Which Social Media platform shall I use for my business?

Over the past ten years’ social media has become a big deal for businesses. Many businesses have turned away from traditional marketing practices and have concentrated their efforts on their social channels. Great content, engagement and curating a loyal audience has been at the forefront of many business marketing plans. But in 2021 where should you be concentrating your efforts? What are the differences between the social platforms, and how do you choose the right one for you.

Instagram

Over 1 billion people use Instagram every single month. Instagram tends to prioritise reels and video content these days in an attempt to keep up with its biggest rival, TikTok (more on that later). Having a business presence on Instagram allows you to reach a wide and varied audience and show your personality and business brand story. It even provides you with a platform to sell through a shoppable feed. This platform is ideal for lifestyle and fashion brands, charity businesses and other B2C businesses.

I use my Instagram grid as a portfolio showcase, and post what is happening ‘now’ in my stories and reels. See Lil Creative Studio on Instagram www.instagram.com/lilcreativestudio/

Facebook

The platform that brought social media to us in 2004 is still a big player when it comes to online social media marketing. This platform tends to reach an older audience these days, with many users ‘sharing’ content rather than posting their own. Business wise Facebook can allow you to curate and showcase your brand and spread the word about events or offers you may have. Additionally, providing you have the budget, it also allows you to specifically target your chosen audience through strategic adverts. Facebook also has a handy business suite so that you can schedule your posts saving you time and effort.

 

I have not found Facebook very helpful for my design business. Occasionally I post to my feed, but mostly 

I use Facebook as a way to connect and network with business groups and get involved in discussions around design and sustainability. See Lil Creative Studio on Facebook  www.facebook.com/LilCreativeStudio

Twitter

There are 187 million active users across this platform. It’s popularity has waned over recent years but there are still many people still using Twitter as their only social application. 70% of users across Twitter are male in the 25-34 age range. As a business you need to be prepared to be Tweeting a lot to gain any traction across this platform, as Tweets last for a very limited time scale. This platform is ideal if you run a website dedicated to news or stories, if you are a writer, or you are an Estate Agent.

 

I am not and have never been a Twitter fan. I have an inactive account pointing people towards my Instagram.

YouTube

You don’t have to be an influencer to add YouTube to your social remit. YouTube is a great place for businesses to showcase products and services, to create brand story and to direct traffic to your website. It’s a busy platform with a fight for content attention so you need to be prepared to get smart with your videos and to make sure that all videos have SEO focused titles.

 

I use YouTube all the time but currently not for promoting the business. I find YouTube is the place I go to for tutorials on ‘how to’ – especially for website and drawing tips.

TikTok

All the young people are hanging out here these days, making dance videos, creating memes and showing us life hacks. 60% of users over on this platform are aged between 16-24 so if this is your target market you really need to get your TikTok thinking cap on in order to stand out. This platform is fast paced, content lasts just a few hours and needs to be created most days for it to be effective. This is the ideal platform for clothing brands, lifestyle stores and gift businesses aimed at a younger audience.

 

My audience is currently not on TikTok so I am not using it for the business. Everytime I do go on, I get lost in continuous cat videos 🙈

Linkedin

The business focused platform has more than 740 million active users and is considered one of the best social media sites for B2B marketing. Over the years Linkedin has added more and more features to its repertoire in the hope of keeping up with its rivals. That means that it now provides a range of different content options and is not simply a place to find a job anymore. Connecting with likeminded businesses and business owners also allows you to build business contacts and create an engaged audience right there on the platform.

 

After being an early LinkedIn adopter I drifted away for a while. However, in 2021 I set myself the goal of using it more regularly again. It is a great place to connect and network, and a single post lasts for days as opposed to hours. Connect with me on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/claire-steele/

Pinterest

This pretty platform is one that tends to get left out when it comes to thinking about business social media marketing, but if you have a range of different products, nice lifestyle photography and want to take advantage of the 300% increase in ‘add to cart’ conversions that Pinterest saw between 2020 and 2021, then it is the place for you. This platform is mainly a B2C platform and is great for photographers, branding agencies, web designers and lifestyle and clothing companies.

 

Social media plays a massive part in marketing and finding the right platform for your business is important. Weighing up the pros and cons of each can help you to decide where to concentrate your efforts, BUT social media shouldn’t be the only place you shout about your products and services. A well thought out marketing plan that incorporates a variety of different outlets is important.

 

Did you know Pinterest is only second to Google as a shopping search engine? I am actively uploading my designs onto Pinterest to reach a bigger audience. I also use Pinterest as I create secret ‘mood’ boards for every job.

 

Follow Lil Creative Studio on Pinterest www.pinterest.co.uk/lilcreative

#designtip – create unique content for each platform to maximize your marketing messages.

Tags:
Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Social Media Platforms TikTok Twitter YouTube

< Back to #designtips

Back to #designtips