In the world of digital marketing, social media forms a large part of many discussions. But when putting together a marketing strategy, the choice of social media platforms can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re not an experienced digital marketer. The truth is that not all social media platforms are equal, and their value changes from one business to the next. In this article, we’ll cover the major social platforms and explain which types of businesses they are best suited to, along with how they should be used.
Facebook is a great all-rounder, and Facebook’s user base covers a wide range of age groups. There isn’t any business that wouldn’t benefit from having a Facebook account, and simply having a Facebook page allows your business to be tagged in recommendations. This can be of huge benefit to businesses who operate on a local basis; you may have seen your friends looking for recommendations in terms of makeup artists, dentists, and garages.
For ecommerce businesses that operate on a national or global scale, ads are generally the most popular way to use Facebook. Using data based on the users’ interests, Facebook will serve up ads that have the best chance of converting, which leaves you to focus on the creative side of things.
Instagram is another one of the most popular platforms. Similar to Facebook, Insta users come in a wide range of ages, although users under 25 tend to spend the most time on the platform. Once again, it benefits all types of businesses – whether that’s local, physical stores or global ecommerce giants.
For ecommerce brands, particularly those in industries like fashion and cosmetics, growing an organic social presence should be a priority. Remember, the bigger your audience, the more people will see your posts and the less money you’ll need to spend on paid ads.
Paid Instagram ads can be a good option for new businesses who are in the process of building a following. This can also be a good time to work with a paid social media agency to ensure that budget isn’t being wasted.
TikTok
TikTok is one of the newest social platforms, but it’s also one of the most lucrative. In recent years, TikTok has burst onto the scene and is particularly popular with younger age groups. From a business’s perspective, attention creates opportunity, and the biggest opportunities on TikTok are agubaly reserved for e-commerce brands.
If you have a problem-solving product that can be demonstrated visually, TikTok is probably the best platform to showcase this. Household gadgets and everyday appliances are perfect for demonstrating in a short 30-second video, and videos can also direct users to purchase via TikTok Shop.
In terms of paid options, TikTok ads can feel less disruptive as they are inserted into users’ scrolling sessions. However, this does require the creative to be on point and not appear too ‘salesy’.
LinkedIn has had somewhat of a resurgence in recent years, and the platform has gone from being a corporate version of Facebook to the perfect place to grow a personal brand. If your business would benefit from having a public figurehead, then LinkedIn is a great option.
Given that LinkedIn profiles are often linked to job titles and employers, it’s also a great platform for lead generation businesses.
YouTube
Whether YouTube is a social platform or not is up for debate, but seeing as users can create profiles, leave comments, and interact with other users, it’s easy to make a case for YouTube being a social platform.
While YouTube has an enormous audience, it’s one of the trickiest platforms to master. That’s because most people go to YouTube for entertainment, so you must have something interesting to show. Behind-the-scenes style content or vlogs can work great if your business is suited to this type of content.
If not, you may have success from partnering with high-profile content creators. For example, restaurants have experienced success from inviting well-known food content creators to their restaurant to attempt their food challenge.
Final Thoughts
Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to use each social media channel. You must tailor your approach for your business, and more importantly, your audience. It can be good to research how your competitors use social media to gain inspiration, but try to ensure that any content is original, thought-provoking and/or on trend.
