What Social Media Platforms Are Right For My Business?
Your brand is already on one or two social media platforms, but does it make sense to add another?
As your business grows, expanding your digital presence is an absolute must. Developing an omni-channel approach to your digital presence will help you reach new audiences. One method of doing this is by being present on multiple social media platforms. By being present on a mix of different social platforms, you can reach your audience in multiple spots and get your brand in front of new eyes just by posting organic content.
Here is what you need to know about each social media platform to determine which ones are a good fit for your business.
Perfect for: many different B2C industries
Content:
Photos
Links
Videos
Stories
Livestreams
Long format captions
Posting Cadence: 3-7 times a week
Things to keep in mind:
Facebook has an ever-changing algorithm that makes it difficult for businesses to see growth solely off of organic content. Businesses need to “pay to play” by taking advantage of Facebook’s cost-effect ads.
Be conscious of recent restrictions from Apple that have made it more difficult to reach targeted audiences.
Use Facebook’s tools like Creator Studio to schedule posts, track your analytics, and access everything you need to fully manage your page.
Perfect for: Visually-driven businesses. Think fashion, retail, and food!
Content:
Photos
IGTV
Stories
Reels
Livestreams
Posting Cadence: 3-7 times a week
Things to keep in mind:
There are many ways to show-off your creative chops with Instagram’s various content types.
Using a combination of the content types is the ideal way to utilize this platform
Use hashtags in captions to expand the reach of each post
Instagram is currently owned by Facebook so the same algorithms and restrictions may apply!
Perfect for: Businesses with a witty personality, news-oriented, thought leaders
Content:
Photos
Short captions (under 280 characters)
Links
Livestreams
Posting Cadence: 3-10 times a day
Things to keep in mind:
You want to standout from all the clutter on any given person’s Twitter feed so keep your messages short & sweet.
Including a couple of relevant hashtags in your captions will go a long way in expanding your reach
Paid ads are significantly more expensive than Facebook ads.
Many businesses utilize Twitter as a customer service tool as a way of instantly answering customer questions and requests.
Perfect for: B2B businesses, businesses focused on selling a service, businesses looking to recruit/hire more employees
Content:
Photos
Articles
Links
Posting Cadence: 3-5 times a week
Things to keep in mind:
You cannot schedule within platform so be prepared to use a scheduling tool like HootSuite or Later.
Drive value with every post. It’s best to engage your followers in an industry-related discussion or offer some sort of educational content (ex: blog post, infographic, link to podcast, etc.).
Don’t forget to use some of LinkedIn’s recruiting features when your company is hiring!
Perfect for: Extremely visual businesses-- think retail, fashion, food, or beauty!
Content:
Photos
Links
Posting Cadence: 4-30 times a month, up to you!
Things to keep in mind:
Posts on Pinterest have much more longevity than other social media platforms. Many brands see people engaging with posts even a few years after!
It is especially important to use compelling imagery and take the time organize your brand’s posts and boards. This is a little time-consuming, but worth it if done right.
YOUTUBE
Perfect for: Businesses that want a way to publicly house their videos, show how to use their product, or have a very visual product/service.
Content:
Videos (8 minutes or longer is best)
Livestreams
Posting Cadence: Once a week
Things to keep in mind:
Be sure to cross post on your other channels to make sure you’re getting those views!
This is a great way to house your brand’s videos so you can easily share on other platforms.
Collaborate with other content creators on YouTube to expand your brand’s audience base.
SNAPCHAT
Perfect for: Businesses that want to show everyday life
Content: Short videos that disappear in 24 hours
Posting Cadence: 3-5 times a day
Things to keep in mind:
Content on SnapChat should be more laidback and casual than what you would post on Facebook or Instagram.
This is a fun way to show the daily life of your employees, behind the scenes of your business, and other moments to add a more human element to your brand.
You might not see a direct ROI with SnapChat, but it will keep your brand top of mind to consumers if done correctly.
Take advantage of custom filters for events, branding, and as a way to encourage your audience to engage with your brand.
TWITCH
Perfect for: Businesses that want to have a platform to do regular livestreams, businesses with a well-established YouTube audience and want to expand
Content: Livestreams
Posting Cadence: 1-3 times a week
Things to keep in mind:
This is a great channel to reach young gamers and male audiences, but quality and consistency are key.
You need to stream regularly and each livestream needs to truly entertain or offer valuable education (ex: how-to videos).
Most brands will have the best luck sponsoring already-established influencers on Twitch or with their pre-roll ads.
TIKTOK
Perfect for: Businesses that don’t take themselves too seriously and want to have fun.
Content: 15-30 second videos that are entertaining
Posting Cadence: 3-7 times a week
Things to keep in mind:
Conversion isn’t the easiest on TikTok, but it sure is a great way to keep your brand top of mind with Gen Z.
If you can keep up with the ever-changing trends and continue to entertain, TikTok can be very rewarding for your business!
Most audiences on TikTok want to be entertained rather than sold to.
CLUBHOUSE
Perfect for: Individuals who want to expand their professional network.
Content: Drop-in audio chat
Posting Cadence: 5-7 times a week
Things to keep in mind:
There aren’t a lot of features for businesses on Clubhouse. However, there are a lot of opportunities for business owners to learn from others within their industry, find support for their business, or even become a thought leader within their industry!
This platform is currently invite-only so find someone in your network to send you an invite.
At the end of the day, there is no magical mix of social media platforms that will instantly grow your sales or audience base. Your business is unique and it might take a bit of trial and error to see what mix of platforms works best for your brand. Unless you have a dedicated team working around the clock, it’s not realistic to be present on every social media platform out there. Our rule of thumb is quality over quantity! It’s better to have a strong presence on just a few platforms instead of poorly representing your brand on every single platform. If you’re looking to level-up your brand’s social presence, contact us to ask about our community management services!