Which social media platform is good for you?

social media

social media

With over 100 various social media platforms, it is becoming very difficult for businesses to decide on which one to commit.  Social media activities can drain the resources of your day to day marketing activities. Whether you are gathering information about your competitors, actively posting, or branding with thought leadership, you will need to choose wisely where to most effectively spend your efforts.

Which platform is best suited to your business, targeting the right demographic……
To help you to decide the best platform for your business, let’s focus on the most
prominent social media sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, and Google Plus) and consider their characteristics.

 

 Facebook 

With about 55% to 45% female to male user ratio and an average age of 30, Facebook has over 650 million active users, making it one of the most powerful social media options.
One of the characteristics of this platform is the amount of personal data they are gathering about their users, allowing paid advertisers to better target their campaigns. The demographic of the site is getting older, generally a very good site for the 20 and over market for every industry. Unless you are doing Paid per Click, Facebook is not about true selling but more about increasing brand awareness to your. Mixing business oriented message with social friendly posts that display confidence and loyalty.

 

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is by far the most professional, business oriented site and offers a strong market of 240 million active users. It is also one of the most popular sites among the adult 30-49 year old age range. LinkedIn was created for social business networking, where users grow their business connections and use them either to gain more business or find employment. It is also a place where virtual industry groups are created and where members can discuss issues or promote their solutions. LinkedIn is a must have social platform for every business.

 

YouTube

YouTube is a  powerful platform to distribute your video content. With 1 billion visitors a month, it is a top site for a young, millennial audience to watch content. Whether you are posting a video displaying your capabilities or a video about your products and services, YouTube is
the place to share. Be aware that with over millions of video hours downloaded, only the most entertaining or educational content will have a chance to go viral. Posting original videos about how your products and services can help businesses solve their issues is one way to bring
viewers.

 

Twitter

Targeting the millennial and younger generation with 645 million users, Twitter is the platform where people share their ideas and feelings in snap shot discussions of 140 characters or less. This is place where ongoing conversations are taking place. Unlike other social media sites, people can pick and choose what conversations they want to find and participate in. Twitter favors direct communication for businesses and consumers, which is a great format for industry questions or product/service announcements. Consumers very often use twitter to complain about or praise products and services.  If you have a twitter account, make sure to spend some time to listen to your customers and interact with them.

 

 Google Plus

One of the fastest growing new social networks is Google Plus. Originally seen as the black sheep of social media at its inception, it is now getting recognition in developing connections and businesses. Google Plus should not be seen as a direct competitor of Facebook, as it has
specific features that others do not.  For example, Google Plus has a community feature that allows groups to form around the same interest.  You can join these communities either as a brand as well as an individual. Companies can also use Google Plus to setup live group meetings or presentations to their circle or others, which is not possible on other sites. Additionally, having a Google Plus account will also help your website ranking.

Need help picking the right social media platform for your business?  Contact us….