Business owners and marketing executives know that their businesses need to have at least some kind of presence on social media. After all, there are now more than 50 million small businesses using Facebook Pages to connect with their customers and 4 million of those businesses pay for social media advertising on Facebook.
Although the importance of social media may not be in question, there are plenty of other questions such as, “What should I post and how often should I post it?” Inquiring minds want to know.
However, what or when is not nearly as important as WHERE to post.
The most important question when it comes to social marketing is: “What social media platforms should I be using to promote my business?” And naturally, your brain instantly thinks, “all of them”. After all, it makes the most logical sense, doesn’t it?.
However, this isn’t always true.
You don’t need to have your business on every single social media platform; just the ones that matter and the ones that your business has the resources to focus on. Even if this means that all of your efforts can only go to Facebook for now, then solely focus on Facebook until you’ve mastered it.
Our theory is to master one to two platforms by building a loyal and engaged community before deciding to spread yourself thin by managing many other platforms. Learn from one social channel, take note of what didn’t work and apply everything that did work to the next platforms.
How can you determine which platforms are best for you?
Here are some beneficial tips:
- Understand your customers and which social media platform they use the most.
Is your product in high demand by Gen Z kids or the mature Gen X population? If Gen Z is the answer, then platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat would be a few of your choices to choose to focus on. If your audience is more mature, then we would recommend Facebook. - Know that your industry will determine the type of content you should be posting.
What industry is your business in—E-commerce? Food & Beverage? Technology? This matters because your industry will determine the type of content that makes sense for your target audience. For e-commerce clients, Facebook is the better route to take as the platform supports links, offers a Shop Now integration tab, and has a phenomenal amount of data for targeting via Facebook Ads. In the restaurant business? Instagram is your definite go-to. Your audience wants to see the beauty of the foods they’re looking to eat, so give them what they want and post your photos on the visual platform. - Leverage your resources.
Who will be supporting you in managing your social media pages? Do you have an agency, a consultant, a part-time employee or a full-time employee? Their expertise will make a huge difference in how quickly your online audience will grow and the type of results that will be generated.
An exceptional social media marketer can create and implement a strategy that puts your business in front of your target audience and focuses specifically on the channels where the audience is most likely to engage. Unfortunately, exceptional social media marketers don’t grow on trees.
Are you questioning the effectiveness of your existing social media marketing? Are you unsure you’re using the best channels for your business? Our independent third-party social media audits can assess the efficiency and effectiveness of your existing online marketing activities and provide you insight into how to take things to the next level.
Are you looking for someone to handle your company’s social media marketing? Whether you are looking to hire your first social media manager or you’ve had a bad experience with your current marketers and you’re looking for a change, OnMark Advisors can help you choose an exceptional online marketing agency or contractor.
