Businesses are on Facebook. You've seem them on LinkedIn. You can find your favorite brands on Pinterest. Your friends are on Instagram and SnapChat. Everyone has told you to get on Twitter. But what's really right for your business? The answer lies in your customers. Who are they, and where are THEY at?
Pinterest - it's ridiculously simple, and it can make a big impact on your business. Customers are very visual, and with Pinterest it's all about the pictures. Every picture has a link, leading back to the source of the image. See it, like it, buy it.
John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing says it best, "Pinterest users are keenly interested in what's hot and what's cool - a behavior that translates well into the kind of influencer marketers desire to attract."
If your customers are women, or easily influenced by the latest, hip and cool products, your business should be on Pinterest. If your marketing includes before and after photos, you should be on PInterest. If your business is in crafts, health, food or fashion, you should be on Pinterest.
Instagram - users interact more with image based content than they do with any other content form on social media. That makes Instagram a great choice when comparing which social media platforms to be on. Customers and potential customers can follow the company and get a glimpse into parts of the business they don't normally see, like behind-the-scenes photos and images of products they aren't seeing anywhere else. This creates a more personal relationship.
Facebook - with over 700 million daily users, the question really is, why shouldn't you use Facebook? Add that to the fact that 70% of monthly active FB users in the US are connected to a local business, and you'll quickly see that this is one powerful social media platform.
Most users are on Facebook to connect with friends and family. They catch up on news, who's doing what, and ask their friends for input. Users can mention another user - or a business - right in their conversation. Don't you want to be a click away?
Recently though, Facebook has been losing it's younger audience. Social media users under the age of 35 have been rapidly leaving Facebook for Instagram and Twitter. Look to your company demographics to tell you if you should be utilizing this platform.
LinkedIn has become tremendously popular site for job seekers and those looking to make professional connections. If your company provides B2B services or products, you will want to be on LinkedIn.
Twitter users can get short, to the point bits of information easily - and fast. It's for people who want to know what's going on the moment it happens. You don't have to be in a mutual relationship either, you can follow or be followed by anyone.
It's important to know most people won't follow a brand on Twitter unless it's widely known. When you set up your business, use your company name for the handle, but put in personal information and a name in the bio. It gives the personal connection Twitter users appreciate. If your customers are using Twitter, you should be on Twitter.
These are only a few. When you find out who your customers are and which social media platforms they're flocking too, you'll know your targets.
See you in the social sphere!
