When it comes to social media, how do you know which ones are right for your business? With so many options, it can be confusing to know where you should focus your efforts.
Instead of chasing all the latest trends, it’s best to analyze your options and know which platform will be most effective for your business. But before deciding what social media networks to use, you need to know what your goals are and what you hope to achieve.
First off ask yourself, you must determine your company’s goals. Are you looking to generate leads, engage with existing customers, offer customer service or create brand awareness? After you have defined your objectives, your decision for which platforms to use should become clearer.
So what factors should you consider? Take a look at these tips when deciding which social media route is best for your business:
Do Your Research
To find out what each platform can offer, you will need to do your research first. This will help you determine are any potential limitations and what the cost associated with using each tool. There are lots of things to learn when venturing into online social networking so spend some time researching what types of social networks are available and how they can support your business objectives.
Experiment
Trial and error is often necessary when deciding which platform will best suit your company’s goals and objectives. In some cases, you won’t know what works and what doesn’t unless you experiment with the different options that are available first. Of course, utilizing the experience of a social media expert can certainly help steer you in the right direction.
Stop and Listen
Listening to active conversations is crucial before you begin and this will be a key indicator for how active a social media platform is for your industry. If there isn’t much activity going on about your industry, it may be in your best interest to just skip it. Check out social media monitoring sites such as How Sociable, Social Mention, and even Google Alerts to search for active conversions within each social media network.
Profile Your Market
After you have listened to the conversation, you will need to profile your current customer base. Have a clear understanding of who your customers are and what networks they choose to use. This will help you screen which platforms to focus on, once you know your ideal customer.
Follow Trends
You don’t want to jump on every social media band-wagon but it’s important to know what platforms are popular and being used. Following the right trends will help your brand remain relevant and in touch with your customer. If you don’t know social networks are on trend right now, this is where a contacting a social media expert or marketing agency can help.
Ashley Rose Davidson 