17 Oct Choose the Right Social Media Platform for Your Business
There are about 200 social media sites floating around the internet, however, only five of those are truly prominent in our daily lives. (source) So how do you choose the right platform for your business?
It really does boil down to your target audience: what kind of patients you’re going to cater to. Teenagers and adults frequent many different forms of social media. Let’s say you’re trying to sell a new line of skateboards. You wouldn’t strictly market your product on Facebook. The social site no longer belongs to teenagers; about 68% of all U.S. adults use the social media site. (source) Instead, make a video featuring people riding on the skateboard and post it to YouTube. Take pictures of the different colored skateboards and post it to Instagram. Host a giveaway on Twitter.
Before you dive into social media platforms, take a moment and think about who you’re marketing to.
Demographic: Mostly adults
Arguably the most well-known social site, Facebook is great for keeping up with high school buddies and the family members you only see once a year. It’s great to have a company Facebook page, but don’t solely rely on it. Your post can easily be lost among all the family photos and funny videos.
Demographic: Business owners
If you own a small business, you should have an account with LinkedIn. The site is 100% focused on connecting people who work in similar industries. Networking, displaying business related news, and statistics are just some of the features of the site. LinkedIn is different from the traditional social media platform, but it is an invaluable resource for business owners.
Demographic: Teens/20 something’s/Adults
As fast paced as they come, Twitter was pretty much made for the ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ mentality of the Internet. Trending hashtags last anywhere from two to twenty-four hours. Don’t let that deter you: Twitter is the place to interact with your patients. The social platform makes answering questions incredibly easy. Not only that, but it’s also a great place to release the latest news from your business. Informing your patients of holiday hours? Make a Twitter post with the announcement, and include a link to your website.
Demographic: Teens/20 something’s
No longer used for just photographs, Instagram has rolled out quite a few changes over the past couple years. In 2016, Instagram began to implement a feature called ‘Stories.’ It can be a video, a livestream, or just another photo. Stories only last for twenty-four hours, so if you wanted to build up excitement for an event that’s happening a couple weeks from now, you could do a daily countdown without clogging up your Instagram page.
YOUTUBE
Demographic: All ages
Another social media giant, YouTube is recognized globally. While, yes, it does feature a lot of non-business-related content, it can still be a great tool for your business. If you find that your patients have a great deal of questions, consider making a Q&A video. That way, not only do you answer their question, it’s also a way for a potential patient to get a first impression. There’s only so much to gather from the written word; actually seeing a person behind the business can sway a customer. Also, it shows your audience that you care about their concerns.
With all the social media platforms out there, it can be daunting to choose the right one. The five listed above are the most-well known and most-used social websites. Don’t be afraid to experiment with them; what works on Instagram may not work on Twitter.
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