Which Social Media Platform is Right for Your Business?
All businesses benefit from being active on social media. Since time is limited, you must choose your social networks wisely. Instead of spreading yourself thin across all the major social networks, it’s best to be active on just a few. You’ll need to do some research to determine the best channel for your business based on your marketing goals, the types of products/services you sell and where your audience is most likely to be.
Let’s dig deeper into the pros and cons of each social media platform and how to choose the best one(s) for your business.
Facebook is the largest social network in the world. If you’re going to be on one channel, this is probably the one. It’s easy to use, and the targeting features make it possible to connect with the right people.
The social network has an impressive 2.23 billion monthly active users (and always growing) and more than 60 million active business pages. Plus, 93% of marketers use this channel to promote their services, so you want to be competitive.
The downside to Facebook is that its algorithm is always changing. You must keep on top of the trends, which is why it helps to hire a social media manager. Also, posts from family and friends are prioritized over businesses, unless you pay to have them promoted.
Instagram is growing. It has reached 1 billion active users, and the platform is highly diverse. People can follow anyone they want on the channel – celebrities, famous athletes, politicians, big businesses, small businesses and everyday people. In fact, 80% of users follow a brand on Instagram.
Instagram is a great visual platform that has higher reach and engagement compared to other networks. However, no clickable links are allowed in the captions, and posts can get lost in the shuffle.
LinkedIn is the biggest professional network in the world – and it recently announced its growth to over 575 million users. It’s perfect for B2B companies, with over 80% of B2B leads coming from LinkedIn. The type of people using LinkedIn is impressive as well, with 40 million users in decision-making positions.
LinkedIn is an impressive network for connecting with industry professionals and securing your company as a thought leader, but don’t expect to build a massive following. Plus, some complain of having to filter through spam and promotions.
Twitter has 336 million monthly active users – a smaller audience from Facebook but highly engaged. Over 500 million tweets are sent each day, or roughly 6,000 every second. The real-time nature of the platform makes it easy to connect with customers, respond to questions and diffuse negative feedback.
Another perk to Twitter is that it makes it easy to connect with influencers and journalists. But, there are a few drawbacks. The character limit forces you to share simple messages, and the lifetime of each tweet is extremely short. At the same time, this is what makes Twitter what it is, so if your business thrives off fast, real-time updates, it’s a great channel to be present on.
Pinterest is a smaller social network, but people on this channel are looking to make purchases. Users spend an average of 14.2 minutes on the site, and 93% of active pinners use Pinterest before making a purchase. Pins have a longer lifespan compared to posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, too.
To be successful on this channel, you have to pin frequently. Also, direct interaction is a lot lower. This network is best for businesses that have physical products to sell and are looking to promote their brand name.
Having trouble with your social media marketing strategy? Call WSI Star Web Solutions and let’s find the channels that best deserve your time and attention.