8 Social Media Platforms Your Business Should be Using and Why

Seth Rosenthal

Seth Rosenthal About The Author

Aug 12, 2021 12:10:41 PM

8 Social Media Platforms Your Business Should be Using and Why

A social media presence is essential for every business. Even if you primarily focus on your brick-and-mortar store or have sales through Amazon, social media profiles allow you to reach out to your customer base, develop a brand identity, and promote your sales and events. Engage with your audience and boost your company's brand presence on these popular social media platforms. 

Learn 5 ways to spend your digital dollars wisely

1. Facebook

Screen Shot 2021-08-11 at 1.05.42 PMFacebook is the quintessential social media platform for almost every B2C business. It has 2.7 billion monthly users to advertise to and communicate with, and this large audience isn't just in one age bracket. Nearly a quarter of Facebook users are 24 years old or younger, and 46% are 65 years old or older. 

We recommend building up these resources on Facebook: 

  • A regularly updated Facebook profile page: This should have images, contact information, hours of operation, and a thorough description of your goods and services. 
  • Frequent short-form posts that engage audiences and link to your website or online store 
  • Videos 
  • High-quality photos 

By creating Facebook-specific content, businesses can provide users with updated information, insight into their brand, and more. You can nurture leads and spread the word about promotions and new offerings. Facebook also has an analytics page and plenty of marketing tools and resources for business users to utilize. You can even encourage shoppers to leave helpful reviews.

2. YouTube

Screen Shot 2021-08-11 at 1.05.50 PMYouTube is primarily considered a video-sharing platform, but it's an instrumental part of every social media strategy. Businesses can create engaging videos that entertain audiences, promote sales or items, and educate viewers about using their products or solving related problems.   

While YouTube is an important social media platform, it can be a significant time investment. You need a video creation expert (or team) with video editing skills. Creating a large following and a sufficient archive of past videos also takes years of regular posting schedules. If you want to promote your brand on YouTube but don't have the time, working with influencers and other content creators can help spread the word about your brand through sponsorships and in-video ads.

3. Instagram

Screen Shot 2021-08-11 at 1.05.57 PMInstagram is a popular social media platform for younger shoppers in the Millennial and Gen Z age bracket, and its user base grew to over 1 billion over the last year. This platform focuses on artistic, visual content, such as videos and images.   

Businesses can best use this platform by creating easy-to-view graphics that are mobile-friendly and have little to no text. To get started, develop graphics for Instagram Live and Instagram stories. Just like YouTube, the time commitment can be extensive, especially if you're new to the platform: it requires knowledge of photography, editing, and Instagram trends.

4. Twitter

Screen Shot 2021-08-11 at 1.06.03 PMTwitter is a social media platform that allows users to engage with audiences through short text and graphical messages. However, your customers can talk to and about you, so it's a bit of a double-edged sword. It's a public forum for handling customer service and addressing complaints or positive remarks. It's best for businesses that already have a strong brand presence.

5. LinkedIn

Screen Shot 2021-08-11 at 1.06.13 PMLinkedIn is a professional social media platform, so it works best for professional content and contact-building. Businesses can reach out to B2B audiences, working professionals, or industry specialists. It has over 260 million monthly users, so companies can use this platform to develop a professional following, promote their company's culture, and publish thought leadership content.

6. Pinterest

Screen Shot 2021-08-11 at 1.06.19 PMPinterest is a visuals-heavy social media platform that allows users to follow and pin creative content they like. Niche businesses in the beauty, fitness, and food industries have the highest degree of success on this platform. Your image and video posts allow visitors to click through your product pages, blog, or other destinations. 

7. Snapchat

Screen Shot 2021-08-11 at 1.06.25 PMSnapchat is another social media platform geared toward younger users, and it's meant only for mobile devices. You can generate excitement about your brand with frequent images about promotions, products, and events; every image is temporary, so you can engage your audience frequently without overwhelming their feeds. 

8. TikTok

Screen Shot 2021-08-11 at 1.06.31 PMTikTok is a popular video-based social media platform. You can post short videos and react to others' videos to engage with followers and grow your brand identity. This social media is popular among Gen Z users. 

Engage With Your Target Market on Social Media — KCTV5 Can Help  

Each of these social media platforms serves slightly different audiences, so your business can find the perfect platform — or platforms — for engaging with your online audience. By frequently creating images, videos, and text content, you can reach platforms with millions of users, answer questions, and address positive and negative feedback about your company. KCTV5 is here to help. 

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Topics: Social Engagement