3 Questions to Consider

Before you add another social media platform…

Social media has a commanding presence in most people’s daily lives. It’s a valuable tool for marketing and networking. It provides a vehicle of connection for many people – even if the connection is online and not face-to-face. Social media flourished from 2020-2022 while many people across the globe faced concerns about the pandemic. Social media is an inanimate machine that never stops, and for most businesses it would be unwise to ignore it.

There are hundreds of platforms to share socially. Yes, hundreds.  There are niche platforms aplenty, and it’s easy to think a business (your business) should be on all of them. We work with some clients who haven’t been entirely active on social media and suddenly they want to go full-steam-ahead into the sea of social platforms. We’re going to explain why this is not a good strategy and what we recommend instead. Grab your Stanley cup and let’s get started.

We will be discussing a lot of data from the Global Statshot report produced by We Are Social and Hootsuite. You should take some time (after you read this, of course) to flip through this report. Why? It includes valuable information that can be used to better understand social media and apply to a business strategy. This report can help businesses work smarter, not harder.

According to the Digital 2022: October Global Statshot Report, “there are now 4.74 billion social media users across the globe.” (Global Statshot Report) In the same report, data reveals that “there are over 5 billion internet users across the world and those internet users spend an average of 6 hours and 37 minutes per day on the internet.” That access largely comes from mobile phones and not computers at 92%.

Moving on to the topic of the day, let’s look at use of specific social media platforms. Not every platform is relevant to a business. Stop for a moment to consider how many platforms currently are on your phone. Now consider how many of those platforms you use daily, weekly, or not at all.

Just for fun, currently I personally have 11 apps on my phone that are considered social media platforms. My daily use average is 2 hours 29 minutes, and I only use 3 platforms. Why is this information relevant? Check your own phone and see which apps you use. Now consider whether or not you fit the audience description for your business. This is why it matters.

If your ideal customer - your business audience, is not on a particular platform, then that platform does not make sense for your business. This graphic featuring the most-used social media platforms from the Global Statshot reflects some important things.

1. Meta controls 3 of the top social platforms: Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

2. Instagram and Facebook are still preferred over Tik Tok.

3. Twitter and Pinterest trail far behind Facebook and Instagram.

4. Snapchat leads Twitter and Pinterest in users.

Here are the takeaways from a Flywheel Marketing perspective.

·      Any business does not need a presence on every platform.

·      There are platforms on which you absolutely DO need a presence.

·      Quality content on select platforms over many platforms will produce better results.

Where should you focus social media content? After you define your audience, conduct a search on target demographics and which platforms those users prefer. Build a robust profile on the top two social media platforms: Facebook and Instagram. Yes, YouTube ranks higher than Instagram, but unless you are producing frequent video content, YouTube is not going to be the best investment for your business.

Facebook:

First, let’s make it clear why Facebook is so valuable to businesses.

·      Facebook stories ad placement has the potential to reach up to 1.25 billion people. (Global Statshot)

·      Facebook ad placement in search results can reach up to 733 million people. (Global Statshot)

·      Facebook ad placement in Facebook Marketplace can reach up to 495 million people. (Global Statshot)

Complete your Facebook business profile including photos, banners and all relevant branding. Include your business contact information, hours and website. Share your profile with friends and ask them to support your business. Begin posting daily about your business, services and anything else that is relevant to what you do. Create relevant content that showcases your business, is fun, and engages your audience. Our clients see a big boost from short-form video, even if it’s not an actual video. Paid ads are not entirely necessary. Yes, they increase your reach to a greater degree; however, if budget constraints don’t allow for ads, focus on the quality of content and consistent posting.

Instagram:

While Instagram ranks 4th on the list of the platforms based on user numbers, it’s still a preferred platform for the type of content that it displays. (YouTube and WhatsApp precede Instagram. YouTube is video based only. WhatsApp is a messaging app.)

Following the same practice on Instagram as Facebook, businesses should have a complete profile with a relevant bio to attract new followers. Keep in mind that conversion is a process and begins with the first impression someone has based on content posted by a business. Utilize business branding as you build your Instagram feed to reflect the type of business and content you want to offer. Post regularly and use short-form video when possible and relevant. Short-form video (reels) are valuable to compete with apps like TikTok. Whatever your business is, a short-form video can likely be made to showcase what makes it special, unique or beneficial.

Questions to consider when evaluating a platform

1.    Is my target audience using this platform?

2.    Do I have the ability to create content regularly for this platform?

3.    How do current users engage on this platform?

If your target audience is using the platform, this indicates it may be a good platform to adopt.

If you have the ability to create content regularly for the platform, this is the next step revealing it may be a good platform for you. One example to offer is important to consider. YouTube commands the #2 spot on millions of users across the globe second only to Facebook. What do people use YouTube for? They use it for entertainment, videos, tutorials, how-to, education, and more. Monetization on the platform doesn’t occur until you pass 1,000 subscribers. Subscribers come when you regularly post content they want to watch. Does your business lend itself to this type of video content? Can you produce quality videos on a consistent basis to gain subscribers or do you already have a large following on another platform that may drive subscribers on YouTube? These questions are important to consider before jumping into YouTube because it is a time consuming form of social media when it comes to content creation and consumption.

How do current users engage on this platform? What do they use it for? Another example for you is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is primarily a networking app designed to connect the corporate community with contacts across industries. Articles on LinkedIn are relevant to corporate America and are often specific to industries. Content posted here demonstrates expertise in business and is not for entertainment, sharing or friendly connection. LinkedIn is not where you post a cute photo, but it is where you share industry-specific changes your business is experiencing. Use of LinkedIn requires knowledge of your business that can be shared with others.

Conclusion

When clients work with us to create a social media strategy for their business, we partner with them to assess where their dollar will be used best. We often have businesses request specific platforms because they see other businesses having success and they determine it makes the most sense for them also. Our goal is to work with clients to focus their social media on the platforms that fit their target audience and the goals for the business. Sometimes we recommend against a platform because it is not a good fit. Sometimes we recommend against a platform because it doesn't fit their demographic. Sometimes we recommend against a platform because our expertise lies in other areas. Whatever the specific reason, we work toward solutions for our client to enjoy greater success on social media and in their business.

We would love to work with you and assess your social media needs. We provide solutions for our clients that are tailor-made and unique. Consultations are always free and we provide suggestions right away – even if you choose to take a different path. Click the button for a free quote and let’s chat.