Choose the Right Social Media Platform for Your Business
There are many social media platforms for businesses to choose from, each with a unique style, purpose, content format, and, especially, user demographic. The most popular social media platforms include:
- Facebook
- Instagram
- LinkedIn
- YouTube
- Tiktok
- Twitter
There are many more. But you don't need to be on every platform. A legal or financial services company may find more value on LinkedIn while a contractor or commercial bakery sees better results on YouTube. The solution? Post consistent, high-quality content on a few social media sites that your target audiences are most likely to use.
Here's a look at what each platform does best, who is on it, and how to use it to build brand awareness and engagement with your business.
Reach Your Target Audience on Facebook
With more than 2 billion active users, Facebook is one of the best social media platforms for companies to connect with customers. Facebook's marketing tools and extensive user data—likes and dislikes, age, demographics, social behavior, etc.—can help businesses reach their desired audience.
Use Facebook to drive traffic to your website, share updates, build a following, engage with users, and promote your company in specific areas.
Share Products & Services on Instagram
Instagram helps businesses connect with potential customers and other brands through images and videos. The process is quick and easy: snap a photo or take a video from the app on your phone, write a caption, and share. Instagram's analytics platform provides businesses with valuable insights into user behavior and preferences. And IG business accounts have contact buttons that allow followers to message you directly (DMs).
Use Instagram to tell a visual story about your company, build a brand, highlight services, and reveal new products.
Build Connections on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a social network that connects more than 600 million professionals and businesses. Among the major social media platforms we're discussing, LinkedIn is one of the best place to connect with other brands, find industry support groups, market B2B products and services, and demonstrate thought leadership.
Use LinkedIn to build your professional connections, attract employees, find and share industry insights, and share your business information and achievements.
Demonstrate Your Business on
YouTube is the social media platform for video content that (generally) provides answers to user questions. Businesses can earn views by posting relevant videos that meet a user needs. If you know how to do something better than anyone else or have a product or service that solves a problem, YouTube is one of many places to share it—and show it. You can shoot and upload YouTube videos directly from your phone, set up a video studio in your office, or pay a professional to create videos.
Use YouTube for company overviews, webinars, product demonstrations, service explanations, DIY videos, etc.
Reach Younger Audiences on Tiktok
With 1 billion monthly active users, Tiktok offers tremendous business marketing opportunities. After you create a business account on the app, you can use Tiktok to tap into trending industry topics, create hashtag challenges that drive engagement, live stream work, or create short-form videos of your facilities, products, or services. There's a bit of a learning curve, but once you master the app, Tiktok may be an excellent social media marketing opportunity.
Use Tiktok to share lots of short, high-energy videos. The more content you put out there, the more chances you have to attract followers and learn what resonates with your target audience.
Spread the Word on Twitter
Many business owners find Twitter an excellent entry-level social media platform. You can add hashtags to link your posts to related content, retweet content you like to show engagement, and quickly build up a reliable follower base from daily activity. In time, your Twitter profile may become the 'face' of your business, so make sure your profile picture, company info, and page banner are optimized.
Twitter is the place to post updates about your business, start conversations, alert people to your location, and point followers toward other content you've created.
Put Your Information on Listing Platforms
Your business's online presence is not limited to your website and social media accounts. While they don't require active posting, adding your business information to listing or directory sites like Google Business, Yelp!, and industry-specific platforms can help potential customers find you. Make sure your business information (website, hours, address, phone number, etc.) is consistent across all listing sites, and remember to update them whenever this information changes.
Protect Your Business from Digital Risks
Social media marketing means putting your business information out there for people to see. This has many benefits, but can also expose you to new risks, such as cyber attacks.
A recent study by Selective and Appalachian State University found that just 20% of small businesses surveyed carry cyber coverage, even though 28% of data breaches are against small businesses.
Whether you are ready to embark on a social media campaign for your business or not, we suggest you take steps to protect your business online, today. A trusted Selective advisor can help you assess your cyber risks and create a cyber liability insurance policy that works for you.
Launching your business on social media is easier than you might think. Pick two or three platforms and create accounts. Start small and aim to post once a week on each platform. As your confidence (and user engagement) grows, you can create more ambitious content across more and more platforms. Good luck!