A common question we get asked is “which social media channels should I use for my business?” whilst it is important for brands to harness the power of social media, it is important to choose the channels that suit your business. Over half of social media users use social media channels to research products or services before purchasing so it is a great marketing channel to use but you shouldn’t spread yourself too thin. Ask yourself these questions to help determine which channels your business should use.
What are your social media goals?
Before you start posting or setting up social media accounts, you need to establish some social media goals. Here are just some of the common social media goals to help you get started.
- Increasing brand awareness
- Generating more leads
- Generating more website traffic
- Community Engagement
- Expand Reach
You don’t necessarily need to stick to one goal, you just need to have these goals in the forefront of your mind as it will help you determine which channels will help you reach these goals faster. These are the channels that deserve your attention.
Who is your target market?
If you know who your target market is then you can discover which platforms they are most likely to be present on and focus on these. For example, if you are selling your products or services to predominately other businesses then the decision makers are more likely to be on LinkedIn as opposed to Snapchat. Similarly if your key demographic is teenagers, you will more likely find them on Snapchat, TikTok, and Instagram over Facebook.
You can find out this information by researching the key demographics of each channel. See our overview of social media channels to help you discover where your target market might be. Alternatively, you can carry out your own customer research.
Here are a few general rules of thumb to help you decide
Facebook- Great for customer interaction and reach
Instagram- visual and video content, younger demographic than Facebook, showcasing brand personality
Twitter- great for customer service and announcements. Easy engagement
Linkedin- B2B, Networking. Older demographic- young professionals upwards
Pinterest- visual, lookbooks, inspiration
Youtube- video content, behind the scenes, showcasing brand personality
TikTok- Short form video content, viral content. Young demographic
Snapchat– video content, filters, young demographic
What content are you producing?
Whilst you can obviously change the content you are posting to adapt to a new channel, start by thinking about what content you are currently making and what capacity you have to create new content. If you are struggling to find time to create videos, then platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram may not be the best for you. These platforms encourage video content as it is engaging but will need investment in time to create.
If you are an online store and have amazing visuals then Pinterest and Instagram should be considered.
A major benefit of social media is that it is a relatively inexpensive channel. However, it is only effective when used correctly. Updating your social media channels regularly and spending enough time engaging with other people’s posts, answering customer questions, and creating engaging content is an extremely time-intensive exercise, so you need to choose your social media channels carefully. Whilst you can repurpose content across channels up until a point, each channel works differently and should be treated in a different way. Aim to choose 2 channels to focus on by asking yourself the questions in this article and get these working well for you. Once you have established these channels you can explore different channels in the future.
Do you need help with social media for your business? At DBS Digital, we provide Social Media Management and Social Media Advertising to put your mind at ease. To learn more, make sure to contact our team of specialists.
