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When it comes to devising your social media strategy, it can be tough to decipher which social media platforms will be the best fit for your brand or business. Obviously, there are a ton to choose from, and trying to narrow them down can be overwhelming to say the least. Not to mention, after you've nailed down the platforms you're going to conquer, you still have to come up with an actual strategy for using them. One things for certain, there's no use investing your time and energy into something that simply isn't a good fit. There's nothing worse than depleting your most valuable resources - time, energy and money - only to realize you've been spinning your wheels the whole time, and now have to go back to the drawing board. That's why it's so important to make sure you're investing in the right social platforms from the beginning.
With so many different social media platforms at our disposal, how do you know which one will best serve your brand? Also, what about all the new, trending social media developments happening, and the constant changes across platforms and algorithms? It's not uncommon for brands who are just starting out to think they need to be on ALL THE THINGS in order to "be seen". Wrong. Fear not, you will actually make a bigger impact by niching down and establishing yourself on what we call, "the big three". This means that ideally, your brand should be on three major platforms; the platforms best suited to serve your vision and goals for growth. By doing so, you'll be able to establish a strong social media presence, while building an engaged online community. Below is a list of the key elements to consider when nailing down the right social media platforms for your brand or business -
Audience
While doing your market research, you probably nailed down your target demographic, sometimes also referred to as your "client avatar". You want to really dive deep in order to truly understand these people; understand their habits, behaviors, etc. What makes your audience unique? How do they prefer to receive their news or digital content? This will of course, determine the platforms they are spending the most time on. It's not likely that a 50 year old female and a 25 year old male will be consuming the same content, or even spending the same amount of time on the same platforms. The more research you can do early on regarding your target demo, the better off you'll be.
Platform
Each platform is going to deliver information differently. For instance, something like Twitter is going to have a much stronger focus on"real time news". The audience that prefers to hang out on Twitter isn't necessarily looking for evergreen content. They want to see what's trending now - oftentimes this means they're scanning the feed for timely news updates - more or less in real time, rather than suggested to the reader by an algorithm. On the other hand, an audience who spends most of their time on Instagram is really looking for pretty visuals and catchy content. These people are typically stopping in for a good time, but not for a long time - they can be easily distracted, so your visuals should be on point in order to draw them in for the full story!
Time/Team Investment
When it comes to honing in on the best social media platforms for your brand or business, be sure to consider the amount of time you and/or your team will need to invest in order to keep it consistent. How many hours per week are you able to realistically invest in order to properly utilize each platform? Remember, this time investment should be calculated to reflect not only creating content, but also engaging, sharing, scheduling, etc. If you're just starting out, you may not have the manpower, or extra team members, to help take social media off your plate. That's totally understandable! In this case, it may be best to start with one of your big three and get your footing there before moving on to additional platforms. What's the use in signing up for a YouTube account only to let it sit there for the next year with zero videos? Start small, and don't bite off more than you can chew. It's always better to establish your brand on a platform and build a genuine community. The key is to truly connect with your given tribe, in the environment that best serves them.
At the end of the day, less is more when it comes to your brand's social media strategy. Remember to start small if necessary, and above all else, consistency is key. Doing your research early on is the best way to set yourself up for success. Every brand and business is going to be so different, likewise, their goals and ideal audience will also be different.
Finally, be sure to consider how much time you will need to invest into each platform, as this will help you to maintain your presence online as you grow. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok, which thrive on video content, will be a much bigger investment of your time, as opposed to something like Twitter.