Which Social Network Is Right for My Business?
One of the most common questions I get when speaking to potential clients is, "Which social network is right for my business?" It's a legitimate question, because if left unanswered, you could burn yourself out just trying to keep up with your marketing. As a business owner, you have a huge to do list, and no time to waste with Social Media Management that doesn't work for you.
With that, I present my quick and dirty explanation of the various social networks.
Your business should be on Facebook, period. Not only do they have the best ads platform, but they're also the number one network when it comes to reaching a wide range of ages. Presence on Facebook is also good for SEO. I'm going to state this clearly though; do not jump on Facebook until you have an ad budget to spend. You will not reach the people necessary to impact your business without at least a few hundred to spend on boosts (local biz), or a few thousand (for larger biz).
This is the network you have to be most active on to be effective. I mean, really active. Post and reply, post and reply. It's a constant cycle. Twitter's relevance has fallen in the last 18 months, and continues to. I recommend staying away from Twitter unless you know you can be active, you have a solid network growth strategy, and tons of content. The companies that do the best on Twitter are media outlets and celebrity brands. If you're neither, you can pass on Twitter and place that focus elsewhere.
Are you trying to reach anyone between the ages of 13 - 38? If so, get on Instagram. The community is active, the feed is still pretty fair for everyone, and the network growth strategies that have come up are easier to implement than with Twitter. Make sure you get creative, and marry your personal + professional voice. No one wants blatant advertising on Insta.
Want to reach women? Use Pinterest. It's really that simple.
The professional Facebook has just released a really annoying update, but it's still the best place for B2B interactions, and we find the interaction rates to be stellar. Don't spam though. Simply network, and offer through conversation. You'll generate leads if you have a strategy.
Google+
Don't look at Google+ as a social network any longer. It's an SEO platform. You post and stay relevant to boost your rankings, not to engage with others.
Flickr + Tumblr
If you have the time to create stellar long-form content, or you have a business that falls under the category of "the arts", then you should look at Flickr and Tumblr. Otherwise, don't bother with these platforms.
There you have it. I did say this post would be quick and dirty; no need to bury you in stats.
Need help with Social Media Management? Let me know.