Facebook leads all social media platforms in terms of daily active users, audience reach, and cultural impact. But, is it the best fit for your business? Every business has a unique audience, so what works for one business may not work for another. With all the available social media platforms to choose from, small- and medium-sized businesses should examine their options before they decide which is the best match for them.
Research shows that 77% of consumers in the US have social media profiles. Facebook is the most utilized social media platform by users younger than 50 years old. With over two billion users, Facebook offers the biggest audience. In theory, it’s also the perfect place for companies that are looking to increase their brand awareness.Apart from the huge user base, Facebook also increases customers’ trust.
Although you don’t have to invest heavily in this platform, you should at least create a basic page for your business. Setting up your company’s page takes only a few minutes and not having one could affect your reputation.
YouTube
YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world with over 1.9 billion registered users. When properly utilized, it can bring in new customers and help you retain old ones. To increase your brand visibility, create a channel with videos about the products or services that you’re offering. This also helps viewers to get to know your company better
You can also encourage viewers to subscribe to your channel so they’ll be in the loop every time you upload a new video. Another huge advantage of using YouTube is that Google owns it. As such, videos from the site are more likely to appear on the first page of search results than other organic content.
Launched in 2010, Instagram is one of the fastest growing social media platforms today. It boasts one billion registered users, mostly on the younger end of the scale (18-24 years old). Instagram is primarily for sharing photos and short videos. It also has recently launched IGTV, an in-app tool for users and businesses to upload long-form videos.
Keep in mind that most users prefer to use Instagram for fun and creative content. The platform is known for beautiful photos, so choose aesthetic content over standoffish or corporate content.
To hit two birds with one stone, integrate your Instagram account with your Facebook page. This way, when you post a new picture or video on your profile, it will automatically post to your Facebook as well.
Snapchat
Another trendy social media platform is Snapchat. The platform allows its 300+ million monthly users to share photos and videos that disappear within 24 hours. Businesses can use this platform to reach younger audiences through Snap ads, sponsored geofilters, and sponsored lenses.
Snap ads are 10-second full-screen videos with embedded links and calls to action. The snaps will appear on the timelines of targeted viewers. Sponsored geofilters and sponsored lenses, meanwhile, are custom filters. They may contain elements relating to one’s brand. All these marketing options are available through AdManager, the app’s advertising platform.
Twitter has 328 million active daily users. This number may be small compared to the other social media platforms on this list, but that’s precisely its charm. It gives users the feeling of security and coziness that comes from chatting with businesses directly and publicly. In fact, a whopping 85% of SMBs have Twitter accounts that they use to engage with current and potential customers. And because Twitter only allows up to 280 characters per tweet (excluding links), conversations between parties are straight to the point and results-oriented.
Which social media platform works best for your business, and why? Share your thoughts below.