- You need to be active on every social network.
We've all heard that before,
but that statement is a myth
and also bad advice.
The right approach to social media is investing
in a smart mix of channels
as opposed to trying to be everywhere
with no cohesive strategy.
As a part of your social media strategy,
you want to make informed decisions
about which channels make the most sense
for your organization to use
to reach your customers.
The reason your choices are so important here
is because having an impact on a social network
and driving business value from your presence there
requires a serious investment of time and resources.
You don't want to waste your limited bandwidth
on maintaining the wrong social networks.
Instead, you should focus on selecting ones
that are best suited
to help you successfully achieve your goals,
so what does investing in a smart mix
of channels look like?
It depends on your business.
I once worked with a chain of auto repair shops
and their mix of social channels consisted
of being active on Facebook, Yelp, Nextdoor, and Instagram.
This mix made sense for them,
as these channels align with their customer base
of local car owners ages 25 to 55 interested
in reading reviews about the shop's repair services.
While every organization will focus on its own unique mix
of channels, the three part process
for choosing the right social networks is similar
for everyone.
First, research a channel's audience
to determine if your customers are actually active there.
Most of the social networks provide data
on their own audience's demographics
in terms of size, composition,
and their activity level on the platform,
which you should reference.
This research will help reveal high-level insights
about these social networks,
like how Snapchat and TikTok, for example,
have younger audiences under 25 years old.
Secondly, review research studies about social media
provided by high-quality, third party sources
like eMarketer, Pew Research, Social Media Examiner,
and Business Insider Intelligence.
These organizations and others provide data, trends,
and analysis on how consumers
and businesses use social media
and the most common demographics on each of these networks.
For instance, Pew Research just released a report
on the usage of different social media networks,
indicating Facebook and YouTube are the most widely used
by adults in the U.S.
Lastly, understanding what nuances
make each social network distinct will help your company
choose the right destination
for communicating with your customers.
Understanding what types
of content are most often shared per channel,
each platform's specific features,
and the psychology of a channel's user base
can help guide your decisions.
You can determine these specifics
by exploring channels first-hand,
monitoring patterns in behavior,
the types of topics most often covered, and more.
It's up to you to mix research with experience
to learn where it's most beneficial
for your organization to spend its time on social media.