There’s no longer any question that social media is a necessary marketing tool for every company large and small. The pandemic has changed the face of business forcing everyone from mom and pop shops to mega-corporations to improve an online presence. The experts at BCI Media Services know getting started can be difficult. So, how does a small business devote limited resources to social media sites in the most beneficial way? After all, as we’re entering 2021, when it comes to which social media platform is right for your business, you’ve got options. The good news is that you can start by narrowing it down to the most popular, widely used platforms. Today we’re going to focus on the top 6 social media platforms for businesses.
Facebook is by far the largest social platform with over 2 billion active users between the ages of 25 and 54. With such a broad user base, it’s no surprise that Facebook has become one of the best ways to find your target audience. But that’s not all it’s good for, Facebook is great for lead generation and acquiring new customers. This platform allows the opportunity to be highly customized and to target very specific audiences within your customer demographic. Facebook is great for interacting with your clients and showing the human side of your company. Your Facebook business profile is also used by Google as part of your website’s local SEO.
Bottom Line: Facebook is a tool that is essential for just about every business.
With more than 500 million users on the app daily, it’s no doubt Instagram has great reach. Initially, the platform was designed for sharing photos and continues to keep that at its core. However, it has recently expanded to videos. Instagram is the perfect way for brands to show rather than tell customers about products and company values. However, Instagram’s latest algorithm change takes control away from marketers, making it hard to determine how much exposure you will receive. Without any clickable links attached to individual posts, driving customers from the app to your site can be a challenge. Instagram is best used as a brand-building tool among millennials and younger audiences. You’ll need to take the time to create quality images or videos if you want to capitalize on Instagram’s half a billion users.
Bottom Line: Instagram is ideal if your audience is younger and your product is visually appealing.
Twitter boasts an impressive 330 million active users, most of whom are under the age of 50.
This is the go-to platform if your business is about immediacy. The type of content that works best for Twitter is easily digestible and textual, such as how-to articles, listicles and quotations. Text reigns supreme here, though images can perform well. When it comes to using Twitter for business, you can definitely find ways to use the platform to your advantage but it takes work. Part of that work involves standing out from your competition and consistently engaging with your audience. The average life of a tweet is 18 seconds so you’ll need to devote a lot of time to staying top of mind.
Bottom Line: Depending on your commitment to social media marketing, Twitter can be a powerful tool.
LinkedIn has become a networking tool exclusively for professionals. It’s typically the choice platform for B2B businesses, especially if your goal is lead generation. This is also an ideal platform for editorial content, building brand authority, and establishing your company as a trusted leader. LinkedIn has changed the way we seek, find and hire employees. It’s also a good resource for sharing content. The demographic on LinkedIn is different from other sites with most of its 500 million users falling between the ages of 30 to 49.
Bottom Line: When using LinkedIn, you’re more likely to find business partners than new customers (unless your market includes B2B).
YouTube
YouTube now boasts 2 billion monthly users. This video-based platform has become a place where people go for entertainment as well as learning. YouTube has outranked all of its competitors, such as Instagram, Facebook and TikTok, to become the number one video sharing platform. YouTube provides a completely different way to connect with your users than other social media platforms. That’s what makes it such a powerful tool for businesses. Video tutorials can be used to back up your text-based content like blogs. You can create videos to visually show product descriptions, or features as well as tutorials or instructions. The key is to make sure you are optimizing your videos for YouTube’s specific SEO so they actually get views.
Bottom Line: YouTube is a great platform for business, but you’ll need to commit to learning how to shoot and edit videos.
Depending on your type of business, Pinterest can be one of the top social media platforms for marketing. Since its launch in 2009, it has gone from a mere 10,000 users to 291 million active users today. More than half of the platform’s users are female, with the largest portion being between the ages of 25 and 54. On average, Pinterest gives a $4.3 return for every $1 spent on ads giving it a higher ROI or return on investment than advertising on Facebook or Twitter. All it takes is a consistent schedule, creative images and a strong strategy for gaining followers.
Bottom Line: Pinterest has a large reach with a narrow audience. It’s best suited for home decor, real estate, cooking recipes, photographers and travel businesses.
Which Social Media Platform is Right For Your Business?
Today, more than ever, social media is an indispensable tool for every business. Not only can it connect you with customers right next door, but it can also help you reach people all across the world. Beyond that, social media is an excellent tool for building brand awareness and improving your customer service. We know it can be hard to decide which platform makes the most sense for your company. That’s why our trained and knowledgeable staff is ready and waiting to help you make the best marketing decisions for your business. We will help you determine which platforms currently engage your audience, and choose the ones that match the type of product or service you provide. If you want to Dominate Digital, contact the experts at BCI Media today.