Consumers today are increasingly turning to social media platforms to learn about new businesses and interact with their favorite brands.
However, most companies can’t be everywhere at once, especially small businesses with tight marketing budgets.
There are more than 100 different social media platforms out there, and as a business owner, where do you even begin when you’re deciding on which social media platforms you’re going to use? At Charleson Group, we understand that each business is different and so are your TA [Target Audience] platforms. This is why, as part of our digital marketing services, in the planning stage of social media management, we start by advising all clients on which platforms would best be suited for their business, as no two industries are the same.
Still sounds overwhelming and confusing ? You don’t need to lose sleep over this though, we are here to help.
Our team here at Charleson Group understands your struggle, here is our comprehensive guide on choosing the right social media platforms for your business.
Let’s get started on what you need to consider first.
#1 Define your social media goals
The advantages of using social media are many, but you must first define specific goals before proceeding with anything.
Your goals will not only influence the social media platform you choose, but also the content you create, the audience you target, and other factors.
Here are a few of the most common advantages of using social media that you should consider:
- Provides another channel for consumers to reach out with feedback, questions, and concerns which would boost your business’s customer service.
- Reaching out to new demographics and audiences who may be interested in your goods or services
- Growing your brand and introducing your business to new people
- Learning about the audience’s and consumers’ desires, wishes, and behaviors.
- Increasing the number of visitors to your site and boosting sales
#2 Choose a platform where your audience is located
Since the whole point of social media marketing is to connect you with your ideal audience, you should create accounts on platforms that your target audience uses.
Research which platforms your target audience uses and reach out to them on the social media platforms they’re already on.
There are a few different ways to figure out where exactly your target audience is online, and one of the simplest is to perform a simple customer survey.
Inquire about their social media use, where they get their information online, and the influencers they follow.
Another way to learn more about the target audience is to use the social media platforms themselves.
You can tell sites like Facebook who your ideal customers are and they’ll predict the size of your audience for you.
#3 Consider what type of content you will be posting
Different types of content perform well on different social media platforms, so it’s critical to think about the type of content you enjoy creating that best fits your brand.
Instagram, for example, is all about photos, so it may not be the best fit if the majority of your content is long-form textual content like whitepapers.
The type of content you create will be determined by a variety of factors, including your industry, brand, and target audience.
Some content types to consider are:
- Blog posts
- Podcasts
- Testimonials
- User-generated content
- Webinars and livestreams
- Ebooks
- Whitepapers
- Videos
- Photographs
#4 Narrow down your choices
There are social media sites for everyone and everything under the sun.
There are far too many social media sites to have a presence on, so your time should be best spent concentrating on the most popular ones like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linked In, and Pinterest.
Now that we know what to consider first, which social media would be best suited for your business?
With over 2 billion monthly active users, this is by far the biggest social platform, with 7.5 million users as of 2018, being in Kenya.
Facebook is perfect for generating leads, and its ad network can be highly tailored to reach very particular audiences.
Facebook can also be used to create and build relationships, demonstrate the human side of your business, and convert leads into loyal followers and customers.
Many different types of content are suitable for Facebook, but the most relevant is content that reveals a different side of your business.
Facebook (and Twitter) are both excellent for reaching large numbers of people, but it’s important to remember that there’s also a great deal of competition
LinkedIn is usually the platform of choice for B2B companies, particularly if lead generation is a priority.
This is a great place to put editorial content, and it will help you develop your company as a thought leader in your industry, create brand authority, and engage leads through conversations.
LinkedIn’s profile is also unique from other platforms in that there are more people aged 30 to 49 on the web than there are under 30.
Instagram, a Facebook-owned photo and video-sharing social network is all about the pictures.
Even though users can caption images and videos on Instagram, it’s the visual that draws them in and makes them want to read the description.
Visual brands should all have an Instagram account. Eg hotels and restaurants.
It’s only natural that their goods entice customers with their visual appeal.
Even brands without a physical product, such as a consulting company or a technology provider, may use Instagram to communicate with consumers.
If your business values being up to date with the current trends and wants to reach out to followers with breaking news, updates, important messages, and other live content, Twitter is the medium to use.
Although images outperform video on Twitter, text-based content still reigns supreme.
Kenyans On Twitter have earned their own hashtag, #KOT for being very active as well as extremely opinionated when it comes to topics they are passionate about. Make sure to establish yourself on Twitter as a brand if you’re in Kenya for success.
But be warned: As you use the social site, be careful not to get into anyone’s bad books. #KOT has a tendency to intimidate and come for you as the offender, and it’s not pretty!
Our President had to leave Twitter due to social media bullying! Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
YouTube
Youtube is a great video-sharing site. It has become the forum for sharing information via video more than any of its competitors (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok).
It now has a monthly user base of 2 billion people and has evolved into a place where people go not just for entertainment but also to learn new things.
And it’s because of this that it’s such a valuable tool for businesses.
A good example of a famous Kenyan YouTube channel would be The Wajesus Family.
Monetize your channel by posting valuable and entertaining videos on a regular basis.
Pinterest is another social network that’s heavy on visuals, where users can “Pin” items they find on the web to “boards,” sort of like a vision board.
If you’re a brand that uses visuals heavily in marketing, sign up for a profile.
You can create your own branded boards that feature images from your blogs and website, and also create boards where you source images from.
If your business targets mainly females, Pinterest is also definitely worth considering signing up for a profile on.
When it comes to social media sites, Reddit is a unique breed. It’s less about communicating and interacting and more about real sharing and learning.
However most Reddit groups have strict guidelines on what you can and cannot post for commercial purposes.
In reality, using a platform to overtly self-advertise will almost always get you kicked out of a party.
However, several businesses have found great success by participating on Reddit.
A little imagination, a lot of engagement, and a sincere desire to teach and/or learn are all that is needed.
Quora
Quora isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when most people think of the best social media sites for businesses.
It’s a great place to find questions in your field, build yourself as an expert, and connect to articles you’ve written about the topics being discussed.
But be warned: moderators, including those on Reddit, are adept at distinguishing between legitimate contributions to a question and blatant self-promotion.
Responses that concentrate on the issue rather than your own business are the most powerful.
TikTok
TikTok is a newcomer to the social media scene, having debuted in 2018 and rapidly gaining momentum.
With 500 million monthly active users, TikTok has over a billion users. Older sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Snapchat have been surpassed.
TikTok is a video-sharing software that allows users to make and upload their own 15-second video clips.
Azziad Nasenya became an overnight sensation in 2020 off of just 1 TikTok video she posted of herself dancing to a hit song.
There is great potential for everyone out there, just be creative and entertain your audience, you might just blow up!
Snapchat
Snapchat is a photo and video-sharing app that is often compared to Instagram. It’s most common among younger generations.
Snapchat is a little sillier, looser, and less refined than Instagram’s. Keep that in mind when posting.
Are you still undecided about which social media platforms are best for your business?
That’s where we come in.
We will help you plan and execute a social media management strategy that helps you to grow brand recognition, create & build relationships, and increase website visibility through the social media platforms that are right for your business.
Take a look at our social media management pricing and get in touch with us to start working on your social media marketing needs.
Do you have any more questions about the best social media sites that we didn’t cover in this article?
Please feel free to post your questions in the comments section, and we’ll do our best to reply.
Until next time, cheers!
Im AUGUSTINE BERNARD looking for a job offer in Sales and marketing at your firm.