Pretty much every business should have a social media presence. Yet, a common misperception is that people think they should be on every platform.
So what should you consider before choosing what platforms are right for your business?
Essentially it all comes down to content – does your business have the potential to compose the right kind of content for each platform.
Instagram and LinkedIn are completely different platforms that reach very different audiences. LinkedIn focuses on business relationships, while Instagram is more personable. This distinction means you would not post the same content on each.
Here are some things to consider when choosing some of the major platforms.
Instagram is an app that is visually led, designed to showcase interesting and beautiful videos and photographs. If your business is unable to produce images or videos that would catch people’s interest, then the platform is not for you.
Say for example you’re a small accountancy firm based in a, let’s say unflattering office, with little to no meetings in exciting locations. These surroundings will make it difficult to produce content for Instagram. There are creative ways of producing content for this kind of page, but it would require a lot more effort. An industry such as travel agents is better positioned to post stunning imagery of getaways.
Linkedin for businesses is designed for B2B companies. So anyone looking for investments, careers or business deals should be on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn provides a platform for more fact-based content, as opposed to more “fluffy” stuff. Having said that, the platform has started to become a little bit more like Facebook in recent times. This may be because many LinkedIn users aren’t on Facebook- so there is no need to create distinct identities.
Twitter has become an odd platform for businesses, with the number of monthly users falling to the point that they stopped releasing figures.
The platform is a micro-blog that requires a lot of love, and by love, I mean a lot of posts. If you look at what I’d call the kings of Twitter, Paddy Power, they post several times a day, and during relevant events, they provide a constant stream of tweets.
That is time-consuming and to be at that level, it requires full-time staff that most can’t afford.
We often recommend that businesses avoid Twitter due to minimal returns for the efforts but the platform can have benefits if given a lot of love.
Twitter can also act as a good customer service platform, where you can tackle issues and gain credibility and respect.
One platform we rarely advise against using is Facebook. The only cases we’ve had is where a business is purely B2B – in which case LinkedIn may be the only platform for them.
The reason why the platform works for so many businesses is that it is a bit of a combination of the three aforementioned platforms. On Facebook, people appreciate great photos and videos as well as informative information. So whether you’re sharing a relevant article or a great image of your product, it works on Facebook.
Facebook advertising is also very advanced and allows you to target specific markets (this includes Instagram, which is owned by FACEBOOK). Another reason why it is relevant to most B2C businesses.
Snapchat
Snapchat lived a short and sweet high-life but was killed off by Instagram’s new features.
The app does still have a large number of active users, however, the market is young so businesses using the platform should appeal to teenagers.
As Snapchat is video-led, it is also important to consider whether you can generate regular and entertaining video content that will appeal to this market.
Only time will tell if this demographic will stick with the app as they mature.
At Fifteen Design we work tirelessly to create unique and interesting social campaigns designed to drive leads, sales and influence. Contact us now to find out more about how social media management can transform the way you do business.