Which Social Media Channel is right for you?
image source dazeinfo.com
In today’s world, where we have more social networking options than we do drive-thru burger chains, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle and confused by all the choices. If you’ve read my tips or about page, then you know I’m a social media addict. But I realize not everyone wants to spend all their free time on social media. And not all channels are good for all businesses.
So, how do you determine what social media channels fit you and your business?
Let’s look at the most popular social media channels.
Anyone with a computer probably knows that the first and most obvious choice is Facebook. Facebook is currently dominating the online market with over a BILLION users. Anyone and everyone can sign up, and with numbers like that, clearly they are. Facebook allows a business to advertise in multiple ways. Whether pictures, videos, banners, contests, or status updates, you are able to reach a wide audience with the click of a button. Successful use of Facebook relies upon effective engagement, built upon fresh and interesting content published consistently on Facebook and your website.
Twitter isn’t far behind Facebook with 500 million current users. One of the greatest things about Twitter is that you always know what’s trending in social media thanks to #hashtags. Twitter operates in real time; minute by minute. Twitter provides businesses with feedback from their audience instantly and allows you to engage with a target audience. Promotions on Twitter are a great way to increase revenues online, regardless of the size of your business.
Google+
According to Dazeinfo.com, Google+ is the favorite among the tech and engineering industries. It is predicted Google+ will surpass Twitter by the beginning of 2014. While Facebook’s and Twitter’s demographics are pretty evenly matched (and even lean towards women), Google+ is definitely more male dominated. So, if your business targets a male demographic, Google+ is probably a good choice for your social media channels.
LinkedIn is a different social channel in that is built more for the educated professional wanting to grow their business or advance their careers. According to quantcast.com, most users have completed either college or grad school, with a large segment earning at least $150K. So, if you’re looking to connect with a well established group of business professionals, then this is the social network for you.
Pinterest happens to be one of my favorite forms of social media. I can take care of every need in one place. Need a recipe? Need a gift idea? Need to shop online? Outfit idea? Feeling crafty? Want to redecorate? One site. Pinterest offers online bulletin boards with all of your favorite things right there. It’s simply genius. Pinterest is one of the fastest growing social networks and has passed Facebook by taking 41% of the e-commerce sales. According to an article on readwrite.com about mindboggling facts about Pinterest, the average user spending $140-$180 compared to Facebooks $60-$80. If your industry is cooking, arts and crafts, fashion, home décor or other consumer oriented lines, then Pinterest can greatly benefit your business.
While there are MANY more niche social networking sites (and some that can greatly benefit your business), the above sites are the top recommended ones to get you started.
Where do you go from here?
- Sign up with Facebook and create a business page.
- Figure out what demographic, gender and age you want to target.
- Get started on your social channel. If you aren’t comfortable managing it yourself, use a company that specializes in social media marketing.
- Once you have your social campaign up and running, use a program like www.sproutsocial.com to monitor the campaign. Sprout Social lets you know how many interactions you are getting, which gender and age you are reaching, and where your audience is located.
Are you ready to get started with your social media campaign?
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