- Failing to subscribe to multiple social media platforms may prevent you from reaching your full audience.
- Two of the best social media platforms for businesses are Facebook and Instagram,.
- Hootsuite and Buffer are two examples of apps that can help you manage multiple social media platforms.
It’s no secret that social media and content marketing is the most popular use of the internet for both professional and personal uses. The majority of marketers use social media to reach out to their customers and leads. Clearly, social networking websites have proven to be an effective marketing tool if so many companies have taken advantage of it.
However, if you have become more comfortable with one social media account and have begun neglecting others, I’m going to tell you why that's a terrible idea and why you should be sharing the love between all of your accounts.
1. You may not be reaching a portion of your audience.
Unless you know without a doubt that your audience uses one social media website, you can't depend on reaching your entire target demographic by just joining one networking site. While Twitter and Facebook are the most popular choices, some people prefer Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube or other niche social media websites.
Becoming part of more than one community will increase your reach and help you connect with more people. However, instead of signing up for every social media account possible, think about what sites your target audience will use the most.
2. You can improve your search engine rankings.
You've heard "content is king," and for good reason. The more quality content you have on the internet, the better your website is going to rank. Social media is part of the content that will help boost your rankings. Having your company's name out there on multiple websites will help you on the search engines, thanks to the high page rank of websites like Facebook and Twitter.
3. You can provide a better customer service experience.
The last thing any company wants is a bad reputation, especially when word can easily spread like a wildfire on the internet. Multiple social media websites will give you the opportunity to keep track of what is being said about you. Customers will also get the opportunity to send you messages directly. Luckily, you can quickly put out these flames by being proactive and responding to the negative comments about your business, products or services right away.
If you do get undesirable comments or questions thrown at you, respond with a solution to the problem your customer may have. This will show your audience that you want to resolve any issue they have, changing your reputation from bad to great.
4. Your competition is already there.
Even if you aren't a member of a social networking site, there's a good chance your competition already is. Instead of letting them reap all of the benefits and potential customers that you could be getting, you should also be a part of that networking community. It's pretty easy finding what social media accounts the competition is using, since most companies list their accounts on their websites.
Social media has been a growing trend for businesses over the last few years, and for good reason. Before you begin dabbling in multiple social media sites, you need a strategy with the essential elements:
- Consistency. Instead of posting when you have time, post something at the same times every day so your audience knows when to expect it.
- Quality content. Don't just post content to post it. Have something meaningful to say that your viewers will want to read.
- Engagement. Interact with your audience through social media, whether it’s by answering questions they post or by asking questions yourself.
- Images. Don't just post links and text. People love pictures and infographics. Visuals are processed 60,000 times faster in the brain than text.
Social media platforms for business
According to Lyfe Marketing, these are the most commonly used social media platforms for business:
- YouTube. With over 2 billion users, YouTube is a massive platform. It allows brands access to an unlimited amount of video hosting. Additionally, it allows businesses to access a wider audience and can boost their SEO.
- Facebook. Facebook is the world's largest social media platform and also has the most diverse users. Facebook is highly preferred by businesses because it has a targeted digital advertising platform. The platform also provides e-commerce integrations, and it allows businesses to conveniently communicate and follow up with clients on Facebook Messenger.
- Instagram. A social media platform with 1 billion active users, businesses enjoy Instagram because it allows companies to easily showcase their products. Also, it allows users to do livestreams, in which they can market and interact with fans in real time.
- Twitter. Twitter is also a great platform for businesses because it has an estimated 330 million active users worldwide. Many businesses prefer Twitter because it gives them direct access to their customers, has advertising opportunities, allows you to check hashtags to find out what is trending among your customers and more.
- Pinterest. With 300 million active users, Pinterest is great for businesses whose target demographic is women of any and all kinds.
- LinkedIn. As a social media platform for professionals, LinkedIn offers a variety of benefits to businesses. Particularly, LinkedIn offers direct access to business-minded professionals who are often seeking to collaborate with like minds. It also offers digital advertising options.
How to manage multiple social media accounts
If you are looking for ways to easily manage multiple social media platforms, according to WordStream, these are some apps designed to help you: