With social media expanding as quickly as it is, it can be difficult to determine which platforms are necessary for you to have a presence on. Some may assume that from my recommendations, I want you to be on all the platforms you possibly can. But that’s not necessarily the case. In fact, I don’t think any brand needs to be on every platform. But, I also don’t think they should automatically be on the most popular ones.
So how do you pick which ones to tackle?
You consider two things:
One, where is your audience?
Two, how do you talk to them there?
I preach Facebook, Twitter and Instagram a lot, but if your audience isn’t there, they are not helpful to you. You can jab jab jab, give content, provide value, post articles, but if the people listening aren’t your customers, it’s all for naught.
Weird example to illustrate what I mean: if you sell adult diapers, Snapchat isn’t going to cut it for you, even though it is a massively popular platform at the moment. On the other side, if you sell selfie sticks that are only made for fifteen year old girls, Facebook is starting to become a place you could debate is not really for you. As that platform ages up, it might be a place better suited for those diapers I mentioned earlier.
The bottom line is, you need to be in the right place, regardless of the platform’s size. Yik-Yak is certainly not the biggest platform out there right now, but I think there are a lot of interesting opportunities there for college campus pizza shops. You see what I’m saying? Reverse engineer the demographic you’re selling to.
The other issue you need to consider is whether you really know how to communicate on those platforms.
While you should have the basic idea of each platform down to stay in the game, focusing on the intricacies and workings of the platforms that matter most to your consumer base will be key. Take the time to go deep in those places. Get into the minutiae and understand why your customers are there in the first place. Social media is, first and foremost, a communication tool. And you should remember that; listen to people and learn.
It’s not the size of the platform. It’s not about being all over every platform. It’s what’s right for your business based on who you’re trying to reach.
