There are more than 3 billion active social media users worldwide, and more and more businesses are recognizing the vast potential social media offers to reach their audiences.
According to theย State of Social 2019, 94% of businesses use Facebook, 84% use Twitter, 81% use Instagram, 70% use LinkedIn, 30% use Pinterest, and 9% use Snapchat. Having an active social presence should be a priority for your business, but how do you decide which social media platform to focus on?
To help you determine where to focus your social media efforts, create profiles of your target audience groups, including basics such as gender, income, geographic region, and profession, then check the user profiles for the social media channels below to see where your audience is likely to be.
Once you know where you audience spends its time, you can focus your resources on understanding and utilizing that social media channel to raise your profile and make connections with your customers. You don’t necessarily need to limit yourself to a single optionโmore thanย 73% of internet usersย are on more than one social media channel.
Facebook is the biggest social network on the planet, and having a Facebook page is a must for a business. A strong Facebook presence is a great way to form genuine connections with customers, get new leads, and stay relevant with your audience.
Facebook User Profile:
- โข 6 billion monthly active users
- โข 73 billion daily active users
- โข 68% of U.S. adults use Facebook, slightly more women than men
- โข 74% of users visit Facebook at least once a day
Facebook Usage Tips for Businesses:
- โข Make sure your Facebook business page has engaging, high-quality profile and cover photos.
- โข Clearly describe who you are and what you stand for in your pageโs About section, and use keywords to help users find you.
- โข Donโt use Facebook to sell your products; use it to engage, entertain, and help your audience.
- โข Facebook has started to “demote” posts from business pages in favor of those from family and friends, so to make sure your posts get in front of your audience, choose topics that are likely to get engagement and comments.
- โข Include images or videos with your postsโFacebook posts with images see 2.3 times more engagement than those without.
- โข Use video, both live and recorded, to get your audienceโs attention.
- โข According to new data from Hootsuite, the best times to post are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. for B2B brands, and noon on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday for B2C brands.
LinkedIn is by far the preferred social media channel for B2B marketers, and has twice the lead-generation power of Facebook or Twitter. Having a strong presence on LinkedIn can raise your companyโs profile, build your professional network, and get the attention of potential customers, partners, and employees.
LinkedIn User Profile:
- โข 303 million monthly active users, 40% of which visit the site daily
- โข 57% of LinkedIn users are men
- โข 29% of online adults use LinkedIn
- โข 49% of LinkedIn users make more than $75,000
LinkedIn Usage Tips for Businesses:
- โข Make sure your company page is complete and up to date, including relevant keywords, your logo and a banner photo.
- โข Post updates regularly, including company updates, industry news and trends, thought leadership, and any other content thatโs relevant to your LinkedIn audienceโs professional interests.
- โข The best days to post on LinkedIn are Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and the best times are 7-8 a.m., noon-1 p.m., and 5-6 p.m.
- โข Join and participate in groups to demonstrate your expertise and offer solutions to common problems.
Instagram is growing seven times faster than any other social media channel, and a significant portion of that growth is due to increased use by businesses. Engagement on Instagram is 15% higher than on Facebook and more than 80% of Instagram accounts follow at least one business. More than 25 million businesses are leveraging that high engagement rate by setting up Instagram profiles to market their brands.
Instagram User Profile:
- โข 1 billion monthly active users
- โข 500 million daily active users
- โข 68% of Instagram users are female
- โข 71% of Instagram users are under 35
- โข 32% of all internet users are on Instagram
- โข 60% of users visit at least once a day
Instagram Usage Tips for Businesses:
- โข You only get 150 characters for your company profileโmake them count.
- โข Be creative with your postsโconsider showing your company culture, sharing how-tos, illustrating your corporate mission, or taking customers behind the scenes.
- โข You can post photos, videos up to one minute in length, or short video clips called Boomerangsโuse original content, not stock photos or videos.
- โข Try using Instagram Stories, slideshows that get prime placement on followersโ timelines.
- โข According to a study by Sprout Social, the best times to post on Instagram are Wednesday at 11 a.m. and Friday between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.
- โข Include hashtags on every post. Posts with 11 or more hashtags get the most engagement, and the maximum is 30.
- โข Type a keyword into the Instagram search box to see hashtag suggestions.
- โข Tag your photos with locations to make them easier to find.
- โข Use Instagram Insights to learn more about your followers, including demographic and usage information.
Twitter has become the social media destination of choice for troll attacks, but it can also be useful for businesses that want to create a brand voice, share news, or join trending conversations.
Twitter User Profile:
- โข 330 million monthly active users
- โข 145 million daily active users
- โข Mostly males 18-29 years old
- โข 24% of online adults use Twitter
- โข 42% of users visit Twitter at least once a day, but users only spend an average of 2.7 minutes
Twitter Usage Tips for Businesses:
- โข Create a Twitter bio that accurately reflects your brand voice and company identity.
- โข Find and follow influencers in your industry or niche so you can monitor and participate in important conversations.
- โข To stay relevant, post at least daily.
- โข According to Sprout Social, Tuesday and Wednesday are the best days to post on Twitter, and the best times are 9 a.m. on Wednesday or Friday.
- โข Track brand mentions and respond quickly and politely to any customer feedback.
- โข Consider offering exclusive news or deals to your Twitter followers.
- โข To increase engagement, use images and videos in your tweets.
- โข Use Twitterโs built-in analytics to see what types of tweets are resonating with your audience and adjust accordingly.
Pinterest is different from other social media networks in that it is largely focused on buying. Yes, people use Pinterest to post their favorite recipes and share funny images, but many people also use it to get ideas and inspiration for things they want to purchase. And that makes it a great place for businesses to promote their products.
Pinterest User Profile:
- โข 367 million monthly active users, 72% female
- โข 31% of internet users are on Pinterest
- โข 25% of Pinterest users visit at least once a day
- โข 87% of Pinners have purchased a product because of Pinterest
Pinterest Usage Tips for Businesses:
- โข Pins all link to the source website, so Pinterest is a great source of referral traffic.
- โข If you create a Pinterest account for your business, donโt just pin individual product shots, create interesting and realistic lifestyle photos showing your products in use.
- โข Create different boards for different product types or themes, and label them with descriptive names.
- โข Use the description field to describe whatโs in the pinned photo and encourage users to follow the link back to your site.
- โข Pinners are more active on the weekends. The best time to upload pins are 2 p.m., 9 p.m., and 2 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.
- โข Consider adding Pinterest Save buttons to product photos on your website, to allow site visitors to pin an item with a single click.
Understand each social media platform and choose the one that suitable for your business and target audience. A true platform can reach your potential customer.
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Article source from : https://www.websolutions.com/