Which Social Media Platform Is Best For My Small Business?
We often hear statements like “Social Media is necessary for your business,” or “If you don’t use Social Media in this generation, your company won’t succeed.” If you’re reading this, you’ve probably heard any and all variations of those aforementioned claimed, but rarely are you ever advised on exactly which social media platforms would greatly benefit your company. Why “Should I use Instagram?” “Facebook is older, but is it better?” Can Twitter really help me?” These are common questions new business owners ask themselves on a daily basis. We don’t have all the answers, but we’ll give you a stronger foundation as we present which Social Media Platforms are best for your business!
Due to the added restrictions, many people have come to the false belief that Facebook is “dead.” This can’t be farther from the truth, as 42% of monthly social media visited are made by Facebook accounts, and the proper use of a Facebook page can augment your business substantially. With approximately 2.27 billion users, the potential to expand your business digitally is limitless. Facebook grants you the ability categorize potential clients based on gender, age, employment, relationship status, and purchasing behaviour just to name a few—the power in your disposal is incredible.
When determining which social media platform you should implement into your business, it is imperative that you’re aware of which platform your target market frequently uses. Let’s say you owned a business that caters to seniors (65+), such as At Home Care, Mobile Concierge Services, or some form of Transportation Services, Facebook would be your best option as opposed to other platforms like Snapchat or Twitter. 62% of users 65+ use Facebook, in comparison to other platforms such as Instagram (8%), Twitter (10%), and LinkedIn (20%).
Arguably the greatest benefit Facebook has to offer is its ability to advertise to a targeted condensed audience with relative ease, and at a very low rate. This proves to be more beneficial than traditional marketing strategies such as television commercial ads, and radio ads that promote your services and/or products to a large audience, that may have no interest in what it is you’re offering. Due to Facebook’s partnerships with several data brokers, the platform is able to track where your potential clients’ digital habits lie. If you own a business that provides any car related service, such as Driving School, Distributing Spare Parts, or even a Mobile Car Wash, you can create ads that would target potential customers based on a series of criteria, such as purchase history, age, interests and many more.
Essentially, Facebook provides great valuable for any business, with the exception of industries that sell products that violate the site’s laws, such as Weed or Guns. This platform is mobile friendly, can boost your company’s SEO, and can significantly increase the web traffic to your site.
Since Facebook owns Instagram, you will have considerable access to the same user base and audience tracking tools as Facebook. With the ability to “grow” your followers more naturally, you will have greater intimacy between you and those that follow you. Due to the photo and video sharing nature of the platform, if people follow your company, it demonstrates a vested interest that people have for your business. If you own a business that sells products or services related to women, Instagram may be your best option, as 68% of its users are female. If you own a Dropshipping store, or are using an E-Commerce platform for your company, Instagram is an exceptional tool, as 60% of users learn about new products through this platform.
Instagram’s most active users are between the age range of 18-29, so if your company caters to that specific demographic, in any manner, whether it’s real estate, car loans, clothing, or footwear to name a few, Instagram will prove to be a treasured asset. This platform is also a goldmine for photographers, as Instagram images receive more engagement than Facebook images by 23%.
In essence, Instagram is a remarkable tool for any type of business, but it’s full potential is realized for company’s that provide products and/or services to both the Millennial Generation, and Generation Z, as 1 in 4 Millennials and Generation Z users seek stories for services and products they are considering purchasing.
Youtube
On mobile platforms, YouTube reaches more adults between the ages of 18-49 than any Cable TV Network, or broadcast. Since Google owns YouTube, your business has access to Google’s advertising services. YouTube tends to be best suited for B2C companies (As well as B2B companies), such as media and technology businesses that utilize how-to videos, webinars, and tutorials. This video-hosting platform provides aspiring entrepreneurs and current business owners a multitude of expansion and awareness opportunities. YouTube also provides a foundation to start a sustainable business of your own. You have many options to choose from, such as Affiliate Marketing, Vlogging, Product Testing/Reviewing, Videography, Acting, and Interviewing just to name a few.
The important thing to keep note of is that the quality of your videos is important. This service is very inexpensive, not having to spend large amounts of money on advertisements. By implementing certain keywords in your video description, title, and the keywords tool, your videos will have higher search rankings, resulting more people learning about what you have to offer.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a platform best suited for businesses that follow a B2B model, specifically ones desiring to target well-educated professionals. Although LinkedIn’s advertising platform is not as sophisticated as the previously mentioned social media platforms, it does however offer users the ability to target specific job titles, and businesses. As the world’s largest professional network, if you run a business that is dependent on searching for top talent, then you would profit greatly from LinkedIn. Individuals use this platform to create resume-style profiles, while companies use it to highlight the best areas of their business. LinkedIn provides entrepreneurs the capability to gain a greater insight on the companies and individuals they desire to target, as well as gain adequate knowledge on their competition.