Benjamin.M.V.
Let’s face it: everyone is using social media nowadays and we are all looking at a brand’s online performance before deciding to trust their products or services and actually make a purchase.
A Global Web Index study found that 54% of social media users use it to research a brand and their products, while 71% are more likely to finalise a purchase based on social media referrals.
Having a strong social media presence will not only give your business more credibility, but will provide you with the ability to obtain important insights about your target public and form a community that will possibly become trusted brand ambassadors in the future.
But with so many social media platforms coming up and constantly growing month by month, how can you know which ones you should invest more time in, and which ones are just not worth it for your business? Keep on reading to find out how to use social media properly.
Every consumer is different, same as every business, so choosing what platforms to leverage really comes down to getting to know your audience and discovering what social media they prefer, as every channel has its own fans and practices.
So let’s dive right into it. What social media platforms are there and what can each do for your business?
Most popular social media platforms
Facebook still remains the most popular social media platform out there, with roughly 2.85 billion monthly active users in the first quarter of 2021, and an average daily spent of 33 minutes on app.
With so many active consumers per day, you can’t afford not to have a Facebook business profile. In addition to the many users the platform has, it’s also relatively easy to use and owns many useful features for businesses, like: sharing pictures, video content, text and performing ads or boosting your posts to reach more people.
Facebook is especially good to use if you want to build awareness to your brand and provide clear indications for your products or services. You can add useful information about your business, like phone numbers, location, open hours, menus.
Plus, you can even create an online shop inside the app and chat with your clients online to provide additional assistance.
YouTube
The second most popular platform out there, YouTube has basically been around ‘since ages’ and it’s only becoming more popular and performing better amongst all age groups, as video content is gaining tremendous demand this year.
It has over 2.1 billion global active users and an even better time spent on platform than Facebook, with an average of 40 minutes per day. This happens because video content is easy to consume and entertaining.
YouTube is a great channel to use for marketing your business, as it can help you express your brand and bring awareness in an easy and efficient way. You’re probably wondering what type of content you can create for your first YouTube videos.
Start by promoting your products, expressing your brand's values and personality, providing useful information about your services and creating content that is useful for your audience, as this is often the most shareable type.
Even if you are not a big fan of social media, you have most probably heard about Instagram a few times by now. This platform had an immense growth over the years and it’s only going up!
Currently, it has over 1 billion global users that spend an average of 29 minutes per day. As part of the Facebook suite, Instagram offers the same features as Facebook: photo, video, text, stories, shop, message, calls and ads, but in addition to these they are always testing and putting out interactive ways of creating and sharing content: like Reels and IGTV videos.
It is a great platform if you are looking to express your brand’s creativity and personality, and is very simple to use. However, gaining popularity will take some time. Don’t expect to become an influencer overnight!
Because of its large platform of creators and influencers, Instagram is constantly working and changing its algorithms to push people to create better, more authentic content.
Keep in mind that you should share posts that are entertaining, engaging and educational, as people usually go on Instagram to have a good time. Showing up on their feed with too much promowill most probably annoy your audience and distance them from your brand even more.
If there is one word that describes Twitter best, it’s ‘fast’. A platform with over 199million daily active global users that spend around 31 minutes on average on the app, Twitter is the place to go to if you want to find the latest news, trends and conversations.
It’s best used for businesses to create discussions and maintain them. Many users go to Twitter to express their opinions regarding different products, so the least you can do on Twitter is to check for feedback from your audience.
Plus, if you are active and engaged, replying to tweets from your customers is a must! Nowadays, consumers expect and most appreciate quick responses from the brand they are trying to reach. So keep in mind that even though you have a complaint, addressing it on social media will be beneficial for both you and your client, who will feel seen and heard.
Other platforms we recommend
There are many social media platforms out there. Below we mentioned some of the most popular, easy to use and versatile of them all. We recommend having at least two or three social channels where people can reach you. If you want to go the extra mile, here are some other ones you can use:
- LinkedIn - often associated with B2Bmarketing, LinkedIn is great for professional use, creating relationships and building a meaningful network. Also, if you’re looking to hire more people for your business, you can easily find suitable candidates in almost any domain on this platform.
- Pinterest - people’s go to place for inspiration. If you know your products well and find creative ways to advertise them on Pinterest, you have great chances of turning your leads into actual sales from this platform. Just be creative!
- TikTok - the latest trend for Generation Z users, TikTok is a platform known for its fun, meme-like video content. It’s a great space for expressing your creativity, but we don’t recommend using it if your audience is not active there, as you’ll just be wasting your resources.
- Google My Business - not exactly a social app, but Google My Business is a great platform to have if you are selling services, asit makes it easy for people to find your location or contact you. If you are using it, try to get as many good reviews as possible, as this is one of the main things people look at when searching for a business on Google.
The list of social profiles you can use can expand depending on your business. However, these are the most popular ones and while we recommend being present online andsharing your content on different platforms, try focusing on the ones where your audience is active and comfortable and don’t spend too much time trying todo it all. Sometimes having one or two channels that perform well is enough!
