Social media is a crucial tool for getting your product in front of your ideal customers.
It can increase brand awareness, bring more potential customers and provide immediate customer insights and feedback. But with the ebb and flow of so many platforms, it can be overwhelming to determine where to spend your limited resources.
But hold up! Not every platform is necessary or effective for your success. Having a strategy before jumping right in, will save you valuable time, money and resources.
Understanding your audience before doing any marketing is going to save you time, money and make any marketing you do infinitely more effective. Therefore, it is a must to understand your target audience and thus understand which social media platforms they prefer and spend the most time on.
Once you understand your target audience(s), here are some of the top platforms we recommend exploring:
While time spent on Facebook has dipped as other platforms have emerged, the old standby still has more than 3 billion users and is till the largest platform for marketers. More than 7 million advertisers use the platform’s targeted tools to reach their audience.
Should you be there?
Users between the ages of 25-34 make up 29.9% of the user base: if you’re trying to reach this demographic, it’s a strong place to start.
Instagram
Instagram is a visuals-driven platform great for showcasing products using video and imagery. Now that TikTok has entered the market, Instagram boasts short form video and reels to stay competitive and drive engagement. Billions of dollars are made annually as businesses have created content to attract purchasers and followers. Users can shop directly in their feed, which is an incredible tool for e-commerce.
Should you be there?
Users between the ages of 18-24 make up 30.8% of the user base. If you’re trying to reach this age group and have online shopping, this is a great place to post. Because it’s a Meta product, it incorporates the same targeting tools as Facebook.
TikTok
You don’t have to have the best dance moves to be on TikTok, but you do need engaging video content if you’re going to post there. Videos that showcase your business and entertain people tend to do well. TikTok also has the advantage of boasting the most time spent in the app, with an average of 95 minutes per day.
Should you be there?
TikTok and Instagram both reach a younger audience. If you’re already making videos for Instagram to reach users in that demographic, they can be posted to TikTok as well. Advertising on the platform has really taken off with more advanced targeting and features like CRM integration for lead generation.
LinkedIn
LinkedIn isn’t just a job board anymore. Do you want to show off your business expertise? LinkedIn is an excellent tool to share longer form posts that will be shared with primarily a business audience. You can also publish articles directly to LinkedIn to establish yourself as a thought leader and industry expert.
Should you be there?
If you’re in a B2B field, LinkedIn is a must. High earning professionals dominate this platform and 31% of the platform is utilized by the age range of 30-39.
YouTube
Users spend a collective billion hours a day watching short and long form video content on YouTube from cat videos to DIY tutorials. The largest age group of users is 15-35 and users spend more than 45 minutes per day on the platform.
Should you be there?
If you can post video content to promote your business, this is an effective platform.
Social media can be a powerful marketing tool but you don’t want to rush into just posting to a platform for fear of missing out.
Ultimately, the best platforms to use are the ones that your target audience and ideal customers use. Take some time to really understand your core target audiences and then map out a consistent, creative and engaging content strategy. If you understand what your customers want and where they spend their time, you can connect, gain a loyal following and grow your business.
For help with your social media marketing needs – contact us.