More than half of the world, 58.7% of the Earth’s population, uses social media. Based on these statistics, it would be safe to assume most of us use social media in some capacity. Given how far social media has come, whether it is posting daily about your life, whether it be family, friends, food, or nature, we are marketing ourselves in a way we have never done before. Through what we post, we are constantly constructing a persona that future relationships and partnerships will see. So any up-and-coming or established businesses may want to venture into it if they haven’t already. It would be to your benefit to use this powerful resource. There are many different platforms to choose from, so how do you decide which social media platform is best for your business? Keep reading!
Start With Market Research
Before you find what social media platform is best for your business, you have to know your target audience. Essentially, you have to find out where your audience lives. In other words, you need to find which social media app your audience is most inclined to use. Thus comes your journey via market research. There are 5 steps that you could take in order to grasp just what your audience wants before you should start interacting with them:
- Review your mission statement.
- Define your target.
- Plan and implement a market strategy.
- Incorporate marketing objectives.
- Analyze your results.
With the number of social media applications we now have, it may be difficult to find which one out there is the one tailored specifically for your marketing needs. There are simply way too many to choose from. The only other question left to answer is which social media platform is good for your business? Though in this article, that number has been narrowed down to three that are considered the most lucrative when it comes to marketing your business: Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Facebook For Business
97% of Fortune 500 companies have gone on record saying that since they started using social media, their exposure has increased. Just as we can communicate with a friend across international waters with a touch of a button, the closer relationships between business and consumers have sent much of our interactions to new heights. There are now more than enough reasons for you to look into social media when starting a business, as its presence would boost your own ROI (return on investment).
For those reasons, Facebook, with over 2.9 billion monthly active users, is one of the leading examples of social media platforms. Typically, those who use Facebook are between the ages of 25 to 34. What makes Facebook a good option, is its ability to cement bonds between a business and its customers. Just as you could share pictures and videos with your friends and family, a business can do the same with its customers. Facebook has a unique stance when it comes to humanizing a business with a Facebook business page.
Whether you are just starting or not, having customers attach a face to the name, makes something as aloof as a business more approachable. The ability to show customers how a particular product or service works is great when it comes to establishing a genuine connection with its consumer base. By being interactive with your consumers and treating them as part of your community, you will be likely to build a community that will be more willing to take action.
Make a Facebook Group
On Facebook, there is a tool that allows businesses to take that step in building a community. On Facebook, you can make groups where you can talk freely with customers. This can include discussing things like exclusive products, services, and promotions. Having your customers feel special for joining a group where they can see their inclusion as a good thing is what will bring customers to your business. With groups, you can be as creative as you can with your engagement. That is why groups are great for search engine optimization (SEO).
In groups, you can find the main keywords, LSI keywords, and phrases people use to identify your company with. There is great power in being in the know with your customer’s language. It builds a greater connection. Having Facebook for business can lead you to have ties that bring returning customers.
Look Into Facebook Ads
A great reason why Facebook could be the right platform for your business is that it can reach customers through Facebook Ads. Through Facebook Ads, digital marketing has become even easier for the developing business. Your visibility will be some of the strongest if you pay to post ads. How they work is that you pay-per-click (or PPC) for an ad. This means that you, as a business, pay the host website, for every click that a lead clicks on. Facebook Ads also allow businesses to have ads that cater specifically to their business’s goals. This adds to the idea that you can also omit audiences you know wouldn’t want your product. If you are a company that specifically sells glasses, you do not want your ads to be advertised to someone who doesn’t wear glasses. It saves you money from wasted ads that would have been better off remarketed to someone else.
They also have a variety of different avenues you could take your business’s advertisement. You can advertise via images, videos, and stories. Speaking of variety, SEO is another good way to gain traction. Utilizing ads can excel your business in ways using the free option can’t.
Instagram For Business
With over 1 billion active users on Instagram, the reach and amount of potential leads you can attain are staggering. Similar to Facebook, the age range is 31.7% of its users between the ages 25 to 34, with age ranges 18-24 as the second most being 30.2%. Whereas Facebook has the options for stories, Instagram revolves around visual content. It more or less provides a fun atmosphere for interaction, which is another great way to humanize a company.
One word, Reels! If you use Instagram for business, you have to learn to use Reels. Through Instagram, people generally would want to be entertained. An aspect of Instagram, which was inspired by TikTok, Reels allow for people to express themselves in short-form content. Their creative liberties are only as good as the creator of the Reel. Using them can breathe life into how your business is perceived by the public.
Reels are a good way for promoting your business in bite-sized formats. It also allows businesses to collaborate with their community. Like Reels, stories are an option, too. If you have a quick update on the status of a product or a new promotion that is coming around the corner, Instagram stories allow you to get the information out faster from a creative angle than you normally would have been able to. If done correctly, you can put together effective campaigns designated toward your core audience.
3 Best Advertisement Methods On Instagram
- Photo ads: Photo ads are the most general ads you can use. Though it is general, it doesn’t take away how effective it is. It promotes a call to action for the lead.
- Video ads: Adds that extra bit of creativity. Through video format, you can advertise or market your business in ways a photo probably couldn’t.
- Carousel ads: Utilizes Instagram’s swipe option. This is similar to photos, but the viewer controls what they are looking at.
Buying Brands Through Instagram
Instagram has even made it possible for users to purchase products. They can even buy items without ever having to leave the app itself. Seeing as more and more people have been making orders from the comfort of their own homes and seeing as Instagram is an online social space and not a traditional store, having implemented an e-commerce link called Checkout through the Shop tab, was a smart move. Now, where you can buy brands can only boost your product’s popularity. On Instagram, you can see ideal metrics through Insights on your menu.
TikTok For Business
60% of TikTok’s users are between the ages of 16 to 24, whereas 43% are between the ages of 25 to 34. The active users range roughly over 1 billion. TikTok has rapidly grown in popularity and you should look at its growth as an opportunity to expand and grow yourself. Otherwise, you may be missing out on the rewards. It is not today’s flavor of the month, but an actual business venture you can afford to put your time into. The saying “strike while it is hot” comes to mind. To help, TikTok has released its TikTok for Business marketing hub that can help give businesses that push towards an increased engagement.
Of course, you should not be going into this platform with the idea of simply start bringing in an impressionable clientele. People can tell whether you are being genuine or not. It would be to your benefit to focus on a customer-first mindset. The platform allows for authenticity. If you understand the needs of the customer base, and listen to what they are looking for, you will find the authenticity needed to grow.
SEO Design Chicago Can Help Find the Platform That Is Best For You
With the near dizzying amounts of social media platforms we now have, it may be difficult to find the one that is the best for your business. Not every platform is a perfect fit. It will take time and effort to find the one that will lead to the most rewards for your business. At SEO Design Chicago, we can help you narrow down the large number of options to find what works best for you.
FAQ:
- What is TikTok for Business?
- How many people use social media?
- What are Instagram Reels?
- How can businesses interact with their community on Facebook?
- How do you decide what social media platform is best for your business?
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