Understanding the Different Social Media Platforms

There is some debate on whether or not you should start social media platform research by knowing your audience and where you can find them online. However, I feel that before discovering where your audience is, you need to understand the different platforms and how they work.

The most popular platforms that businesses use for marketing and developing their brand are:

• Twitter
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Pinterest
• Snapchat

Each of these platforms offers different enough features, so having a presence across multiple platforms makes sense. Unfortunately, no single platform is the best for all businesses. What works best for one business type might not work for another.

 Facebook is a good platform for brand promotion. Twitter is an excellent place for conversations and to focus on trending topics. LinkedIn is great for sharing professional experiences.

Consider Your Company 

To effectively pick a social media platform, you must examine your company’s business type and brand personality. These things will dictate which platform you choose. For example, LinkedIn will be the top platform for connecting with customers, a visual platform like Instagram.

Depending on your company’s services, you can use a business-to-business platform and a more visually captivating platform like Instagram. You can also use niche platforms, such as Dayflash if your business benefits from such platforms.

Find your Audience on a Social Media Platform

This is the step that most marketers start with. Understanding your audience will help you determine the best platform to be on. As discussed last week, you should learn about the demographic of customers. You can read more about discovering your audience by checking out our previous post.

Align with Social Media Goals

In our previous post, I covered SMART goals which you should determine before you begin your social media marketing campaign. You should also start picking your social media and SMART goals before selecting the platforms to be on.

Your goals should also include why you want to be on social media. Are you ready to entertain your customer base? Do you want to communicate and connect by providing customer service? You can promote your brand and drive sales. Understanding your desire to be on social media will help you pick the best platform.

Once you understand which social media platforms your customers are on and how they differ, you can begin your marketing quest. Next week, we’ll examine the different platforms and explain how each can benefit your company.

The post How to Choose the Best Social Media Platform for Your Business Part 2 appeared first on Green Country Content Marketing.