How to Choose the Right Social Media Platform for Your Business?

Last week, I was talking to a business owner when one of those “shiny object” questions came up: 

“Should I be on Tiktok?”

To which I suggested, …

“Let’s take a step back… and think about the following first”:

Who do you want to “talk” to?

Where can you reach them online?

What do you want them to do (when they see your message)?

And what type of content can you create?

In other words, start with the WHO first… and then take things from there.

That said, if you are an SME owner wondering about which social media platform to use…

Here’s quick run-down on the pros and cons of the main ones, including Tiktok.

FACEBOOK

Pros: Has a massive user base, which makes it a great platform for reaching a broad audience. And its advertising options make it easy to target specific demographics.

Cons: Organic reach has declined in recent years, and many businesses will need to spend money on advertising to reach their audience.

Suitable for: Businesses that want to build a community, interact with customers, and advertise to a broad audience.

INSTAGRAM

Pros: Ideal for showcasing products and services through images and video. It also has advertising options, including sponsored posts.

Cons: It’s algorithm can make it hard to gain organic reach. Businesses may need to invest in advertising to reach their desired audience.

Suitable for: Businesses that rely on visual content, e.g., fashion, beauty, food, and travel.

TWITTER

Pros: Ideal for sharing breaking news, updates, and engaging with customers in real-time.

Cons: The character limit can be challenging if you want to share in-depth content.

Suitable for: Businesses that want to share quick updates, engage with customers in real-time, and that rely heavily on breaking news and updates.

YOUTUBE

Pros: The second-largest search engine (after Google), making it an excellent platform if you want to share video content. It also has robust advertising options.

Cons: Video production can be time-consuming, and gaining traction can be challenging.

Suitable for: Businesses that want to give product demonstrations, tutorials, and industry insights.

LINKEDIN

Pros: Ideal for B2B businesses, excellent for sharing industry insights, and for networking.

Cons: User base is smaller than Facebook and Instagram.

Suitable for: Ideal for B2B businesses and professionals.

TIKTOK

Pros: An excellent platform for creating short, engaging videos. Allows for organic reach, making it an excellent platform if you want to gain traction quickly.

Cons: Younger user base, and businesses may struggle to create content that resonates with them.

Suitable for: Businesses that want to create short, engaging videos and reach a younger audience.

In short, there’s no one right option.

Each (platform) has its strengths and weaknesses… and it’s important you choose the one or ones that are right for your business. Plus, develop and implement a social media strategy that gets results.

If you’d like help doing this, just get in touch with our social media specialist.