As we know, social media is perhaps the most effective way of exposing your business and getting your message out to your target audiences. But with the proliferation of different platforms with vastly different audiences, where and how should you be posting? Where can you drive engagement most effectively? Here are some tips on how to choose which platforms will be most effective for your business’ promotion strategy.
Where is your target audience? If you’re running a business-to-business model, you’re probably not going to want to advertise on TikTok, the famous haunt of Gen Z teenagers. Figuring out where your audience is spending time (and preferably active) can be difficult, but some simple generalisations can help you on your way:
LinkedIn - The work-focused social network is somewhere every business should be posting, although it’s particularly important for business-to-business models. It’s great for networking with others in your sector and potential collaborators, as well as advertising your business and your offering. The most common age range is 25-34 year olds, with the platform hosting over 500 million users. There’s also a willingness to engage with content amongst users sincerely not found as often on other platforms due to its more professional culture.
Facebook - While there’s evidence suggesting that Facebook is ticking downwards in terms of younger users, the fact remains that Facebook is the largest social network in the world and it’s ad-targeting system is one of the most advanced. It’s worth having a presence here no matter what to take advantage of their targeted advertising if your budget allows it, but if you’re trying to market to younger people then your presence will need supplementing with one of the more ‘current’ platforms.
Twitter - Due to the character limit and primarily chronological timeline, succeeding on Twitter is all about short, snappy messages that cut through. If you can get your tone correct and come up with some sharp, snappy ways of getting your message out there, Twitter is a fantastic platform. This can also be a disadvantage though, Twitter is a very noisy place so the initial phases of building a following can be very difficult, especially if you’re still working out your messaging.
Instagram - A photo-sharing platform now owned by Facebook, Instagram is the domain of millennials and Gen Z. Creating visually engaging content is a different challenge than creating engaging text posts, so get creative with what you post and think about what visuals would inspire you to engage with your business. Be sure to keep the focus on what your business offers though, rather than focusing on what conference your CEO is at this week.
TikTok - As stated above, TikTok has a decidedly younger userbase, but if this is your target audience then TikTok is a perfect way of getting your message to them. There’s lots of different kinds of adverts to pick from as well, from a Instagram story-esque skippable video clip to #hashtag takeovers where you provide a brief and a prize before inviting users to create the content for you. It’s a fantastic way to encourage virality for your content. Even if your product is aimed at an older audience, it’s worth getting used to how TikTok works and learning its culture to take advantage once its audience expands.
What content are you capable of delivering?
We’d all love to be producing slick paid video ads, creative influencer collaborations or targeted ads with huge reach, but consider what is doable within your budget. A well-crafted Tweet with a funny put down of a competitor is likely to do a lot better than a poorly made piece of video content anyway. Although if you’re ambitious, outsourcing can be a great way of expanding your ability to create interesting and engaging posts and content. Get help with your social media output from minc marketing’s team of experts. Learn more: https://www.mincgroup.co.uk/Pages/minc-marketing