Is your business participating on every social media site or have you chosen to disregard the ever-changing social media environment? As a business owner or marketer, you can no longer afford to ignore the need to incorporate social media into your company’s marketing mix. In this post, I will be discussing three of the top social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, along with tips on how to best use them.
Facebook
Wit
h over 1.39 billion active Facebook users, this platform is best used to help increase awareness of your brand. Every business should have a Facebook page; regardless of what industry they’re in. With Facebook, you’re able to have one-on-one conversations with your customers, who can like your page, read and share your posts, and check-in when they visit you. By tailoring messages to your target audience, your page can reach large groups of people. Analytics are also available on your page, which will give your company a better understanding of your customers and the success of your marketing activities.
When it comes to advertising on Facebook, there is a wide array of options. Since users input their personal detail onto the platform, you can target based on those details. You can target your ad not just by basic demographics, but also by job title, the age of a user’s kids, the possibilities are endless. Facebook is a crowded marketplace, but you can’t afford to opt out, because odds are that your competition is there.
Quick Tips
- On Thursdays and Fridays, engagement is 18% higher.
- Facebook posts with a photo generate 120% more engagement than simple text.
- Age 25 to 34 is the most common age demographic.
Twitter
Twi
tter is the fourth largest platform when it comes to usage, however, those who do use Twitter use it more frequently than other platforms, with 46% logging in on a daily basis. One benefit of business’s being on Twitter is that users are more inclined to follow their favorite brands, or discover new brands. Twitter is the number one platform for in-the-moment/breaking developments.
Generate interest in your brand by being the most up-to-date company on breaking developments in your industry. Keep your followers updated on new technology, news events, and case studies in your industry, as well as discounts you may be offering. Twitter is also key for building relationships with your customers. Responding to customer tweets is great customer service and opens the door for two-way communication between your brand and your customers. Remember, in most cases the customers that are complaining on Twitter are doing so because your company already failed to please them through other customer service outlets.
Quick Tips
- When you use a hashtag that’s trending, you have a better chance of getting engagement from people who aren’t your followers. However, to avoid being obnoxious, don’t overuse hashtags.
- There is an 89% increase in favorites with images over those without, and a 150% increase in retweets.
- Respond to all questions/comments as quickly as possible.
Instagram
If you
haven’t noticed a pattern by now, let me spell it out for you. Visual content is driving all social media platforms right now, and Instagram is the best in the game. The basic concept is to snap a picture or video, add a filter, incorporate hashtags, and build your followers. Other users can like or comment on your pictures. It is important to remember that every user feels like a professional photographer, so the images you post should be unique.
If you’re struggling to come up with ideas for your Instagram posts, consider showing the world how awesome your business is. Show the fun side of your company, new technology in your office, your products, or even create an Instagram contest. Like Twitter, Instagram is closely involved with what’s trending. If you’re looking to get more followers: connect to your Facebook account, use relevant and popular hashtags, and engage others by following and liking their photos.
Quick Tips:
- Have a balance between fun and business images on your Instagram.
- To create strategic relationships, find brands and people in your followers that you enjoy and can learn from, and follow them back.
- Snap behind the scenes photos to increase brand intimacy with your followers.
- Don’t over-post; no one likes their feed filled up with posts from one user.
