The busy, overpopulated world of social media
can give small business owners and small marketing teams anxiety and raises the
question – which platforms are right for me & my business?
First, let us look at a small snapshot of some
of the most popular social platforms:
Facebook:
Facebook is the biggest social media channel
with approximately 1.11 billion monthly users (Bendror, 2013). Facebook has
proven its popularity is here to stay and is becoming a relevant part of
business models. People can leave messages, look at photos, share photos, leave
business reviews, and chat with each other on the site.
There are business benefits to using Facebook.
There are many targeted potential customers you can look at and track and watch
to see their relevance to your business. You can advertise within the platform
to users that you are able to select via demographics and psychographic
targeting. The platform is also very personal, you can truly get to know your
customers and interact on a social and intimate level.
Twitter:
Twitter has an estimated 215 million active
users (Bendror, 2013). The platform is a micro-blogging site that allows users
to share their feelings and thoughts in 140 characters or less. Twitter is a
platform where users gain breaking news, and a place to communicate not only
with friends and family but with industry peers, professionals, and mentors.
According to Gary Vaynerchuk, “Twitter is the cocktail party of social media.”
It is acceptable to speak to anyone, anytime, without being labeled as creepy.
To be successful in business with Twitter you
must first listen. Search for terms and listen to the conversations surrounding
them, follow leaders in your industry and see what they are talking about,
follow your customers and listen to what they are saying. The key here is
listen, listen, listen before ever speaking. At that point, you can join in on
the conversation to connect with your customers over your brand, product, or
service. Twitter is also a platform to respond to customer support inquiries
and customer service issues.
Google +:
Google + has approximately 359 million active
monthly users (Bendror, 2013). Google+ has become a marketer’s paradise in the
aspect of social media. The basis is somewhat of a combination of Twitter and
Facebook but the new features like Hangouts, +1s, and hashtags can result in
page, and business popularity.
A specific, but huge benefit to Google+ is the
fact it is a Google product, meaning an active Google+ page can bring positive
search engine results to your business. Google search is bringing the social,
Google+ aspect in play. Searchers can see your Google+ page, reviews, recent
posts, and images in their SERP.
Here is a list of other important, social media platforms:
- YouTube
- Foursquare
- SnapChat
Much like the answer to most digital marketing
questions, what platforms are right for your business depends on multiple
factors. Should you adopt only one platform and use it as your main channel, or
should you dabble some in every channel just to have a presence?
As a small business, you should not sign your
business up for every social media channel available. You will benefit more
from being relevant and excellent with one or two platforms rather than OK at
four or five.
Having to decide which one or two platforms can
be done – strategically.
Look into each social media channel and
determine where your business will benefit the most. When determining this
factor in the product or service you are offering, and the time and financial
resources you have available. Social media is cost effective, but being a
leader in using it for business is not free. Each platform has business
benefits, weigh each of those and create a pro con list specific to your
business.
Things
to remember when determining where your business will benefit the most:
- Your business goals – each social media channel has a different business model and different attractions that make it unique. Keep your business goals top of mind when comparing and determining where to spend your time.
- Your audience & customers – research, listen, and watch to see where your customers are. You know them best, look for them on each of these channels while deciding where to invest.
The content you create is important, do not get me wrong, but what
is more important is making connections and creating relationships with
subscribers. You must provide helpful content, the key to any marketing is to
provide your customers and listeners with content they find useful to their
life. After creating the content and sharing it, you must have the follow-up
conversations to lead to real engagement. This is where you will form
relationships with you customers and begin continual engagement.
Social media for business is not a set-up and done process. To be
successful you must have the time, and resources to actively speak with your
audience and keep them engaged. This starts with content but is capitalized
with consistent conversation and engagement with fans and followers. Remember
here quality over quantity.
All-in-all, small, and large, businesses need to focus on three main
factors as to what social platforms to adapt to its marketing plan.
- How do each platform’s business benefits align with my business benefits and goals?
- Where do my customers live online? Listen, watch, and research this thoroughly to make an informed decision.
- Do I have the time and financial resources to actively create content, update the sites, & converse with my audience on one, two, three, or more social media platforms?
From those answers, decide where your company is going to live,
grow, and nurture customers.
References:
Bendror, Yasmin. (2013). Which social media channels should I use
for my business? Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/advisor/social-media-channels-business-223554094.html
