How to Choose the Right Social Media Platforms for Your Business
5 Tips to Choose the Right Social Media Platforms for Your Business
1. Define your goals to choose the right social media platforms
It’s important to set specific goals first before moving forward to the next steps. These goals will give you a much clearer path when deciding which social media platforms will help you achieve these goals. Are you looking to increase brand understanding, boost brand employment, or build a community around your business?
Your objectives will help determine not only which social media platform you choose, but also the content you create, the audience you target, and more.
2. Identify and connect with your audience
Now that you have defined your goals, it’s time to identify your audience. Find out your target audiences’ demographics and determine which platform/s they are currently using. You’ll also want to consider how active your audience is on that platform. The primary purpose of using social media to market your business is to connect you to the best audience for what you’re selling. It is important to choose a platform that your audience always uses.
After you’ve done this, decide where your target audience spends their time the most. Armed with this knowledge, strategize how you’ll reach them by establishing the main purpose of the content you’ll be sharing with them.
3. Consider the nature of your business
Different types of businesses across multiple industries will have varying needs when it comes to the social media platforms they use. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. To choose a platform that fits your business goals, you may first consider the nature of the company. Is it a business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C)? For example, for B2C companies, Facebook and Instagram help visually entertain and interact with customers. While for B2B companies, LinkedIn can help build a stronger brand connection. It can also help to target potential clients while keeping current clients updated on their business.
4. Understand the purpose of each social platform
Each social media platform serves a different purpose. The people who log in to these platforms use each of them in different ways. Selecting the right social media platform for your business and tailoring your key messages for each will make it easier to reach your target audience.
Before you start creating an account on every social media platform, it is essential to first understand what each platform does. For example, if your target audience is millennials, being on Instagram and Twitter are the right platforms to select. It is important to understand your audience’s behavior and to predict how they will find your business online. It will also be helpful to consider how you use each social media platform as a consumer yourself.
5. Locate your competitors
You know your business inside and out. It’s time to research your top contenders in the market. Assess which social media platforms your competitors are using to promote their business and engage with potential customers. Knowing that you can carefully consider which platform would be best for you. Check their social media pages regularly and see what content they are posting. Other things to pay attention to are how often they are posting and how many users engage with the content. Then decide which social media platform is yielding the best results and start creating a social media calendar.
Comprehending your competitive landscape will help you build an effective strategy for targeting influencers and audiences to purchase your product and remember your brand.