Social media helps businesses worldwide connect with their audience, increase their overall business, and greatly extend their reach.
However, the days of only having to decide between Facebook and Twitter have long passed, as more and more social media networks have been released. This can make it difficult for a business to determine which platforms are the best ones to use and which ones they do not need to worry about.
The social media platforms that have the most active users each month are Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, so these are the first ones to consider using for any business since you will see the best results on these cornerstone platforms. But, what about the other platforms out there? There are more you can put to use, depending on your business and audience base, to extend your reach even further.
The Top Platforms
Facebook is the largest social media platform, with 2.5 billion monthly active users. It is a great platform for advertising and lead generation, as well as building relationships with your audience. Facebook has a diverse group of users that can be helpful for a business. While it is great, there is also a lot of competition on the site too, which is essential to keep in mind when using the platform.
Twitter is good for reaching your target audience quickly and extending your reach, which is why it is one of the most popular platforms available. It is also the rare platform that yields the best results when using a text-based tweet; images are better than videos, but text is the best. You want to post things that are easy to digest on Twitter.
This is another cornerstone app that has over one billion users each month. You can use Instagram to share photos and videos, and Instagram offers you detailed analytics. Instagram is an excellent tool for any business.
Not many people think of LinkedIn when thinking of social media networks, but this has become a fantastic platform for businesses. If your goal is lead generation, LinkedIn is a good choice, and the best content to post is editorial. LinkedIn can help your business get established as a leader and authority.
Other Platforms
Now that we have looked at the most popular platforms, let’s take a look at the others you may not have considered using before.
If your business sells physical products, Pinterest is an ideal platform for you, because 93 percent of users use Pinterest to plan out purchases. This is a space that is full of graphics for crafting, fashion, decor, travel, and more. Approximately 77 percent of users on Pinterest are women, so many of the products displayed on the platform have that in mind.
YouTube
This is a site that you should not ignore. It has 1.68 billion users, and about 500 hours of video content are uploaded each month. Your brand can post videos to give your audience a different insight into your company. Additionally, YouTube videos do show up in Google searches, so using and optimizing your company’s YouTube channel is another way to get your brand noticed. You can also advertise on YouTube, extending your reach even further.
This is a messaging app that was initially intended to be simply a free, internet-connected text messenger. However, it has become much more than that. While it is still relatively new in the marketing world, it is possible to use it for business. Since the app does not offer business accounts, you need to get a little creative with it; brand personas and personal shoppers are among the more common ways to use WhatsApp for a business.
TikTok
TikTok is a short video sharing app, and it has over 200 million active users per month. If you want to target Gen Z, TikTok is one of the best platforms to use for your business. This platform allows you to get creative and show a different side to your business.
Snapchat
Snapchat is another photo-sharing app, where the photos last for 24 hours; they are a direct competitor of Instagram’s Stories. One of the best ways to use Snapchat for your business is with filters, which are wildly popular among users. This platform is useful if you are trying to reach Gen Z and Millennials; they are the most active users on Snapchat.
This is more of a forum than a social media network, but it is a highly popular one. Reddit is not about advertising; it is about learning and sharing with others. Each group on Reddit has rules on if you can use it for commercial purposes, and you can be removed from the groups for violating that. However, many companies do well engaging their audience on Reddit. It can be useful for market research. You can get feedback on different aspects of your business, like new products you are thinking of launching, a new website design, and other things. Reddit can be a great social media platform and resource for a business.
Conclusion
These are just some of the social media platforms that can be used to help increase your business’ reach, but there are many others available as well. When planning your social media strategy, the experts at Seattle Digital Marketing are here to help. We can help you decide on a winning strategy to help your business excel online. Contact Seattle Digital Marketing today to get started!
