Choosing the best social media platforms for business is not so much about ‘what is best for business’ but it’s more about, “What’s best for my business?” If you have asked yourself, “Should my business be on Instagram?” this is the article for you…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can replace Instagram with nearly any social media network… <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Should my business be on Facebook?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Should my business be using Pinterest?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Should I setup a Twitter account?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Do we need to be on TikTok?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s exciting to set up your profile for each individual social media account. After that initial excitement wears off (i.e., you’re done signing up) you are now faced with the prospect of having to create content for each platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s overwhelming and if you aren’t convinced social media will actually do anything for your business it almost seems like it could be a giant waste of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you struggle to be consistent on social media and are wondering if what you’ve done so far has added any value to your online marketing strategy, this article is for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not everyone needs to be active on Facebook. Facebook is the most generic of all the mainstream social media applications available today and, thus, why it appeals to the masses. For that same reason, it may not be the type of platform your business can shine on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, there is one unique scenario where a business MUST run a Facebook Page: If that business is running Facebook Ads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Individual Facebook Ads are tied to a unique Facebook Page. When a user sees an ad in their feed, they are able to click on the page associated with the ad and if they land on a page that is a ghost town, it undermines any credibility in your ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you decide to run a Facebook Ad campaign, you need to make sure you’re posting once or twice a week to ensure that if and when someone visits your page from the ad, they are met with a real brand… not a brand that looks like it is setup as a burner profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Social media should be fun. Of course there will be times where you have a hard time thinking of what to share or you don’t get results after running a specific campaign. But overall it should be something that is enjoyable, connects with your audience, and is a good fit for your workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It just so happens that those are the three criteria you should use to help determine whether or not your business should be on a particular social media network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before we dive into this criteria more in depth, it is a good idea to secure your usernames on all mainstream social media networks. Not only does this ensure that you’ll have your brand name should you decide to use a particular network, it will ensure that no one else is able to secure your brand name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But just because you have the username doesn’t mean you have to be on the network. Let’s decide which ones are right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When a piece of clothing doesn’t fit you well it doesn’t matter how much you like the pattern or the design, it isn’t going to be enjoyable to wear. You probably have two or three items in your closet that you keep telling yourself you’ll wear but you continue to avoid them because it just isn’t comfortable to wear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Social media is the same way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you don’t enjoy using a network, no matter how you try to convince yourself that this month you’ll post more frequently, you will find yourself continuing to put off creating for that network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s not much fun to feel forced into using a specific social media network, opening up the app day after day only to sit and stare at the screen, trying to think of something to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The less you enjoy a specific social media network, the more time you’ll waste trying to conjure up content to share.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ask yourself the question, “Do I enjoy using this social media network?” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you enjoy a particular network that’s a good first step to turning the network into a great marketing tool for your business. Personally, I love Twitter \u2014 and it’s easy to open up Twitter and start interacting with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When you find yourself dreading a particular network, it may be a sign that you should look for somewhere else to invest your time because it’s always going to be a chore to try and be active on a network you don’t like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You must always be aware of who your audience is. Without a clear picture of who your ideal customer is you will not be able to manufacture conversions for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For social media, you want to be using the same networks your audience is using. If they’re present on TikTok, you want to be on TikTok. It just makes sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before you commit to being active on a particular social media network you need to ask your self the question, “Is my audience on this platform?” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What makes this second criteria interesting is that the more your audience reaches out to communicate with you the more enjoyable social media will become. Choosing a network specifically because your audience is there increases the chances that the time you spend on that network will be enjoyable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Listen to the clip below from The Donut Shop Podcast. Charissa Saindon from my agency, The Blocks Agency, talks about how you can identify who your target audience should be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n