Social media is like the social life of a teenager – exciting, fun, demanding, dangerous, confusing, rebellious, awkward and even gratifying. But, just like a great social life, you must pace yourself and make good choices.
Selling the value of social media is much easier these days. Everywhere you turn, social media is exploding – a new channel every week. You could walk away, abandon the craze and take your ball and go home, but we all know that’s not the way to behave in social situations. So, let’s get back to basics, and remember mom’s promise so long ago, “You are judged by the company you keep.” That’s why you need to make good social choices and understand the right places to market yourself, your brand and your business.
Don’t go with the flow. Be your own brand.
You may hear that the largest audience has jumped to the latest and greatest social app. However, not every social situation is for everyone. Would you rather reach 10 customers in a crowd of thousands or have the largest voice among more of your best customers on another less-popular site. You must ask yourself, “Where are there more people with my same interests?” Knowing who your potential customers are, understanding their interests and identifying where they spend their online time is crucial to a successful digital marketing strategy.
So which social media platform is right for you?
Facebook is the place to be…
to reach a community-minded, broad network of followers. More than 70% of online adults are active Facebook users, but the platform is losing ground with a younger audience. Nevertheless, Facebook still has the largest audience and most frequent users delivering great engagement. Beware, you could be with the popular crowd here, but users primarily engage with Facebook for connections with family and friends. So, if you skip the warm, fuzzy personal approach, it may not be the most efficient place for a business connection.
Twitter is the place to be…
to reach young men and women who consider themselves new addicts. If your business is timely and relates to real-time events and occurrences, Twitter is a must! Just like Facebook, Twitter is a two-way forum to engage with your customers on what matters most in their lives at that very moment.
LinkedIn is the place to be…
to maximize your B2B relationships or establish yourself as an industry expert to provide insight or network. Brands that provide services can greatly benefit from the connections with well-education, high income LinkedIn users, by marketing their industry expertise to a targeted audience. Developing the right message for a specific audience can land you that whale corporate account.
Pinterest is the place to be…
for businesses with a visual product to sell to clients who express themselves through imagery. Pinterest helps the customer who collects visual representation of things that will ultimately affect a buying decision. If a customer can see your product in their everyday lives, they are more likely to purchase. Consider your customers and their interests. If your target market is a woman, you can’t skip Pinterest. Use the platform’s largest audience to educate and inspire people with like interests, creating more engagement.
Instagram is the place to be…
if you know what your customers want to see. “Insta” users generally overlap with Twitter followers, so combining these two social platforms can help you tell your customers what you want them the know and then show them. Don’t forget, Instagram is most popular among the urban crowd obsessed with the latest and greatest. Be prepared to give them what they want and keep it fresh or you will lose them.
Bet you once thought navigating a teenage social life was the hardest thing you would do. Now you have a basic understanding of how to navigate your new social life, decide who you want to hang out with, what you want to tell them and how much time you will invest in your relationship. Social media is a two-way conversation. You must be willing and able to continue the conversation or you will lose that friend.
