Not all social media platforms are equal. They all work in different ways, have different target audiences, and trigger different senses which elevate or devalue your business. When identifying social platforms for your new venture, it’s important to know the characteristics of each one to see which (if any), to engage on. While there are many features of each (far too much to discuss with you here), here are the main selling points;
By far the largest with over 2.2 billion active users (in July 2018). You are able to target customers based on a range of demographics, psychographics, online behaviours and their geographical location. Facebook it a good platform when trying to connect to the masses, however will require very engaging content or paid advertising to reach them.
Facebook hack:Facebook’s algorithm means that video content performs best! A quick snappy video is bound to get more organic views and reach more people.
In my opinion, the best social media for branding. Instagram is much simpler than Facebook with a “feed” and “profile wall”. The Instagram algorithm shows posts based on the following three characteristics: Interest (how likely Instagram thinks you are to like this content based on your past engagement), Timeliness (how recent this post was posted) and Relationship (how regularly you engage with the posters profile). You can also broadcast a timeline of video through their “stories” feature. When customers visit your wall, they are able to get a great visual sense of your brand personality.
Instagram hack: To make your profile really stand out you can use a website like LingoJam, to alter your Instagram bio font!
Twitter is great for tapping into big trends and aligning your brand with topical conversations. You can find an example of how Burger King in the United States mocked President Donald Trump on Twitter here. When sending out a “tweet” (a post), hashtags are the way people discover and connect about similar topics. Originating as a media for celebrities to broadcast to the masses, Twitter has a tweet character limit of 280.
Twitter hack: Use gifs, keep on trends and use hashtags to get the best results.
Snapchat is a way of communicating content that disappears after a preset duration. It is a much more private social channel with no public walls or stories. Snapchat can be a great way to showcase content for your VIP customers or to give that VIP illusion.
Though Snapchat has seen a massive decline in popularity recently, Gen Z still are still very intimate with this channel. They generally go here to keep up with their favourite celebs and acts as a news feed for pop culture.
Snapchat hack: Manage several Snapchat accounts by logging in and out as required.
Linkedin is a social platform created for professionals to connect and network. It also acts as an online and public resume’ for recruiters or businesses to look for new hires. LinkedIn is great for targeting people based on industry, occupation and education. You can also increase reach through paid advertising, newsfeeds or direct messages.
Linkedin is still very much in growth despite being 18 year old! Similar to Facebook, videos perform better organically due to their algorithm. For businesses that rely heavily on lead generation, the Sales Navigator tool (part of their premium services) allows you gather great insights into potential clients and target them.
Linkedin hack:
To get you started building your Linkedin network, share your Linkedin web address onto your other social channels (such as Facebook). Once you have a few connections, Linkedin will provide you recommended connections to help you grow your network further. While you are there you can add me as a connection.
Do you use any other social media channels that should be added to this list? Let us know in the comments below!