Best Social Media Platforms for Business

Whether you run a Business-to-Business (B2B) or Business-to-Consumer (B2C) company, your business should use social media to gain brand awareness and generate leads. Not all social media platforms should be used the same way though, like the fact that there are unique ideal posting times for each platform. All present a specific value if used correctly.

The most popular forms of social media include Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Google My Business and LinkedIn. Let’s take a look at the best ways to use some or all of these to help you maximize your business’ digital presence.

Facebook

With more than a quarter of the world’s population on Facebook, your company must have a Facebook profile to allow potential customers to find you. But it’s not enough to just complete the bare minimum – the profile should have a well-written “About” section, and a profile picture that coordinates with the cover photo. These are the first three things that users will see, so make a good first impression! The sizable number of users and posts on Facebook make it hard to get in front of the right users, so after building a strong profile, start boosting posts to your target market. This will help generate new leads and grow your following to increase the reach of your organic posts.

Youtube

When it comes to search engine optimization, you know that content is king, but most people think of content as articles. That’s not the case anymore! YouTube is the second largest search engine, processing 3 billion searches per month and 100 hours of video uploads per minute. Search engine optimization should be at the forefront of your online marketing strategy, so begin creating informational videos and adding them to your YouTube channel. Optimize your profile and each video for keywords that your target market is searching for, and you’ll begin to dominate YouTube as a search engine and a social network.

Instagram

Instagram is the perfect outlet for sharing behind-the-scenes shots, hosting contests, and displaying what you do in a creative way. Start by following potential customers and determine when and what you will be posting. It’s important to keep your posts consistent and inline with your brands image. Contests that give away a free product or service perform extremely well. Try adding a post asking followers to “like” and “tag” a friend to enter to win. Instagram is a great network to tie into your Facebook strategy, especially when you begin implementing an advertising campaign. Your Facebook ads can be displayed to the same customer segments on Instagram in a clean format with strong calls to action.

Twitter

Twitter is one of the favored ways to engage with your existing and potential customers. The ability to follow, tweet to, and retweet gives a leg up on gaining targeted followers over other networks. A great way to gain engaged followers is to find influencers who are posting about similar things, then follow people who have retweeted their popular tweets. Those people will likely follow you back and begin retweeting your content. Make sure you have consistency in how often you create and tweet new content, by creating a blog posting schedule.

Google My Business

For companies with a local presence, Google My Business can’t be ignored. Having a completed profile is a significant factor in ensuring your company is displayed in the local 3-pack results and Google map listings. It’s also important to gain reviews on Google My Business because as your credibility goes up, so does your Google rank. Online reviews are known to impact search results rankings, consumer trust, and click through rates. Finally, the posts on Google My Business are like mini ads that appear in Google search results, unlike posts on other popular social networks.

Linkedin

LinkedIn is essential for B2B companies.The ability to identify executives at specific companies, connect with them, and share information about your offering is invaluable. To benefit from LinkedIn’s full potential, start by updating your personal profile and linking it to your company’s profile. Next, engage with connections by liking, sharing, and commenting on their posts. Lastly, grow your connections and share valuable content to position yourself and your company as a leader and expert in your industry.

It can certainly be overwhelming to navigate the social media scene for your business, but it is an extremely important part of being successful in today’s competitive marketplace. Take the time to make the best choices for your business today, and reap the rewards in the near future. No matter the social network you choose, make sure you have a well-designed profile, and consistently share valuable content that will help your network solve the problems they face. Before you know it, you will be a pro at tweeting, posting, and connecting your way to more sales!