Which Social Media Accounts Does My Brand Need?
So you’ve decided that Social Media is a must have for successful marketing strategies. Congratulations! Now the question becomes, what media accounts does your brand need? The real question is which social media platforms would result in monetary gains and effective market outreach. The answer can be found within the objectives you’ve set for your business or brand.
Let’s explore your options!
1. “The Book”: It has become pretty obvious that Facebook is the Big Kahuna of social media networking. Start with creating a Business Page. It must be linked to an established personal account so clean up those profiles just in case! The connected personal page WILL NOT be visible to others but still clean it up and consider the potential ‘friends’ you choose to invite to your business page.
- Who Benefits: Every industry & business should publish a Facebook page. The traffic Facebook sees DAILY can be harnessed to benefit your objectives and direct traffic to your landing page or full website.
2. Twitter: If you have the personnel or personal time to devote to the suggested 4 to 6 Tweets a day, your business will definitely benefit from a Twitter account. Even if you post tweets less frequently, starting an account on Twitter is a vital move for pumping up your brand awareness.
- Who Benefits: Every public figure or business should have an account with the extensive branding capabilities. Easily a force to be reckoned with, Twitter post interpretations can go from ‘0 to 60 real quick’! So watch how you use it.
3. LinkedIn: As the social networking platform dominating the professional world, LinkedIn is handy for gaining industry credibility and the knowledge of specific market activity. The platform will even double as a way to connect with the right professionals for your team. A business page must be connected to someone’s account (it can be transferred easily).
- Who Benefits: Any business can benefit but the B2B community will certainly thrive with it. Those looking for real, quantifiable market positioning also appreciate it as only business conscious networkers frequent the platform.
4. Instagram: Pictures and short videos are the name of the game for this social media platform so sharpen those digital media and photography skills! Brand Identity is also a major factor in choosing this platform.
- Who Benefits: Usually e-commerce branding efforts, freelancers and companies with something to offer (products or services) target consumers. However, any business will reap benefit by simply growing awareness on another influential platform.
5. Pinterest: Pinterest gives you image networking. The social giant is perfect for increasing traffic to your social accounts and even your website. Photos, memes and other imagery grouped together based on interests will connect like-minded visual expression. A single account can have multiple interest-specific Pin Boards that you can link content to.
- Who Benefits: Anyone looking to bring both a niche audience and wide ranging audience to designated landing pages will love this image powerhouse. Pinterest boosts influence and reach like you wouldn’t believe!
6. Tumblr: This micro-blog social platform creates a space for pure expression without the pricey web hosting & design element. Think Pinterest or Instagram meets blogging. The platform is very visual and eye catching, automated visual content is key. It appeals to raising awareness of your brand identity (who you are as an organization).
- Who Benefits: Many still believe that millennials and up are unfamiliar with, and even shy away from, Tumblr. This is only somewhat true but be advised it does reach more of the younger audience. Use this social micro-blogger to showcase your company culture and what you stand for or why you do what you do.
7. Google+: One thing I can say about the social media jumble that is Google+ is that it is awesome for SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Think Facebook meets Pinterest and had an imagery search-made-easier love child.
- Who Benefits: As ginormous as Google has gotten, Google+ (done properly) will help query searchers looking for what you offer or are interested in (cue the brand identity if you’re a business!) find you. You can’t go wrong with marketing via Google+!
8. YouTube: The dynamic video mecca of the new millennium is the mother of all social media engines with its rich feature set and endless reach. Uploading a video can lead to instantaneous recognition or steady subscriptions depending on the content you produce.
- Who Benefits: Every. Single. Business. The possibilities are truly limitless with the video platform for tutorials, world news, vlogs, music videos, education, entertainment and beyond! An increase in subscriptions to your channel turns into so much more than social networking.
9. Vine: “Do it for the Vine!” The attention span of most audiences, especially consumers, is shrinking with the ever exponential influx of information. The 6 second Vines range from creative marketing blurbs to the nonsensical actions of daily life caught on camera.
- Who Benefits: Anyone can utilize the quick in-their-face platform to transform stagnant content into modern, eclectic advertisements.
10. Meetup: More than a community of Speed Daters Anonymous, I Heart Hiking or My Religious Group Rocks groups, Meetup.com has become a top ranked social networking environment that takes marketing connectivity from digital to in-person.
- Who Benefits: Hosted events and gatherings of companionable peers, collaborators and potential clientele takes your business or interests off their screens and onto their calendars. Everyone can benefit from when digital marketing collides with organic marketing and networking.
