Marketing a business used to be straightforward before the advent of technology. A print, radio, or television marketing campaign was all you needed to get started, and then you were good to go. While such mediums are still viable today, they are not nearly as effective as they were in the past.

Increasing numbers of people throughout the world are turning to social media sources for entertainment, amusement, and to stay connected. This means that your company must change to remain competitive in this shifting market. That is, if you want to increase the amount of exposure your company receives as well as the amount of possible consumer traffic.

The most challenging part of implementing this transformation is determining which social media platforms to use to reach the most number of people. Because you cannot have accounts on all of them until you hire additional staff to handle them, you must select and choose which ones would be the most viable possibilities for your advertising expenditure.

Continue reading this post to find out how to use social media more efficiently and effectively in your business. It offers you vital information that you need to be aware of to increase your exposure and attract more clients to your website and product offerings.

Some Platforms are More Effective Than Others

There are a lot of social media platforms in use today. Some were popular a decade or two ago, while others are growing in popularity. Most marketing experts recommend targeting those with the most members and users. That is the best way to reach your target audience.

The popularity of these social media platforms is why they are targeted more than the lesser-used ones. There are just more people on them. So chances are, the majority of your target audience is on those same platforms making it easier to reach them with your advertising.

Reaching the most people simultaneously is one way to save on your advertising budget. That means you go to those more popular platforms and pick the best advertising method that will reach your target audience the quickest.

What are The Most Popular Social Media Platforms Today?

There are about eight major players currently, and they all reach a significant number of people worldwide. So if you want a global reach, then these 8 are the ones to target and spend your advertising budget on.

Here are some brief facts about each of those 8 to help you get started on the right path to increasing your social media presence and giving your brand better exposure:

1. Facebook

• A social network where friends and family stay in touch as well as contact their favorite brands 
• 2.7 billion monthly users as of Jan 2022
• 24-34 is the largest age group on this platform
• More males than females use this platform, 56% to 44%
• Good for customer service, sharing videos and other images, company details, and good content

2. Instagram

• A platform that is almost entirely mobile format but desktop users can use it as well
• Great place to share videos and still photos of products, company events, and so on
• Approx. 1 billion users each month
• 25 to 34 year olds are the largest age group on this platform
• More females than males use this platform, 57% to 43%
• Great for businesses with visual content to share

3. Twitter

• Where less is more- you can post short videos, images, messages, and more to gain audience interest
• 187 million active daily users
• 30 to 49 year olds is the largest age group on this platform
• More men to women use this network with a 68% to 32% ratio
• Ideal if you want to send a quick message, provide customer service updates and interact with followers or customers

4. LinkedIn

• A platform designed to target professionals who want to build a network of friends and corporate contacts, make new hires, or search for a job
• 810 million total users as of Jan 2022
• 46 to 55 is the largest age group involved with this social media platform
• 51% to 49% male to female membership
• Professional networking platform and a b2b news and information source

5. Pinterest

• A social media platform designed for posting images on digital pinboards. They call it pinning
• 400+ million monthly users
• 30 to 49 year olds is the largest age group using this network
• 78% to 22% female to male ratio
• Created for companies that like to be creative and inspire others using visual content

6. Tik Tok

• A video-sharing website that people use to create fun but short videos
• 100 million monthly users
• The largest age group is 18 to 24-year-olds
• 59% to 41% female to male user ratio
• For businesses that like to be creative and want to reach young viewers

7. Snapchat

• This is a video or still photo platform where members send creative shots to their friends and family members. They can post public videos, etc., but those posts only last about 24 hours
• 265 million monthly users
• 13 to 24 year olds are the largest age group on this social media platform
• 58% to 42% female to male user ratio
• Used for fun and provides a platform for short, story driven content

8. YouTube

• This is a video sharing platform where just about everyone can upload their videos
• 2 billion monthly users
• The largest age group is between 15 to 25 years of age
• Evenly split with an equal number of all male and female internet users participating on this platform
• Great for entertaining, educational or promotional videos

Which Networks Should You Use as a Social Marketer?

You can see the numbers, but marketing is not just a numbers game. You will need to find the right social media platforms that fit your business style and personality. For example, if your company works in residential construction, you should avoid using LinkedIn.

That platform is for people in different professions like education, ministry, business, doctors, lawyers, and so on. On the other hand, your residential construction business may be more suited for Facebook, where there is a marketplace that allows you to post your homes or search for new customers.

