the web.
Facebook is content agnostic, in that, really, any type of post format works – video, photo, text, links. And it enables transparent conversations that help establish your brand as an authority in your field that engages with customers.
Instagram is a go-to platform for businesses interested in a younger demographic of social media users. About 60 percent of its 600 million active users are under 30 years old.
It’s also a must for businesses with compelling visual assets. Realtors, restaurants, and travel companies are examples of businesses that are tailor made for Instagram’s visual platform.
For businesses looking to engage a younger audience, tell visual stories, and participate in the hashtag ecosystem, Instagram is a great play. Also, because it’s a Facebook company, your advertising program on both can be managed on one platform.
Snapchat
Although Snapchat’s meteoric rise in 2016 appears to be flattening, it still is an extremely popular platform for teens and young adults (60 percent of its users are under the age of 25). It behooves any business that wants to reach social media’s youngest users to consider becoming active on the platform.
Snapchat’s differentiating content feature is that posts disappear after being viewed. That, combined with its young user base and playful filters, give it an informal feel that encourages businesses to show a lighter side and take some content risks.
It’s a great venue for humor and for raw, behind-the-scenes looks at your company.
Twitter is best known for its immediacy. It can benefit organizations that have a lot to say and a desire to share information and opinions in the moment – and are ready to respond quickly to audience reactions.
Twitter enables businesses to engage in the world of news and information as stories break and evolve. It is a great place to ask questions of followers, provide customer service, and make time-sensitive announcements.
Twitter famously allows only short snippets of text per post, but photos, videos, links, and hashtags all play well on the platform.
The opposite end of the social media spectrum from Snapchat; LinkedIn boasts an older, higher-income demographic. It is populated by professionals seeking connections with colleagues, companies, and thoughtful content on business and industry.
Businesses with an active blog do well with LinkedIn by posting their blog content to LinkedIn’s industry-specific discussion groups. High-value content like primary research, ebooks, and case studies will also find an engaged audience on LinkedIn.
The platform gives businesses a way to showcase their expertise to an informed audience of peers and potential customers and learn about the ideas of other industry thought-leaders.
When you are ready to implement your social media strategy, give thoughtful consideration to how each platform meshes with your brand and content assets, and choose the service that will maximize your social media success.
Thanks for stopping by,
Laura
Breezy Hill Marketing is a Vermont web design company specializing in marketing strategy, social media marketing, and building beautiful, optimized, and mobile responsive websites. We work with clients in Vermont and throughout the United States.
