Which Social Networks Should my Business Use?

If you know that social media is right for your business (and it’s generally a good thing for most),  you may be a wondering where to start.  Many of our clients use the most common social networks; Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Four Steps to Choosing the Right Social Networks for your Business:

1. Identify Goals  – Determine what your company goals are.  Are you trying to expand your current network and gain new customers? Reach new markets? Build customer loyalty and referrals? Monitor your brand online? Get nationwide exposure? Start with your overall business goals and marketing goals in mind.
2. Locate where your Customers are – Next, find out where your customers and industry players hang out online. If you are not sure, do some research – ask your customers individually or survey them as a group to get some insight.  You could also use the search features within different social networks to see if people are talking about your topics. Setting up Google Alerts for your brand, products, company name, or industry is another way to get a feel for where conversations are happening across the web.
3. Consider the Content – What type of content does your company create or plan on creating? In most cases, a mix of content can help you to get the most exposure and engagement. But when you really excel with certain content, it will help you pinpoint some social networks that will help you best use your marketing communications.
4. Prioritize – Now that you have a list of some great choices for your business on social media, prioritize and determine how much time and resources you have for social media marketing, or if you will outsource or hire a Community Manager. If your time and resources are limited, focus on which 1-2 social network(s) can help you create the best results and give them your all!

Insider Tip:  If you are looking for a consistent username across the social networks, and you want to see what the availability is, use this Knowem tool for checking brand, product, personal name or username instantly on over 550 popular and emerging social media websites.

Common Sense Tip: Remember, with all social networks, your work is not done once the account is set up.  Social media requires an ongoing commitment of listening, engaging, and strategy in order to see results.