There are a lot of social media platforms out there these days. From tweeting to blogging to obscure video apps, you can connect with anyone, anywhere, utilizing nearly any medium. However, if you’re a brand or business trying to expand your reach, the most important aspect of developing a social strategy is dialing in your efforts for the highest possible ROI.
For most brands interested in getting their social presence off the ground, focusing on the top three social media platforms is generally the smartest way to get started. With the features of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, brands can quickly find their niche on a platform (or all three) and engage with their audience in a whole new way. And if you aren’t sure which one is right for your brand, we’ve got your back!
An Overview of Social Media Platforms for Businesses
Best For:
- Restaurants
- Small, local businesses
- B2B advertisers
As the most popular social media platform in the world, Facebook has an estimated 2.45 billion active monthly users. It’s probably safe to assume that regardless of who makes up your target audience, some of them are on Facebook. While the interest in Facebook is waning among the younger crowd, it is still often one of the first places people check to find information and reviews about your business—especially if you’re a local business or a B2B brand.
Best For:
- E-commerce brands or local boutiques
- Visually focused businesses (artists, musicians, etc.)
- Restaurants
Since being bought by Facebook, the two have worked to seamlessly move in tandem with each other to fully encompass nearly any demographic you could imagine. Users of Instagram tend to skew a bit younger than Facebook users and are more interested in seeing engaging visuals paired with quick-witted captions. Instagram is great for any brand with a visual focus for this reason—restaurants can post enticing food pictures and specials, and any brand with lots of visual content can benefit from implementing an Instagram strategy to connect with users.
Best For:
- B2B businesses
- Tech companies
- Thought leaders
Though the use of hashtags has permeated to other social networks, Twitter was the first to introduce the concept and is where you can find hashtags most widely used. This makes Twitter a great way to get your brand in front of businesses and strangers alike—especially if you work in an industry with popular buzzwords that can be quickly tagged for searchability. Additionally, one of the most unique things about Twitter is the sheer speed at which it moves. If you posted to Instagram or Facebook 5+ times a day, you might scare followers off—but for Twitter, that’s the perfect posting frequency.
Regardless of what platform you choose, getting on social media is a must for brands to connect with their audience in today’s market. Not only can you learn a lot about who you’re trying to reach from developing a sound social strategy, but it also allows you to engage both existing and potential customers like never before!
