Due to the online landscape constantly changing, especially in the world of marketing, deciding which social media platforms to use to promote your business can be difficult. Trends come and go and even certain social media platforms have a shelf life such as Myspace. Myspace launched in 2004 and by 2006, it surpassed Google as the most visited website in the US. As advances in technology dramatically improved, Myspace failed to adapt and was quickly forgotten about.
To choose the right social media platform for your business, you must first identify the following:
- Your audience
- Nature of your business
- The main type of content you create
Know your audience
Similar to fashion trends, social media platforms follow a similar life cycle when it comes to demographics. Certain platforms are catered towards specific age ranges and interests. For example, as of January 2022, the biggest demographic group on Facebook were males between the ages of 25-34 at 18.4% while females in the same age group were 12.6%. These statistics can play an important role in deciding which social media platforms are right for your business, as you want to ensure your content is seen by the right audience. Before choosing which social media platform to use, create 2-3 audience profiles that your business will target. Creating personas can set you on the right path to ensuring you target the right audience.
The nature of your business
Next, look at the nature of your business. Are you a B2B or B2C organization? If your organization sells or provides a service to businesses, then a platform such as LinkedIn would be ideal as it is a business networking platform. Many businesses try to promote their products and services on all platforms, but for optimum use, narrow your focus down to 3-4 platforms and focus on the quality of your content rather than the quantity.
The main type of content you produce
The type of content you produce can influence the platform that you should use, whether that is photos, videos, blogs, or e-books. Different platforms favor certain content over others; this constantly changes so it is important to stay up to date with the latest trends. Take Instagram, for example. To be successful on Instagram, you should be producing photo, video and graphic content, and it must be eye-catching and of good quality. But if you primarily produce blogs, Instagram may not be the best platform to use, as you cannot include external links in posts.
Understanding who your audience is, the nature of your business, and the main type of content you create are vital to your business’s online success.
Do you need to start marketing your company on social media, but aren’t sure how to get started? Or maybe you’ve been posting content, but can’t seem to get the results you want.
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