Now that you’ve determined your brand identity and developed your website lets discuss socials. Social media is one of the best to stay connected with your target audience and often it’s a free marketing tool for those who don’t have the funds to hire a digital marketer. There are several different platforms that you can choose from, but choose wisely. Each platform caters to different age demographics, has different capabilities, and can be beneficial to different types of industries. You want to do your research and not just blindly sign up for every social network because maintaining several platforms can become overwhelming, you want to work smarter not harder. Choose the best network for your business and brand then build, post, engage, then leverage your connections. Let’s go over some of the most popular networks.
Facebook has roughly 12 billion daily users and it’s easy and free to create a Facebook business page. Your first step is to create a personal Facebook page… if you haven’t been living under a rock for the last 10 years then you already have a personal Facebook page. You then can create a business page, and Facebook asks a series of questions to make sure they are building the best page for you. Be ready to answer questions about what type of page you’re creating,who you are trying to reach, and what you’re business is about. There are lots of great features for paid marketing and organic reach. Facebook’s demographic is mostly women ages 30-49, although Facebook was originally made for younger people new platforms & technology have become more enticing for the younger demographic. So if your target audience are kids or teenagers Facebook shouldn’t be your only social media platform.
Instagram has about 600 million daily users and lets you create a Instagram business page without having a personal page like Facebook. Instagram is a much more visual platform where users share videos and pictures. They’ve recently added a great function for marketers, now you can run ads in Instagram to target your audience. Between being able to run targeted ads and targeting your audience using relevant hashtags Instagram is a digital marketers paradise. Instagram’s main demographic are women ages 18-29. Instagram has always targeted a younger demographic and with such rich visual it’s ideal for the fashion and makeup industries.
Twitter has become the best engagement tool for businesses and corporations. It’s become one of the best ways for businesses to provide customer service through social media. Twitter allows you to really narrow down targets and get great demographic information. You can share updates immediately and update people about what’s going on second by second. It’s very fast paced and can take some getting used to but once you get the hang of things it becomes a valuable tool for clients and business owners. The main demographic is 18-29 in both men and women.
LinkedIn is the largest social media platform for business professionals. There are currently about 470 million active users. If you want to connect with like minded professionals and read content that isn’t frivolous this platform is for you. Linkedin isn’t just a place to stick your online resume and disappear anymore. There are highly targeted searches, groups, marketing options and most importantly connections. Leveraging LinkedIn connections is necessary for referrals, building relationships and prospecting new clients. The main demographic for LinkedIn are men ages 18-49. Business owners looking to do business with other businesses are turning to LinkedIn to connect.
Pinterest is a growing platform and is catching the eye of businesses. Pinterest is known for sharing recipes and DIY projects. Pinterest’s main demographic is women ages 18-29. If you are a blogger, crafter, or artist this is a great platform to reach your target audience and create brand awareness.
Choose the best platform for your business and join me next time to discuss content in the 4th part of our series Creating a Personal Brand.