Social media can be a powerful tool for businesses – and we’re not just talking about social media marketing campaigns. Utilising social media platforms on a daily basis can increase brand awareness, drive website traffic and offer an array of other benefits.
But businesses shouldn’t just be “on social media” to do social media right. You shouldn’t just be using the most recent social media platform because people are talking about it. And you shouldn’t be trying to use every platform out there. This could be a waste of your time, effort and investment.
To do social media right as a business, you need to carefully select which platform or platforms you’re going to use. The WEBPRO team uses three important questions to help businesses identify the most valuable social media platforms they should be using. And that’s what we’ll be revealing below.
Question #1: Who is your target market?
The first and arguably most important question is… who is your target market? Most businesses should know the answer to this already, especially if the business has been operational for some time. Although, businesses do adapt to the times and may provide new products or services that are geared to a slightly different demographic than usual.
This question is actually a two-part question. Once you know who your target market is, you need to ask yourself what social media platforms does your target market use the most. For example, platforms like TikTok generally have a younger user profile than platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn. So, if your services are aimed at an older population, using TikTok as a business is likely a wasted investment.
A careful analysis of your target audience and research into the demographics of social media users will provide great insight. With this data, you’ll be able to rule out some social media platforms and create a shortlist of potential options.
Question #2: Are the posting requirements viable for the business?
Social media platforms require different types of content creation for your business to be successful. For example, to be engaging on Twitter you may need to create engaging written content, whereas to be successful on other platforms you might be required to create more image based or video content.
You should compare the content requirements of the different social media accounts and see if your business can match the demands of its audience. If you have someone who is awesome at editing videos already then you will be in a good position to use most accounts.
But, if you don’t have that in-house, you may need to prioritise another platform. However, doing so could mean not doing social media as good as you can. It could be more profitable to outsource the content creation and use the most suitable platform instead. Yes, there will be content creation costs, but increased engagement can supercharge sales.
Question #3: Does the platform align with business values?
Your business values are part of your branding. And any good brand is consistent at all touch points with clients, both current and prospective. For this reason, the social media platforms you use should align with your values and the rest of your branding. This isn’t always easy to figure out, and it might rely on you uncovering the general public’s perception of different social media platforms.
For example, LinkedIn may be seen as more professional than Instagram. If you’re a serious business offering financial advice, it may be better to use more professional social media platforms than the ones considered less serious. However, this will also depend on your branding and not just the service you offer. You may need the support of a professional brander to guide you on this.
Recap: Doing social media isn’t just about trying to be visible anywhere and everywhere. It’s about carefully selecting the right platforms for your business. To do this, you need to ask:
- Who is your business target audience and what platforms do they mostly use?
- Can your business create the content that those platform users demand, or are you willing to outsource?
- Does the social media platform match your values to create a consistent brand identity?
By answering these questions, you should be able to rule out some platforms and zone in on the most beneficial for your business’s reach.
WEBPRO Knows
Over 80% of marketers are said to repurpose their content across social media and their website, which can make your investment offer even better returns!
