In Social Media

How do you know which social media platform is right for you and your business? Having managed social media platforms for many clients, we know that spreading yourself too thin is not a good idea. Instead of being average on a lot of platforms, opt to be fabulous on just one or two. Then build from those successes.

If you’re not on social media, you’re on the sidelines. Hootsuite reports that the number of social media users is equivalent to 53% of the entire world’s population. Let’s dive deeper into how you can best reach your target customers by strategically using the platform that is best suited for your company or brand.

We reveal the basics you need to know about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok to determine which social media platform will deliver the best ROI for your company or brand.

Which social media platform should my brand be on?

Facebook

What it is:

Facebook users can create profiles, upload photos and videos and send messages to keep in touch with their Facebook “friends.” Facebook friends are built by accepting and sending out “friend requests.”

Who you’ll reach:

Facebook’s size alone is a plus as everyone from college students to grandparents are using this social media network. The Pew Research Center notes that 74% of adults in the U.S. use Facebook every day, with an audience that trends older than other social media channels, with 35% of users under the age of 25 and 41% over age 65.

What you’ll need:

To get the most out of Facebook, you’ll need to focus on the “human” side of your brand. Photos, videos and tidbits of the real folks behind your business. Your dog sitting across from you at your laptop or your team of coworkers collecting food for a Thanksgiving Food Drive are perfect fodder for Facebook. Facebook is about building relationships and connecting in a personal way within your network.

The Payoff:

If you approach this platform strategically, you can expect to see what is called engagement. People liking, sharing, and commenting on your posts. The ROI is not necessarily in making sales, but in bonding with new and existing customers so your company is foremost in their thoughts.

Facebook’s advertising rates are still incredible low, offering a very high ROI. If you’re going to devote resources to Facebook, plan on throwing $25-$250 bucks into advertising.

Special extra:

Facebook provides copious amounts of data that can be used to strategize your approach. The Insights tab on Facebook Pages (not a personal profile) provides analytical tools to discover who you’re reaching, their age, where they live, the time they’re on Facebook and more. This data is incredibly useful for fine tuning your social media strategy.

Twitter

What It is:

Twitter is an online social networking service that enables users to send and read short 280-character messages called “tweets.” Registered users can read and post tweets, but those who are unregistered can only read them. Twitter in particular is a great resource for personal branding, allowing anyone to share thoughts and content worldwide.

Who You’ll Reach:

There are 192 million daily active users on Twitter and the platform is predicted to grow by 2.4% in 2021 according to Hootsuite. Of those users, 66% are male and 34% are female, with and average age of 40 and 63% of all users ranging between 35-64 years old.

What you’ll Need:

You’ll really just need your own opinions and thoughts and the very important “@” and “#” symbols in order to tweet effectively on Twitter. Want to compliment the head chef at the recent farm to table brunch spot you enjoyed? Just use their “handle” on Twitter which would look something like: @nicksonbroadway. Want to gain an even wider audience? Hashtags (such as #MondayMotivation or #blackhistorymonth) allow you to join in the conversation.

The Payoff:

The simple payoff to Twitter is that you’re able to converse with anyone at anytime about anything.

Special Extra:

Twitter’s new rules have made it even easier to reach a wider audience.

connect

LinkedIn

What It is:

LinkedIn is a business networking site that allows users to post their experience and skills. Users build a profile and are able to network with other LinkedIn folks. Compared to other social media channels, 82% of B2B marketers report the greatest success on LinkedIn.

Who You’ll Reach:

Hootsuite reports that traditionally LinkedIn has represented the oldest age demographic, but has been making strides with millennials in recent years. Today, you can find a somewhat even spread of ages on LinkedIn and almost an even split of male and female members. More than 45% of LinkedIn users make over $75,000 a year.

What You’ll Need:

You’ll need to post your skills and accolades to the site and start building a network. LinkedIn allows you to recommend others within your network by sighting their strengths. Like the other platforms, an effective LinkedIn profile will maximize your impact.

The Payoff:

LinkedIn allows folks to quickly see your resume and experience. LinkedIn is a networking tool that allows a professional to build a network. Whether you’re looking for a new position or want easy access to your business contacts, LinkedIn provides both.

Special Extra:

Use LinkedIn’s “groups” to quickly connect with other professionals in your industry.

Instagram

What It is:

Instagram is a social networking website based upon sharing pictures with other users. Instagram allows users to take a photograph and upload it so that other users can see it and post comments on it. Stories are also available on Instagram. Stories, unlike feed posts, only appear for 24 hours then disappear unless they’re saved to Highlights.

Who You’ll Reach:

Instagram trends younger than Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, with 64% of users under the age of 34. You’ll reach users further along on a path to take action: more than 80% of Instagram users use the platform to discover and research products and services and make purchasing decisions.

What You’ll Need:

You’ll need lots of photographs and visuals for Instagram. Floral designer? Pastry Chef? Make your living on the open seas? Instagram would be perfect to showcase the beauty in your business. With some creativity, brands with fewer opportunities to showcase your products or services visually can still use Instagram effectively for brand awareness.

The Payoff:

Instagram is a simple, interactive channel that allows you to warm up your brand and gain exposure to an audience looking for new products and services. Want to dive deeper? Check out these 7 reasons to be on Instagram now.

Special Extra:

Instagram is an easy and effective way to build a very large network of folks. Instagram also allows the use of hashtags. A hashtag is the # sign followed by any word or words, e.g. #blogpost #socialmedia #hashtagsarefun. Users then search for content by hashtags. So by using hashtags, you are helping users who don’t already follow you to discover your feed and follow you.

TikTok

What It is:

TikTok is a social networking app based upon sharing short-form videos (15-second or 60-second clips). Similar to Instagram, users can follow friends, celebrities, businesses and other content creators, but one of the unique characteristics of TikTok is its ability to make videos go viral more easily with it’s “Just For You” page that presents trending videos from all users. Effects, music, hashtag challenges, and engagement tools (e.g. polls) can be added to videos, and in-app advertisement options are also available.

Who You’ll Reach:

Young people make up the majority of TikTok users. In the U.S., 62% of users are aged between 10-29 years old. If this is your audience, it’s good to know that as of August 2020 the app had over 50 million active daily users in the U.S. alone.

What You’ll Need:

TikTok works for businesses that can provide a lot of videos (1-3 daily) and have “talent” that they want to be showcased in the videos.

The Payoff:

The direct ROI is unclear right now, but if your audience is on the platform, it’s definitely worth considering from a brand awareness standpoint—especially with the high level of user engagement shown.

Just do it!

Social Media is a fantastic tool to build your brand and business. With any platform, it’s a good idea to spend time exploring it before diving in. Start with researching how many of your customer personas are on the platform—as well as competitors—to determine which are worth your time. Then map out an initial strategy to ensure you launch with confidence and in a way that is true to your brand.

Choosing the right social media platform for your business is an effective way to generate customers, build traffic to your website and generate sales. Now that you know several platforms and what makes them different, choose one or two that will work best for your brand and join the fun.

Do you want to make social media easy? Schedule a no-cost 30-minute consultation to see if we’d be a good fit.

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