There are so many different social media platforms, from Facebook to Instagram to LinkedIn and Twitter, but which is best for you?
We all know that we should be visible on social media and tell the world about the great business we have. But the trouble is there are so many different platforms that it’s hard to know which is the right one.
Most people, myself included, have signed up for several. But the trick is understanding which one will best serve your business. Not all platforms are created equal, and deciding on the correct one will depend entirely on the nature of your business.
This blog post will go through some of the more well-known social media platforms and describe what they are suitable for and who will benefit most.
Facebook. I think we all have a Facebook account. It’s a great way to connect with your friends and family. But for business, is it good? If you’re in entertainment/news, Facebook can serve you well, especially if you make your profile page more about business and keep it public.
Pages are dead weight. They don’t do well, and you’re encouraged to ‘boost’ posts which I avidly recommend you DON’T. Use Facebook ads if you want to spend money to get your message out.
For example, I had a page with over 16 thousand followers. The reach was excellent, then Facebook changed the rules, and now the organic reach is abysmal.
However, a hidden gem to this platform serves most businesses, especially service-based ones. And that is Groups. I’ve talked before about this, which you’ll find in this post: How Many Facebook Groups Are You In?
So I’m not going to repeat myself here. Please pop over and read why I believe Groups are the way to go. Because here, you’ll have a better chance to connect with your ideal audience.
LinkedIn. This is fast becoming the new old Facebook. Yes, it is primarily business-focused, and because of this, here you can connect to your ideal client. LinkedIn is best for those in the service industry, although it’s also good for authors and those with a specific product such as computer software or automotive.
With this platform, you can do the same as you do with Facebook, including following people/businesses and joining groups. This can all lead to connections and, ultimately, business for you.
Instagram. Wonderful for retail. It is a platform designed for visual showcase. Many sell directly from here using the ‘direct message me’ or ‘link in bio’ approach. These don’t work that well, but you can add a link in a sponsored post if you have a business profile. Alternatively, you can use the checkout, and product tags feature.
In saying that, you can add a link sticker in the story feature. If you want to know more about the ways a small business can sell on Instagram, go here: Sell On Instagram
Pinterest. Very similar to Instagram, except that the visuals are static (images). It can take quite a bit to build up a following, but if you have products in searchable niches, e.g. weddings, Pinterest is suitable for this. It also allows links back to websites. This platform, like Instagram, is not quite so great for service-based businesses.
Twitter. An odd one for business marketing. However, many do exceptionally well. These businesses stand out from the crowd and are usually large brands. I suggest if you do want to seriously look at Twitter, then head over to HubSpot and read this article: Guide to Using Twitter.
YouTube. If you’re into creating videos, YouTube is the platform for you. Their Live feature allows you to create an engaging experience with your audience. It will take a lot of consistent work to build up your followers. However, once there, you’ll be sitting sweet.
Quora. For a marketing platform, this one is a little different. People go onto Quora to ask questions. Your job is to find the questions relevant to your industry and answer them. The main drive is for you to be helping the community with your knowledge and giving value which will get people noticing you and, hopefully, start using your services.
The beauty of Quora is that both the information there is evergreen, and it is a source for search engines. If you want to use this platform, I suggest you learn how to.
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These are my top picks, and I hope I’ve given you some insight into which platform will suit you.
As I said earlier, I’ve signed up to many different ones over the years but have weeded them down to two main ones LinkedIn and Facebook and one for fun, Twitter. I’m still working on Quora.
If you are struggling with anything I can certainly help you with your social media, blog, and newsletter. Please click through to my services HERE.