When setting up your brand’s social media profiles, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the massive variety of platforms you have to choose from. The trick is knowing which social networks suit your business best before you get started.
To keep things simple for you, here's a straightforward guide to which social media platforms you should choose based on your industry.
With over 2 billion users, Facebook is the world’s largest social media platform. Therefore, if you’re a B2C (business-to-consumer) brand, FB should absolutely be among your chosen social media marketing channels.
Because FB is meant entirely for leisure/personal use, it’s not really suitable for B2B companies.
Who should be using Facebook?
- Retailers
- Cafés/Restaurants
- All other B2C companies
Twitter is arguably the most diverse platform when it comes to social media marketing. This is because its user base and functionality make it a useful promotional tool for just about any business.
With that said, there are some industries that tend to find more success than most on Twitter. Because of its bulletin board setup, the platform is especially useful for bloggers, public speakers and other self-employed businesspeople.
Who should be using Twitter?
Basically any and all businesses, but especially:
- News / Media websites
- Bloggers / Speakers
- Self-employed professionals
Despite having been around since 2010, Instagram has enjoyed a surge in recent times and is now the world’s fastest growing social media platform. It currently boasts over 1 billion users.
Being primarily a photo sharing platform, Instagram is suitable for any brand whose promotions are visual-based. So, if your business happens to be in travel, fashion or beauty, Instagram is an essential marketing tool.
Who should be using Instagram?
- Travel agents
- Fashion / Beauty companies
- Photographers / Designers / Artists
LinkedIn is a social media network with a difference – whereas other platforms are designed for leisure, LinkedIn is intended strictly for professional purposes. Because of this, it is ideally suited for B2B individuals and companies looking to exchange knowledge and services (just make sure you do things the right way).
Who should be using LinkedIn?
- Commercial maintenance companies
- Utilities suppliers
- All other B2B companies and professionals
YouTube
Strictly speaking, YouTube is much more than just a social media platform – it’s also a television network and streaming service rolled into one. However, with regards to digital marketing, it’s important to understand and appreciate YouTube’s social media elements. In essence, YT allows anyone to distribute quality video content to a large audience (1.3 billion, according to recent stats).
With this in mind, any business whose products or services can be showcased in video format should look at creating content for YouTube (‘How to’ user guides are especially effective). Of course, this can be more time-consuming and costly than creating other social media content, but the potential for ROI makes it worth considering.
Who should be using YouTube?
- Household product manufacturers
- Digital software companies
- Instructors / Training providers
Are there any other social media platforms you’re considering for digital marketing purposes? Get in touch with us to check if they’re a good fit for you.