Social media is an effective marketing tool that can boost your business’ growth in 2021. But only if you can find the right social media platform.
Keep in mind that not all channels are created equal. Every platform has a set of users. You must study these users so you will know how to interact with them through your content.
Choosing the Right Social Media Platform in 2021 – A Challenge
Indeed, finding the right platform is one of the biggest obstructions for many marketers. To choose the perfect bankable platform, you need market research.
You can’t just use Facebook because 89% of marketers are using it. Your target market may not be there.
On the other hand, you may focus on Pinterest as 28% of marketers are using it.
However, only 17% of consumers are following brands when using this platform. In that case, you may waste your resources and efforts.
If you choose the wrong platform, you may be consuming your budget without getting the right results.
The solution is to research your market.
1) Find a Platform where Your Audience is Active
It will depend on the nature of your business.
Facebook and Instagram are best for B2C companies. These platforms can boost your visibility and you can engage with your audience visually.
If you’re a B2B company, LinkedIn is your best option as you’ll meet potential clients.
You must also have a YouTube channel to help you further interact with your audience and share your best content.
2) Know the Cost of Paid Ads
Indeed, you can use any social media platform without spending on ad costs. However, if you don’t use paid ads, your growth will be slower than if you choose social media advertising.
Social ads can complement your organic campaigns. They can help you target your ideal buyers, thereby, driving traffic to your site.
Although social ads can help you identify new leads as you define your ideal customer, you need to find the right platform that lets you boost your ROI without spending more.
One of the cheapest paid social ads is carousels on Facebook. With this tool, you can show your audience various pieces of content without the need to spend more on various ads.
Since every business is different, you need to test out a few platforms to know which one meets your marketing budget.
3) Determine the Platform’s Potential for Driving Traffic
Not all platforms can help you drive traffic to your website. There are factors to consider.
One factor is the type of content you share with your followers.
Twitter, for instance, is ideal for sharing links. If you’re a B2C company, choose image-heavy sites, like Instagram and Pinterest.
But even if you post the right format, social media users won’t still engage with your content if it’s not appealing.
That’s why you must write irresistible headlines to your post. How to write headlines that will get more clicks and shares? You may find this post useful.
You should also use Google Analytics to help you identify which platform is giving you more traffic.
Buffer has an Analyze feature that will tell you what kind of posts resonate most with your audience. It also tells you what day to post to get a lot of engagement.
Buffer’s Analyze is a paid tool. But it offers a 14-day free trial.
4) Choose a Platform to Boost Lead Generation
Lead generation is part of every social media marketing strategy.
When you collect leads, you’ll know which users are interested in your brand. You’ll use these leads to share your news and special offer.
So, which platform is the best when it comes to lead generation?
It depends. The best platform is where your customers are active.
But most marketers agree that Facebook is the number 1 social media site in lead generation.
There’s no question about that considering Facebook’s billions of users a month. In other words, it has the largest population.
Furthermore, Facebook has sophisticated tools in collecting leads on its platform.
However, the iOS 14 update may affect how Facebook tools work when it comes to lead generation. The latest iOS will show a prompt that may discourage users to allow apps in collecting their data.
No one knows yet how the latest iOS will impact overall social media marketing.
But keep in mind that Apple isn’t the most popular mobile OS in the world. Thus, the effects may not be too significant.
5) Study Your Competition
Pay attention to what platform your competitors are using. Then, focus your efforts on those platforms.
Stay away from channels where your competitors don’t thrive.
If you’re in the fashion or lifestyle industry, Pinterest and Snapchat are the best platforms. Instagram, too, is an ideal platform for your brand.
However, make sure that you use aesthetics when you publish your content here.
You may focus on LinkedIn if you’re a B2B industry.
On the other hand, your competitors may also use YouTube if they wish to publish videos and original tutorials.
No Perfect Platform
Ultimately, the social media platform that’s right for your brand will depend on your target market. There’s no perfect platform here. It needs constant research to help you reach the right audience.
You should also remember that social media results aren’t consistent. On some days, you’ll have low engagements while other days you’ll get high engagements.
Your success in social media marketing will depend on a lot of factors. However, focus on those tips above to help you prioritize what platforms you wish to invest your resources in.
Just remember that when you use social media, you’re seeking out customers. That’s why it’s vital that you know your target audience before you create your content. No matter how great your content is, it won’t convert if it’s not targeted to your audience.
For that reason, it’s ideal that you take time in researching your market. This will help you get to know your audience more so you can determine what platforms they are using and what type of content they engage in.
And if they do follow your brand on social media, make sure to post only relevant content and avoid too many promotional posts.
