In today’s marketing environment, social media marketing is no longer a choice for companies. According to Pew Research, as of November 2016, around 69% of all adults in the U.S. use at least one social media site to connect with others.
Whether a company chooses to actively engage in social media, it’s inevitable that their products and services will be discussed. Because of the dominance of social media in our everyday lives, it should be a key component in supporting a company’s overall marketing initiative.
Selecting the Best Platform for Your Company
To be more effective with time and effort, companies should pick one or two platforms to focus on and maintain others. The primary social media networks are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest. For the purpose of this blog, we’ll focus on the primary networks. But don’t discount other platforms, like Snapchat or Houzz. They may be more specifically tailored to your audience and business objectives.
When selecting the right social media mix, companies should find the platform that brings the most value. Find one that fits the right target audience of your marketing objectives. Make sure that you are able to generate unique content that will be relevant, interesting, and fits the social media platform.
Facebook – 1.5 Billion Active Monthly Users
- Most popular and widely used than any other social network
- Has highly targeted ad options to increase exposure and reach
- 70% of users are on the site daily
- Average lifespan of a post is 5 hours
Instagram – 500 Million Active Monthly Users
- Social sharing site that uses photos (and now short videos) to tell a brand’s story
59% of users are on the site daily - Average lifespan of a post is 48 hours
- Almost entirely mobile, as users cannot post on the desktop version
Twitter – 320 Million Active Monthly Users
- Micro-blogging site that limits posts to 140 characters
- Urban teen girls make-up the largest demographic segment
- Average lifespan of a tweet is 18 minutes
LinkedIn – 100 Million Active Monthly Users
- Geared toward connecting professionals and businesses
- 67% of user are between the ages of 25 to 54
- Excellent for generating leads by joining groups and participating in discussions
Pinterest – 100 Million Active Monthly Users
- Users discover content (pins) by searching topics and following boards and pinners
- Women make up nearly 70% of active users
- Average lifespan of a pin is dependent on following and key words, but anywhere from 1 week to several months
- Great for SEO and driving traffic to your website
Social Media Marketing
No matter which social platform you choose, it’s important to be present. Creating a profile isn’t enough. Companies must listen and respond to messages or posts from other users. Having a plan for posting and generating content is equally as critical for success in your social media marketing.
If you’d like to learn more about how we can help with your social media marketing efforts, drop us a line at 910.681.0548 or send us an email.