One of the toughest things about getting your company involved with social media is deciding which site to use. Facebook and Twitter are the big names, but there are so many other options available – do you create a Google+ page, Pinterest boards, or a Tumblr account? Maybe you create all of them, just in case. That’s an easy way to burn out – too many social media accounts can dilute your focus and harm your marketing efforts. Instead of trying to have a presence on every single network, pick the one or two that work best for you, and focus on them. So how do you choose what’s best? Figure out what you want to use social media for, and then find a network that will help you do that.
Obviously Facebook is many companies’ first choice for social media marketing. With 1.1 billion users, it’s not hard to figure out why – that’s a huge potential audience! Facebook is a good all-purpose social media site – you can post pictures, share interesting content, respond to customer interactions, and create events. Plus, Facebook Insights provide analytics, and Facebook Ads allow for very targeted marketing. For those just starting out in social marketing, Facebook is a good first network to go with.
Twitter, with its 218 million users, is no small potatoes. But its format is very different from Facebook – Twitter’s 140 character limit means that your communications have to be short and to the point. New product releases, news announcements, and of course – customer service. More and more consumers are turning to Twitter to air grievances or seek help – and clever companies provide quick responses and aid as needed. You can also use Twitter to brand yourself as an expert in your field – post knowledgeable content, link to your blog, and respond intelligently to conversations. Finally, don’t be self-centered – Twitter is conversational, so converse! Reply to Tweets and ReTweet them to your own followers; interaction increases engagement.
Though it had a (very) slow start, Google+ now actually has more users than Twitter. Google+ has a few benefits going for it, like Hangouts and Authorship. Hangouts let you have video calls with up to 10 participants – they also allow you to live-stream and record your video call so everyone can watch. Authorship allows you to claim your writing – especially useful if you contribute to multiple sites, and very helpful for bolstering your reputation as an expert in your field. Finally, Google+ integrates with other Google products like Maps and Search – great for helping people find you easily and quickly.
Pinterest is a site that allows users to create pinboards of theme-based image collections. You can follow boards and users, “Like” pins, and share others’ pins to your own page. Pinterest is great for retailers – since many users already share product shots themselves, yours won’t feel obtrusive or out of place. You can create inspirational photos, link directly to your retail site, or share photos of customers enjoying your products. If you offer a service, however, Pinterest probably isn’t for you. Focus your efforts elsewhere.
The four networks that I mentioned are just a few of the many social networks out there. Don’t try to be part of each one – rather, think about your marketing goals, and choose a network that can help you reach them. It’s better to do well in one social network than poorly in many.
Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons
