Want to build brand awareness, connect with existing customers, generate new leads, boost SEO, view competition efforts, cultivate your email list, amplify your sales and grow your business? If these are your goals, you need to work on your social strategy. Social media is a necessary marketing tool for businesses that aim to remain relevant and visible in today's online world. But with over 65 social media platforms, which are right for your company? The following are the top social media platforms for businesses.
- Facebook.com is currently one of the best social media platform for business. With 1.84 billion active daily users spending an average of 2 hours 25 minutes per day, it's an effective way to find and connect with your target audience. Consider increasing your engagement by releasing regular live videos or by creating or joining groups. Opt to create private groups where paying customers can join, interact, pose questions, and have a personalized experience with your brand. Try a Facebook Messenger chatbot or paid ads. Use Facebook to turn leads into loyal followers and customers.
- Google My Business (GMB): 90% of people read reviews before purchasing making this social platform a good choice for businesses. The average company on Google my Business is found in 1,009 searches per month, with 84% of these coming from discovery searches. Opt for listings with photos as they are 2x as likely to be considered reputable and get 35% more clicks.
- Instagram.com has 1.074 billion users worldwide, making it one of the top social media platforms for business. It's effective for nearly any type of company. Videos and pictures allow your brand to show your products, values and voice. Best of all, Instagram is set up for eCommerce. Clients can look at product images and purchase what they want directly from their Instagram account. To grow your following, like and comment on others' photos and videos.
- Twitter.com is a powerful tool for building brand awareness and connecting directly with customers and influencers. With more than 330 million monthly active users, Twitter is an incredibly robust search engine. To optimize platform use, you must consistently engage with your audience, adding valuable content to all of your posts. Use this platform, every day, to share stories, news articles, or humorous anecdotes. Include how-to articles, listicles, and quotations. Use Twitter to provide customer service.
- LinkedIn.com is a networking tool exclusively for professionals and has revolutionized the way we seek, find, and get hired for jobs. It's a great platform for sharing content and business-to-business (B2B) marketing. It'll help you establish your company as a trusted leader in your field, build authority for your brand and engage leads through conversations. LinkedIn is especially good if your goal is lead generation. Show off your brand with a LinkedIn business page.
- YouTube.com is THE platform for sharing information via video and the second most popular search engine. It has 2.3 billion users worldwide with 79% of internet users boasting a YouTube account. YouTube users watch more than 1 billion hours of video daily! It's the place where people go for entertainment and to learn new things. Create a video channel and connect with your users in a different way than other social media platforms. Generate video tutorials, visually show product descriptions and provide personal press releases for your viewers. Use YouTube to grow your email list and to show off your brand personality.
- Reddit.com is all about sharing and learning and there are strict rules as to what you may or may not post for commercial purposes. Yet, many companies have had success engaging on Reddit. This platform has the highest percentage of newsreaders. You'll need to use your creativity and be genuinely interested in teaching and/or learning. The secret is creating engagement on subreddits and communities packed with people who are passionate about what you offer. Create relevant headlines and promotions to generate an uptick in your stories. Use this platform to ask questions and get feedback on different parts of your business (ad campaigns, web design, new products).
- Pinterest.com is one of the top social media platforms for small businesses. It has 444 million active users and is where people browse, discover and buy. Images are the name of the game. You'll need a consistent schedule, creative pictures and a strategy for growing followers. Use Pinterest to drive traffic to your site. Make your content visually appealing and easily shared.
- Quora.com is a way for your business to look for questions in your professional field, establish yourself as an authority and link others to content you've written on the topics being discussed. The most successful responses are those that focus on the question rather than on your own business. Be comprehensive in your answer and only provide links to your work/site when it directly helps answer the question.
Investing in social media does not require a big budget and provides many marketing benefits (eCommerce, customer service, brand awareness, lead generation, increased website traffic, insight into target audience). The online market is constantly growing. Don't miss out on the opportunities! Confirm the goals you want to achieve through social media marketing, figure out what platform(s) your target audience is already using and choose a platform that matches the type of content you create. As you engage on social media, you'll discover the social nuances of your niche, which will be different for each business, region and target audience.
Need help with your social media presence? Not sure which platforms would be best for your business? Call us at (403) 456-0072 or email [email protected]. Allow us to be your very own marketing department! Connect with our tightly-knit team of knowledgeable digital-first consultants, each eager to help your business grow. Contact us today.
