In today’s digital age, if you are a business that neglects the use of social media marketing, you are missing out on key digital channels for customer engagement. We all know the benefits that social media brings to businesses, from more website traffic to an improved search ranking, implementing a social media strategy effectively can push your business so much further than you could’ve ever imagined. But how can you craft an effective social media strategy if you aren’t sure which channels to use? The vast number of options available may seem overwhelming, but we are on hand to tell you which channels will work for you.
Although we have seen a large increase in other social media channels recently, Facebook still remains one of the most popular ways that customers consume information from family, friends and brands. As a business on Facebook, you are able to upload videos, share blog links, be easily contactable for any customer service concerns, share promotions about your business and get online reviews.
With over 2.9 billion active monthly users, it is highly likely that your target audience will be on Facebook. Due to these incredibly high numbers, Facebook should definitely be part of your social media strategy.
Owned by Facebook, Instagram is a highly popular site that allows users to share photos and videos to their followers. With features such as Stories, businesses have a large number of opportunities to promote their products and services. With the heavy emphasis on visuals, Instagram is a great place for brands such as art and design brands and fashion and apparel brands. However, even brands such as consulting firms that do not rely on visuals can still use the site to connect with customers. Content such as inspirational quotes, reposting content of other brands/users and showing off the team members are all great ways to show off your brand and expand your audience.
Twitter is a great site for sharing updates, videos, images, links and engaging with followers. The ability to engage and interact with your audience by liking and retweeting posts is a great characteristic of the site. We have seen many businesses make good use of Twitter over the years by creating a unique brand voice on the site. Other brands will use the site as a good way to answer customer queries as many customers will look for brands that actively engage and handle customer issues.
It is important to strike a balance with content on Twitter. It is not just about sharing links or images, make sure you also share information from other users that you might find interesting, or you think your followers will enjoy.
Twitter does have a 280 character limit so some of your content on the site may need to be altered slightly in comparison to other sites, but the site can still be a great way of promoting your business, if done correctly!
Looking for a place to connect with other professionals? LinkedIn is perfect! As well as a personal LinkedIn page, you should be looking to add a professional page for your business to share news and updates.
The site is designed to be more professional than other social media platforms and can help you to establish some brand recognition and encourage users to visit your website. Utilising both a professional and personal page is important on LinkedIn. We have found that the site is a great place to get other professionals engaging with your content and if you are a B2B business then a LinkedIn presence will definitely be beneficial for you. If you are a B2C business, you would also benefit from a LinkedIn presence as you will be able to connect with and recruit better employees and build awareness of your brand.
These are the four main channels that we would recommend to you to promote your business. There are however many more platforms that could be of use to you. Have a read below to find out about some notable mentions that you might also want to consider.
Snapchat
Similar to Instagram, Snapchat is another photo and video sharing site. The popularity of this site has predominantly been with the younger generations and is mobile only. Snapchat allows users to post content to their ‘Stories’, that then disappear after 24 hours.
The site tends to be less polished and more relaxed than Instagram due to the use of features such as ‘filters’ that you can overlay on posts. Bear this in mind if you decide to use the site and if you decide to use both Snapchat and Instagram, make sure that the visuals that you share are different to give users a reason to follow both channels.
TikTok
TikTok is a relatively new platform that allows users to create and share short videos and has been quite a big talking point amongst marketers recently. Lots of us now spend hours and hours scrolling through TikTok each day, and there is a level playing field when it comes to getting your videos in front of consumers. The site is most popular with the younger generations but if done correctly, can be of use to most businesses to hit their target audience.
If you are looking at creating a TikTok account, make sure that you have a keen understanding of your brand and the message that you are looking to portray. Another good idea for this site is to look at the type of content that other businesses are posting to see if it would be of interest to your business.
Social Media Success
It is important to note that it is not vital that you position your business on all of these platforms, you must choose the ones that you feel will work for you. You will have the most success on sites that you are able to dedicate time to engage with communities and consumers. Your success on social media will be based on your consistency and ability to use your channels as a way to build relationships.
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