How to Choose the Right Social Media Platform for Your Target Audience
Social media marketing has proven to be effective for businesses. Over the last few years, we’ve seen the evolution of technology, and the rise of influencers, videos. Now, with the touch of a button, consumers can purchase products from their phones without ever having to step foot into a store. With all these innovative features sprouting up with every update, businesses think that selling their products or services on social media is easy peasy, lemon squeezy, but it’s not always that simple. First, you must dive deep into your social media target audience, your service, or product(s). From there, you can determine how to reach your target audience on social media by choosing the right social media platform(s) that’s best for your business.
Questions You Must Ask Yourself
- Am I marketing to businesses or consumers?
- Who is my social media target audience, and what platforms do they use?
- What kind of content will I be able to create/publish?
- How much time do I have to dedicate to my business’ social media efforts?
- What platforms are my competitors using, AND what are they NOT using?
- What are my social media goals?
These are BIG questions you must think about and take into consideration when deciding on the right platform(s) for your business.
Who Is Your Audience and What Social Media Platforms Are They On?
Audience analysis is crucial when deciding the specific social media platforms where you should be active. Identify your top 3 target personas and dive into the platforms your social media target audience is using. In a Forbes article, it is mentioned that small businesses should spend time really understanding their audience and where they can find them. This process will effectively help you identify how to reach your target audience on social media.
What Are My Goals?
Your goals could be gaining followers, raising brand awareness, selling products, or informing the public; the list goes on and on. Still, you must identify key goals and metrics to find the best platform for you. Once your goals are determined, dive deep into the platform that is going to help get you there and invest your social media effort time there.
What Are My Competitors Doing/Not Doing on their Social Media Platforms?
Competitor Analysis is crucial when deciding how to choose the right social media platform. Check out what your competitors are doing, and what they are not doing, and think, “How can I make this better?” If you see minimal engagement and a small fan base on a given platform, that could indicate a poor network choice for your business since you have similar products or services. But if you have the time and assets to pour into your account and can make it better than they are, give it a go!
What Kind of Content Can I Create for Each Social Media Platform?
Each social media platform is different and should have a completely different strategy when it comes to the content you create and publish. The types of content you can capture and create can also help you find the best platform for your business.
Here’s a brief description of each platform and the kind of content that you should be pushing out to be successful:
This social media platform is excellent for creating a community around your business. Sharing videos, participating in relevant FB groups, posting industry articles, and updates are all great content types for Facebook. This platform is excellent to start with if your business is new to the world of social media.
IG is all about stunning imagery. There is a massive opportunity on Instagram to spread brand awareness IF done well. You must invest in quality imagery and video to post. To achieve Instagram success, you need to dedicate significant time to engagement. This means following locals and local businesses, responding to comments, liking other content, implementing a hashtag strategy, and staying consistent with your post cadence.
- Example: If you’re a hairstylist, this is an excellent platform for you, but if you’re a plumbing business, maybe not.
Twitter is fast-paced, and your success on this platform lies in being relatable to the current trends at all times. Gaining a Twitter follower is a harder earn than an IG follower. On Twitter, you need to add value to your followers, whether that informative knowledge, news updates, or a good laugh. If Twitter is your platform of choice, you should be spending time every day checking out trends, retweeting, and publishing content multiple times throughout the day.
YouTube
Video content performs exceptionally well on many social media platforms. YouTube is a great asset to add to the mix if you’re going to have time to dedicate to high-quality, informative, or entertaining video creation. Share your YouTube videos on Facebook or IGTV as well!
LinkedIn is GREAT for business to business marketing. If that’s what your goals are, this platform is a must. Recruiting employees, sharing news articles about your company, and positioning yourself as an industry leader should all take place on LinkedIn. This platform is more low-maintenance but should still be updated weekly.
This social media platform is for sharing ideas, inspiration, and sparking creativity. If you’re an interior designer, chef, or artist, this platform is excellent for showcasing your work and repinning other work that inspires you. People use this platform for ideas and self-improvement, so if that’s your market, this is a must. You can spend hours creating boards, uploading your content, and sharing other pins, which could take a lot of time, so make sure you can dedicate yourself to it!
Hopefully these tips help you find the right social media platform(s) for your business. The biggest takeaway from this is, don’t take on more than you can handle. Find a suitable platform match or two and give it all you got. If you’re just finished this and still have no ideas where to start with your social media strategy, reach out to Serendipit! Our team of experts is ready and eager to help your business’ social media soar to new heights!
