By now, we are all aware of both the benefits and problems social media can bring to our brands. Virtually free promotion and advertising are right in the palms of our hands, and there are now billions of social media users as of 2020. As a matter of fact, the sheer number of social media users today is staggering. Just check out these Internet usage statistics courtesy of Supply Gem. With such a powerful tool as the Internet at our disposal, how unfortunate would it be for us to utilize the wrong social media platform for our brand? Here are three strategies for determining which social media platform your brand should use:
1. Know Your Target Audience
One of the most effective methods of discovering which social media platform will best communicate your brand is identifying your target audience. When presented with the 2018 statistics for the most popular social networking sites, you might feel an added pressure to choose between Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter. Before you decide to opt for the statistically more popular platform, take a moment to identify with whom your brand seeks to engage. Sure, Facebook may have more overall monthly users than Instagram, but when you are striving to build the trust of millions of college-aged consumers across the world, Facebook may not be the best choice considering their largest demographic is users between the ages of 25 and 54.
2. Which Type of Content Will Serve You Best?
Rightfully so, each of the social media platforms available to us provides a different method of content publishing. For example, Twitter is a site primarily driven by written blurbs of up to 280 characters in length. The nature of Twitter in and of itself is fast-paced conversations beginning and ending every second in real time. Twitter also allows users to post pictures for others to “like” and “retweet” affording more exposure to the publisher. Instagram, on the other hand, provides users with a portable, personalized art gallery in the form of a feed of thousands of photos from their family, friends, and most importantly, favorite brands! Instagram also has a new feature that allows users to “go live” through streaming in real time as well as create interactive slideshows in the form of a “story.”
Here we have two amazing platforms with equally amazing features, so how on earth do we make a decision? First, take a closer look at the nature of your brand. What is your brand’s personality? Is your brand one people can come to for quick updates, new tips, and new trends in the market? If so, you may consider a platform like Twitter, where it is a social norm to post consecutive posts within two to five seconds of your initial post. Or perhaps you are an up and coming stylist with the goal of gaining clientele and showcasing your talent. In this instance, your vision may require the tools of Instagram allowing you to provide your future clients with an aesthetically pleasing portfolio of your capabilities. Allow your brand to speak for itself through the proper platforms!
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Have More Than One
This is an essential tip for many brands on the hunt for their proper social media avenue as often times when making decisions, we naturally feel compelled to decide on one item. Fortunately, there are often many situations in life where you can have your cake and eat it too. Having more than one social media platform for your business not only increases engagement between your brand and consumers but also gives the audience a multifaceted view of your brand as a whole. The key to each one of these social media platforms is using it in your favor.
Take McDonald’s for example, they chose to introduce their “All Day Breakfast” campaign with an Instagram photo and a Tweet to the same effect. The results of their campaign efforts through Instagram yielded greater engagement than what resulted from the Twitter post, but the fast-food powerhouse was also able to publish more content back-to-back on Twitter without being thought of as obnoxious from its followers, something that may not have been as welcomed on Instagram.
The key takeaway here is that each social media platform offers a valuable feature that another may not. As a growing brand, do not allow yourself to feel confined to one specific social media site, and more importantly, make sure the platform you do choose will provide you with the proper tools to communicate your brand to the masses. Trial and error are inevitable on the journey to cultivating your brand, but with the help of Enrich My Brand, you no longer have to go at it alone!
