Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok: these are only some social media giants in today’s digital age. Each one is greatly different from the rest. As a business, marketing to your customers online without knowing which ones to market on and how can be overwhelming. However, the importance of doing so is unmistakable. Here are four steps you can take in choosing a social media platform for your business.
1. Pinpoint Your Audience
While this may seem relatively straightforward, it requires a bit of thought. Who walks through your front door on a daily basis? Are they younger, older, male, female? This will require you to do a bit of research into the demographics of your customers. It’s also possible you have a certain demographic you’re not meeting as a business. Choosing the right social media platform for your business will help you target the right audience.
2. Define Your Company
The biggest question you need to ask yourself is what your company is fundamentally about. What principles do you hold above all the rest? What are your goals? This step might seem as simple as the last one, but answering these questions will help you understand what social media platforms are for you, as well as how you might go about marketing on those platforms. If you own a home remodeling business, using Instagram as a digital portfolio of your current and past projects will be especially beneficial in not only showing the clientele your work but also how you work.
3. Understand the Uses and Users of Each Platform
Now comes the hard part: choosing a social media platform for your business. The good news is that you don’t need to pick just one. Most businesses choose to market on several platforms. This achieves reaching more people across many platforms at the stroke of a pen. Thanks to Hootsuite and Hubspot, information and statistics on the most popular media platforms and their demographics are readily available.
Source: Hootsuite
Since its creation in 2004, Facebook remains the most popular social media platform in the world. Over 2.9 billion people actively use Facebook. Of those nearly 3 billion people, 41% are 45 years or older. Over half of the users on the platform include those who identify as male, while the rest are those who identify as female. Of these demographics, however, the largest demographic of users are males, ages 25 to 34. Additionally, marketing experts believe Facebook is the most popular platform in all age groups.
This platform is well-known for its focus on digital media. Posts from users are focused on pictures and videos, though over the years, the platform has included such features as ‘Stories,’ ‘Instagram Shop,’ and ‘Instagram Live.’ Instagram is notably most popular with younger audiences, specifically those 18 to 34. Though it may not have the magnitude of users that Facebook does, it has significant features like ‘Instagram Shop’ that offer businesses an eCommerce outlet and consumers another way to shop online. If you want to learn more about creating an Instagram business page, check out our article on the subject.
Though Twitter can largely be viewed as a news outlet, many brands have great success on the platform. For instance, the most popular brand account on the platform is Youtube. Other brands flock to the platform to build rapport with their customers, gain new ones, and observe their competitors. Twitter is most popular in the U.S., has a larger male demographic, and 65% of users are between the ages of 18 and 29. If you want to cater to your younger customers, Twitter might be the ticket!
Snapchat
Speaking of younger audiences, Snapchat is often thought of as a younger generation’s platform of choice. Surprisingly, this multimedia messaging platform has the largest age gap of any social media platform, with a 63-year age difference between its youngest and oldest users. Before Instagram, Snapchat introduced ‘Stories,’ allowing users to share their experiences with friends before the posts expired. This offers a unique opportunity for businesses to share exclusive content with their customers for a limited time only. Additionally, Snapchat has since rolled out ‘Snap Map.’ Snaps submitted to Snap Map appear on a map where users can see what others are doing all across the world. This allows users to create snaps anywhere–even while they’re visiting your storefront.
TikTok
Like Snapchat, TikTok is predominantly a platform used by the younger generation. TikTok is the 7th most-used social media platform around the world. 18% of users are 50+ years old. The app gives users the ability to create short videos, live stream to their followers, and has even created the opportunity for full-time careers! The most enticing statistic for businesses to know? In only one minute, 167 million TikToks are watched across the globe. With how exciting and fresh this new platform is, businesses won’t want to miss out on this B2C opportunity.
4. Discover What Platforms Your Customers Are Using
Now that you know the demographics, let’s use this information to find what platform would work best for you. If your business reaches the older demographic, it may be difficult to gain traction on TikTok. Likewise, if your business largely services men, you might find Twitter as a reliable outlet and Instagram as a more difficult one. As mentioned before, you don’t have to limit yourself to one platform to market on. You probably frequent several social media platforms a day, and so do your customers.
What Platform Is Right for You?
You’ve got the information and the tools all at your disposal to find the right platform for you. Now what? Creating the right content in the right medium is a whole other story. ASAP Marketing Solutions can provide you with the know-how to get you online. Our team is comprised of SEO specialists, web developers, content writers, and other talented professionals.
Contact us at (832) 737-2752 or request a free quote. We’re happy to help with all of your digital marketing needs.