Social Media Platform Breakdown for Business
As we mentioned in our blog, choosing the right social media network, being on any and every social media platform, isn’t really advisable.
It’s hard to create content for all platforms, and you want to make sure that you’re not wasting time and creative energy publishing on platforms that don’t reach your target demographic.
Take a peek at our quick round-up of social platforms for business to see what might be the right fit for you.
Social Media Platform: Facebook
Facebook is still one of the most popular social media platforms. Worldwide, there are over 1.86 billion monthly active Facebook users with users ages 25 to 34 as the most common demographic. There are 300 million photo uploads each day — wowzers. Apart from Google, many people use FB as a “search engine” — and if they can’t find your company, they would assume you aren’t with the digital “times.” Facebook pages are easy to manage, promote, and advertise on. Lately, Instagram advertising also works through Facebook, making them a killer combo for marketing purposes and social network for business. If you do plan to use Facebook for your social media marketing, be sure to skim our 7 Tips for Success When Using Facebook for Business on the Nice Branding blog.Social Media Platform: Instagram
Instagram has over 500 million active monthly users. Instagram users have shared over 40 billion photos to date and share an average of 95 million photos and videos per day. 80% of users come from outside the U.S. Interesting... If you are a company focused on visual, Instagram is the place to be. Small business creatives such as designers, graphic designers, artists, and e-commerce sites can really benefit from this platform. Companies in the restaurant industry can really utilize this platform to show off their decadent dishes or trendy interiors as well as customers enjoying a visit to the establishment. Corporate companies such as clinics or construction firms can also make use of this platform by creating good-quality copy, infographics, and informative quotes reflective of the brand. Clients and customers enjoy seeing what is going on behind the scenes of the brands that they are engaged with. Companies can post photos of their office space, themselves at work, or even social activities and events. Instagram stories are ideal for “real time” engagement with the audience, and many professionals use this as a direct channel for education and informing their following.Social Media Platform: Twitter
A total of 1.3 billion accounts have been created. Of those, 44% made an account and left before ever sending a Tweet, and only 550 million people have ever sent a Tweet. On a more positive note, there are 500 million Tweets sent each day. That’s 6,000 Tweets every second. And (now here’s where it gets juicy), 54% of users surveyed by Twitter reported that they had taken action after seeing a brand mentioned in Tweets (including visiting their website, searching for the brand, or re-Tweeting content). Twitter is ideal as a customer-service add-on for social networking for business. Clients can directly send a Tweet to a company’s handle regarding concerns, reviews, and questions. However, the platform will be efficient only if you can offer a quick response time. Your customer support team and social media manager should collaborate on this platform to make sure that you communicate the right information and provide adequate assistance.Social Media Platform: LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the perfect network for business professionals to engage. Your personal profile serves as your online resume, but the manner in which you interact on this platform can be ideal for networking. Companies can also create a page for their business, allowing users to follow and connect with the brand. Make sure that your personal profile is updated and up to standard, otherwise your company page and brand will lose credibility. LinkedIn allows you to share everything related to your industry and showcase your expertise within your particular niche.Social Media Platform: Pinterest
There are over 150 million active users on Pinterest, and 85% of those are female. Shocking, right? Plus, 55% of online shoppers name Pinterest as their fave social media outlet. Similar to Instagram, Pinterest allows you to showcase the visual side of your brand. Here you can share inspiration, infographics, recipes, tutorials, you name it. Although Pinterest isn’t the go-to platform for interaction and engagement; you can view it as an online library for your brand or business. Users can also ‘Pin’ your website or articles to their feed, which also boosts your online presence and SEO.Social Media Platform: Google+
“Google+ isn’t just another social network a small business can use to boost its online presence, but it’s also the ultimate resource to maximize visibility on Google search pages.” - Just In Time Virtual Assistant Google+ is especially valuable when it comes to the credibility and visibility of your brand. You can combine Google Maps and Google Business and take advantage of the Google+ SEO value. It’s important to make sure that your physical location is set up as a local business or place in order to reap these benefits. Post as your company, but use your personal profile to share the content with your circles. Engagement and interaction are just as important on this platform.Here are a few benefits of using Google+:
- The content gets indexed immediately and will show up in search results
- Prospective clients will be able to view your Google+ profile during email communication
- Utilize the target audience unique to the Google+ community
- Engage in the communities within your niche to grow your social network for business
- Become an influencer on a credible platform