Every month, a new social media channel pops up. Should you create a TikTok account? Join Clubhouse? Would Twitter Spaces work for your business? It can be tempting to be active on all the available social media channels, but is that the right course of action? Instead, strategically choosing your business’s social media channels is best. Creating a social media strategy will help you determine which channels are best for your business.
By working with Send It Rising, you’ll receive personalized support to identify the best platforms for your goals, audience, and resources. Don’t spread yourself too thin by trying to be everywhere at once. Instead, focus on the channels delivering the most value for your business.
Does Your Business Need a Social Media Channel?
The short answer is yes, but it depends on several factors. You may be fine without social media if your goals, audience, and KPIs align. However, consider at least one social media channel to increase exposure or reach new and current customers.
The Sprout Social Index, Edition XVII: Accelerate report found that consumers prefer to use social media to share feedback about a product (31%) and reach out with a customer service issue or question (33%). On the marketing end, 88% of marketers report that their social media strategy positively influenced their sales, and 90% agree that social media helps them stay ahead of their competitors. So, the long answer to “Does your business need a social media channel?” is yes, if you want to build your community, increase brand awareness, generate sales leads, and monitor your competitors.
Considerations When Choosing a Social Media Channel
What Are Your Goals?
Different platforms offer different advantages. Often, social media goals align with your overall business goals. When setting your social media goals, a few platforms will stand out as the best ones to reach those goals.
According to marketers, their top goals in social media are to:
- Increase brand awareness (70%)
- Generate leads (59%)
- Increase community engagement (48%)
Once you’ve identified your top goals, write them down to reference as you consider your channel choices.
What Content Types Do You Have?
Some companies already have an established media library, providing visual content to repurpose into social media posts. You might also have blog posts that can be used on social platforms. Assess your existing content and plan for future creation. Consider who will handle content creation. Will the social media manager also take on photography, or will you outsource video production?
There are five main types of social media content: video, images, text, stories, and live video. The content you create will influence your choice of social media channels. For example, if you can produce a lot of video content, prioritize platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. While TikTok might seem appealing, having the necessary video content for the platform is essential. Realistically evaluate your content creation capacity to ensure you can consistently post the right type and amount of content.
Where Is Your Audience Now?
Even if you aren’t present on a social media channel, chances are that your customers are. Check your website data to see where your referrals are coming from. What are they clicking on, and where are they clicking from? Knowing that you already have a customer base on a channel makes it easier for you when you establish your brand presence.
One exercise you can do is define your target audience. Once you have that identified, you can match them up with current statistics for various social media platforms. Some demographics are more present on specific channels than others. This data will help you decide on a social media channel.
Where Are Your Competitors?
Research your competitors’ social media profiles to understand where they post and what content resonates with their audience. Analyze the types of posts working for them and read the comments to gauge customer feedback. This analysis will help you understand your competitors’ performance and identify opportunities for your strategy.
Social media is invaluable for competitor analysis. Marketers use social data to assess customer loyalty and identify the strengths and weaknesses of competitors’ products or services. Tools like the competitor report offered by Social Media Consulting can help you track and compare your performance with your competitors, providing insights in an easy-to-read graph.
How Will You Manage All the Social Media Channels?
Once you’ve identified the social media channels to focus on and who in your team will manage them, the next step is to choose the right tools. Social media management software typically includes features for scheduling, analytics, previews, and engagement management. Some tools, like Sprout, support multiple platforms, including review sites such as Google My Business and TripAdvisor. The more channels you manage, the more critical these tools are for efficiently handling reviews and engagements.
An all-in-one solution can help you save time and streamline your efforts. With a unified inbox, you can manage all interactions from one place, eliminating the need to jump between different networks.
Right Social Media Channel for You
There are over 15 social media platforms for you to choose from. It’s overwhelming. How will you choose the right ones for you? Ask yourself the above seven questions to narrow down your choices.
Consumer social media use has increased across all generations in the last year. If you haven’t already, investing in social media is time. And if you’re hesitant about adding more channels, the data shows that usage and spending will continue to rise. You won’t want to be left behind. For more insights on optimizing your online presence, check out our pages on Advanced SEO, Content Production, Local Optimization, Google Ads, and Email Marketing. Ready to optimize your social media strategy? Contact Send It Rising Today to get started!