If you are an entertainment company, then any of the following might serve you well: TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and a couple of others may be the perfect place to place your marketing ads and special videos.

You need to pick the best platforms that work with the type of business you have. You do not want to be out of place, as that tends to backfire on companies who try this out-of-the-box strategy.

When you choose the wrong platform, it is like going to the beach with a 3-piece suit on. Not only will you be out of place, but you also look it, and you tend to get laughed at and not taken seriously.

Using the right social media platform will have you fitting in and provide credibility. You get positive attention and attract the right customers to your website and products. You need to analyze the purpose of those social media platforms and see where you fit the best.

How To Pick The Right Social Media Platforms To Use

There are several questions you need to ask and answer. The answers to those questions will help you narrow down the number of platforms you should participate in and help you reach your target audience.

1. Which platform does your target audience use the most?

You have to identify your target audience, their age group, and where they like to hang out. If you get it wrong, you will not be that successful in reaching new potential customers.

If you are targeting older business executives, then Tik Tok is not the place to advertise. Instead, LinkedIn would be the right spot.

2. What are your social media goals?

While the ultimate goal is to drive people to your website and have them buy products, your social media goal may simply be to make people aware of your brand. Or it could be to provide better customer service and engage your customers in the best way possible.

3. What is your style?

The social media platform you choose and the nature of your ads should reflect your style of business. Be yourself or have your company be itself, and do not try to act cool just to fit in. You will look weird and turn potential customers off.

Maintain your high standards, your business personality, and don’t talk down to your potential customers. Try to stay friendly and personable in your marketing outreach while remaining very professional.

4. What is the competition doing?

Check them out and see how they have structured their ads and accounts. Also, check out how often they post, which platforms they use, and their content. Finally, analyze what will or will not work and what content gets the customers.

The key is not to copy their material but use it to help you refine your efforts. There are a lot of businesses on different social media platforms you can look at and see what they are doing. You may get some better ideas.

5. How much time can you give to social media marketing?

This is a critical answer, for if you cannot spend the required time working on this option, you will not have an outstanding social media presence nor will you reach your target audience that well.

The rule of thumb is 5 to 10 hours a month for 1 to 2 channels. This includes all aspects of marketing – writing, planning, scheduling posts, and so on. If you can’t spend this much time doing this work, then you may have to hire someone who can.

6. How much can you spend on this marketing strategy?

This is a tough question as many businesses are not large enough to fund this option let alone do regular marketing. However, since so many people are on social media, it is time to carve out some sort of budget for this valuable marketing option.

Check your overall budget and see how much you can set aside specifically for this critical aspect of your business. For example, if you have committed $100,000 to your overall marketing budget, you should cut off at least $25,000 for all digital marketing costs.

From that $25,000 you should commit about $5-7,000 just to social media marketing. That should give you an idea of how much money you should spend on this vital ad campaign option.

Types Of Content Options You Can Use

Social marketing isn’t easy. You cannot throw everything at people and see what sticks. You need to carefully plan your content so that it is professional, attractive, and will reach as many people as possible.

Here are some types of content options available to use that will keep you from always selling to your visitors. This is a sticky point as you want to sell products or services, but you cannot oversell. If you do, you lose your audience.

Blog posts- Can be business oriented or personal for audience engagement

Podcasts- Interview industry leaders or have them come in and lecture, etc.

Testimonials- This is where your customers get to participate and let others know how good your products are, etc. 

Webinars- Use these as a teaching option to help bring new information to your audience

Videos- Expand your reach with top-quality action and great photography

Photographs- Great for letting your audience get to know you and your company

You can use other options like e-books, whitepapers, livestreams, and even audience-generated content. The choice is up to you, and you should select the best ones that work with your business style!

The key to using social media platforms is to pick the ones that best fit your business style and persona. Having great content and a good-looking ad only works if you pick the right platform to showcase them.

Don’t try to be hip or cool, or match the language of younger audiences. Be yourself and talk or write the way you always speak or write. You do not want to be the guy at the beach wearing a 3-piece suit.

You want to be accepted, respected, and taken seriously. That way, your efforts will generate more traffic to your website and more paying customers. That is what marketing is all about, no matter where it is done.

If you need assistance in deciding which social media platform you should use to attract more visitors and buyers, then get in touch with us to know more about our services and how we can help you!