When it comes to social media, it’s easy to feel like you need a presence on every platform there is. That way all your bases are covered, right? Wrong. So you have probably started to consider ‘which social media platforms should you focus on’ because trying to spread yourself across every network is a recipe for a massive case of overwhelm – and once that happens, all your profiles and your brand presence suffers.
Different platforms have different purposes, and different industries, products and services are far better suited to some networks more than others. Plus, the people you want to get in front of are highly unlikely to be spending equal amounts of time on all social media platforms.
Therefore, it’s important to choose where your time, strength and dollars are going to bring you back the best return. When deciding upon which platforms to use to grow your online presence, consider its purpose, the demographics that make up its user base, the kind of products that are best suited to them and the kind of content users best engage with on each.
You can download Your Best Social Media Platforms By Industry Guide here.
Also, consider focusing on just one or two platforms each quarter and test where you get the most engagement. That way, you won’t be trying to keep up with all the networks but rather niching down on the ones that really work.
Here’s a list of some of the mainstream platforms and what to consider when using them:
Instagram is an image-based platform that digitalstyle calls an “instant visual gratification site”. Basically, product- or service-based businesses that provide very visually appealing graphics are the best suited to this network because it’s the place where you should be able to tell a story with as little words as possible. Therefore, Instagram has really excelled brands within the fashion, food and beverage, and travel industries.
The use of hashtags, Instagram Live, IGTV and Instagram Stories has really opened up the capability to connect with your audience on this platform and generate a community feel with your followers.
Instagram by the numbers:
- 1 billion active users
- User base is highest among 16-34 year olds
- Visual story-telling domain – people want to see beautiful, inspiring posts
- Instagram Stories disappear in 24 hours, giving you the ability to share raw, edited updates
- Content that works: Beautiful, carefully curated images of food, outfits, products, scenery, travel, etc
Facebook is a platform for sharing information, for people to gather and air their praise or grievances. In a business sense, Facebook has been the main avenue to manage (or maintain) your online reputation.
Add to your credibility and position yourself (or your brand) as an authority by sharing relevant information with your audience, posting information about product launches, streaming live videos and you have the option to build a community in Facebook Groups, invite people to physical or online Events or connect one-on-one via Facebook Messenger.
Facebook by the numbers:
- 3 billion active users
- User base covers a wide demographic, most in the 40+ age bracket
- Ability to have highly targeted advertising options with very cost-efficient CPV (cost per view) and CPE (cost per engagement)
- Easy to openly engage with user comments on your brand’s page
- Content that works: Links to articles, short videos, images, GIFs, cinegraphs, memes, gamification, entertaining, education, stories, humour
Snapchat
Snapchat is still the relatively new kid on the social network block, but it’s definitely popular, especially among millennials.
An industry where Snapchat has really taken off is entertainment – such as film, sports, music, television, news, or media. One way to keep followers’ attention is to offer exclusive behind-the-scenes snaps and content that they would not normally have access to or that can be found on other platforms.
Snapchat by the numbers:
- 210 million active users
- User base is especially young, dominated by 12-24 age group
- Ability to share raw, unedited updates with audience
- Content that works: Behind-the-scenes, up close and personal, humour using Snapchat lenses and geo filters
Youtube
Video marketing is a “must-have” in almost every business’s marketing strategy and Youtube is the place to do it. This platform is especially suited to gaming, marketing, coaching and beauty.
Youtube by the numbers:
- Over 2 billion users
- User base is highest among 16-34 year olds
- 2nd largest search engine in the world after Google
- Ability to advertise targeting location, interests and keywords
- Content that works: Entertainment, instructional videos, how-to videos, news, humour
According to Marketing Zen, Pinterest is the platform to watch since the addition of “exciting advertising initiatives like promoted pins and buyable pins”.
Some industries that could make the most of this burgeoning social network are retail, real estate and not-for-profit organisations.
Pinterest by the numbers:
- 290 million active users
- User base is dominated by 25-45 year olds
- Women make up 80 per cent of users
- Content that works: Pretty and innovative products, DIYs, beautiful images, decor, cooking, infographics, fashion
If your business is in the B2B space, then LinkedIn is the place for you. Growing your personal network and keeping your connections updated on your brand’s progress is crucial.
Be sure to make sure you create a business page, and use it to share news, job openings, and information about new hires or changes in business processes – especially in the consulting, sales and marketing verticals.
LinkedIn by the numbers:
- 600 million active users
- User base is highest among 30-49 year olds
- Most users are adults with college degrees and are high-income earners
- Business oriented social networking site, fairly prominent across B2B space
- Professional platform for recruiting, networking and content consumption
- Content that works: Industry insights, expertise, company news, new products and services
Twitter is the ultimate short-form exchange platform where you can obtain, absorb, and share snippets of information, with the option of following a link to learn more or viewing an image.
This is the network favoured by the POTUS (President of the USA) and FLOTUS (First Lady), as well as the CIA and local police units. Health officials and first responders are able to share important information quickly and easily. This platform is where healthcare, government and technology businesses have found a home.
Twitter by the numbers:
- 330 million active users
- User base is highest among 24-45 year olds
- Great for news, particularly live commentary on big events
- Primarily used by celebrities, public figures, news channels
- Content that works: News, links to articles, hashtags, interactions with other brands or consumers
So, where to from here?
If you know who your target audience is, you should be able to filter the options down to just a few. Consider which platforms suit your product or service best and what kind of content you can produce for each. Then develop a strategy for each platform. Remember, you want to focus on just one or two platforms each quarter (otherwise managing social media will become your full-time job). Plus, using the same content across them all just won’t work.
So, back to our original question: Which social media platforms should you focus on? The simple answer is to focus your energy and investment on creating great content that engages your audience on the platforms that will get you the best return.
You can download Your Best Social Media Platforms By Industry Guide here.
