Businesses today need to change their marketing strategy to suit the needs of the buyer. They need to approach their buyers where they are most active. And, today’s buyers are active on social media platforms. This is affirmed by the fact that there are 3.484 billion social media users in 2019 which is up by 9% over 2018! (Source: Global Social Media Research Summary 2019)
So, as a marketer, if you are not using social media for your business you are surely missing a great opportunity!
There are so many social media platforms, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and many more to market on. Marketers are really spoilt for choices when it comes to social media channels!
Which platform should I choose? Should use more than one social media channel? How do I decide which one is right for me?
Answering these questions can be mind-boggling!
It is important to understand that not all channels are suited for all types of businesses and choosing social media platforms at random and marketing on them will be a futile exercise.
When we say the “best” social media platform, the platform largely depends on the nature of your business and your buyers.
Let me guide you on how to choose the best social media platform for your business?
B2B or B2C:
The first thing to determine is whether you are a B2B or a B2C marketer. This is because the buyers for B2B and B2C use different social media channels. The channels they use depends on their needs.
B2B Marketing:
B2B buyers are active on platforms such as LinkedIn, Reddit, Tumbler. YouTube is also an effective channel for B2B marketing as it can help you share video content which can be useful for buyers.
These are effective channels for networking and lead generation. However, you need to have a presence on Facebook and Instagram as well for B2B marketing as these are basic channels. Facebook has the largest database and is effective in targeting varied audience.
B2C Marketing:
The most effective channels for B2C marketing are Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat, Like, and Tik Tok. LinkedIn is not recommended for B2C marketing as the B2C buyers are not very active on this platform.
Analyze your Competitors:
A fair idea of the appropriate social media channels can be obtained by analyzing what platforms your competitors are using. I am not suggesting that you imitate what your competitors are doing, but it is only to get an idea and adopt a unique strategy of implementing a social media marketing campaign.
Niche:
The choice of the platform depends to a great extent on the niche of your business. You can advertise any product effectively on Facebook or Instagram.
However, when you are marketing a service, it will depend on your target audience. For instance, if a photographer is marketing his service, he could market it directly to customers who require these services in which case Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest will serve the purpose. On the other hand, if he is looking to be associated with an event management organization, then he will need to look for social selling through professional networking on channels such as LinkedIn.
Budget:
When you have determined the best channels for your business, you can choose how many to market on based on the budget allocated.
Facts about the major social media channels which will help in choosing them:
Facebook:
It is the most widely used platform with over 2 billion active users per month. It is suitable for all types of businesses. A brand can create a Facebook page and share audio and video content which followers can engage with.
You can target specific users by optimizing ads for them using advertising tools.
Instagram:
This platform is used for sharing photos and videos. It is a great platform to advertise physical products and locations. Service-based businesses can also use this platform to showcase their brand, customers, and people.
LinkedIn:
This platform is extensively used for B2B marketing. LinkedIn posts and articles are 15 times more impactful than job-related content.
YouTube:
As per Hubspot, watching online videos accounts for nearly 1/3rd of all online activities. This platform has a wide reach. Depending on the nature of business and type of product/service, it can be effectively leveraged.
For instance, if a teacher or tutor is marketing his services, YouTube can work as an effective platform for marketing.
Pinterest:
It is designed on the concept of a vision board and showcases inspirational images. This platform has been successful in attracting the female audience when compared to male. When compared to other platforms, Pinterest has a higher conversion rate.
The Bottomline
New social media platforms come into existence every day. But not all are suitable for all types of business. Choice of the social media platform depends on your business and your target audience. Therefore, you need to choose wisely to an effective social media campaign.