Mastering the Social Media Maze
Does your marketing approach need to adapt?
The world of social media is constantly evolving. If you’re not changing with it, you’re already a step behind but I’m here to help keep you one step ahead. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to marketing and advertising. Each platform comes with its own unique set of quirks, audiences and best practices. Neglecting to tailor your strategy to these nuances will leave all of your hard work unnoticed. You work hard on your business and you deserve to increase your visibility online. Work with a strategy and stay on top of your digital game.
Facebook Yields the Highest Return for Marketing Efforts
Facebook demographic: Ages 25-34, 43% Female, 57% Male
Content suggestion: Local Marketing, Photos, Links, Infographics
Facebook is the third most visited site after Google and YouTube. That means you have an incredible amount of opportunity for visibility. According to Sprout Social, Facebook yields the highest return for marketing efforts. Success on Facebook depends on creating engaging, visually appealing content that resonates with your target audience. Photo posts and status posts receive the highest engagement.
According to Facebook, 50% of the time users spend on Facebook is spent watching videos.
What does well? Local marketing, infographics, and informational posts do well on Facebook. People tend to share more on Facebook so make sure that your images don’t have type errors and the wording is clear.
Paid advertising is an important component of success. You should consider using Facebook advertising to promote your business.
Read more about marketing your business well on Facebook here.
Instagram: Keep the Social in Social Media
Instagram demographic: Ages 18-34, 49% Female, 51% Male
Content Suggestions: Inspiration, Questions, Polls, Reels
According to Sprout Social, people usually open their Instagram app for entertainment. Businesses should then seek to entertain their customers and audience. The four types of content that do the best on Instagram are entertainment, inspirational and educational posts. Post quality content that serves a purpose and is relevant to your business and brand. A unique way of incorporating all of these types of content is to start using storytelling. This has proven to be an effective method of helping people with their memory and learning.
What are some ways you can incorporate storytelling into your social media strategy?
Share your brand’s story. What struggles have you faced and overcome? What values do you stand by for your business?
Share customer stories and how your product or services has impacted them. Humanize your brand and build trust.
Share videos of your team at work with behind the scenes content.
Create a sense of invitation that makes your audience feel like they pulled up a chair and they’re listening to you face to face.
Reels, of course, still have the highest reach. Almost all of my personal posts show my reels with the highest reach compared to any other post on my feed. For your stories, short narrative stories do really well. Questions and polls also do really well. Keep your audience engaged.
Did you know that 70% of shoppers look to Instagram for their next purchase? More than half of Instagram users follow and research brands and products on Instagram. It is actually the most used platform for researching and following brands and products compared to all other social media platforms. (Sprout Social) This makes Instagram extremely useful for your business.
Instagram ad reach is growing according to Sprout Social. In-feed ads have a higher click-through-rate than story ads. Keep this in mind when boosting content. Make sure your video or image is high quality, especially if using for an ad. Read more about the power of Instagram here.
News Travels Fast on X
X demographic: Ages 25-34, 38% Female, 62% Male
Topics typically discussed: News, Sports, Humor, Politics
X, formerly known as Twitter, is known for spreading misinformation because of the fast nature of this social app. It’s extremely competitive because it’s so fast-paced. X reminds me of the telephone game where someone starts a conversation, someone mishears it and has the potential to spread completely false information. However, the positive side is because it is so fast-paced, there’s a ton of potential for your brand to be noticed if you learn how to utilize your brand’s voice effectively.
I liked this quote about X: “[It’s] like one giant cocktail party where you can speak directly to your customers, tap into passionate communities and reach a wider base.” Foster relationships and show the human side of your business. Provide a unique image that aligns with your branding. Check out my post here on the value of using X in your business.
Pinterest: Your Virtual Vision Board
Pinterest demographic: Ages 18-34, 78% Female, 22% Male
Content Suggestions: Shopping, Product Research, Inspiration and Unbranded Search
If your target audience is women, Pinterest might be the perfect platform for your business. Pinterest serves as a virtual vision board for brands and consumers. With its emphasis on visually striking imagery and the ability to seamlessly integrate product links, Pinterest offers a unique opportunity for businesses to showcase their offerings in a highly engaging and shoppable format. Effective Pinterest marketing strategies involve curating aesthetically appealing boards. Inspire and influence purchasing decisions by transforming the power of Pinterest into an effective brand-building tool.
Most searches on Pinterest are unbranded. For example, people often search “blue rug” instead of “Wayfair rugs”. Use this to to your advantage. Pinterest users go to Pinterest for inspiration so help them visualize your blue rug with other products you sell. Stylishly place a beautiful blanket that you may sell on your couch, take a picture and utilize the caption to plug in important keywords like “blue rug styled in living room”.
Get your brand discovered on Pinterest by using highly aesthetic visuals and strong keywords in your caption. Don’t forget to link your images back to your website.
Have You Gone Viral on TikTok Yet?
TikTok demographic: Ages 18-34, 78% Female, 22% Male
More Gen Zers use TikTok than IG
Content Suggestions: Entertainment, Challenges, Humor and Influencer content
TikTok has quickly become the platform of choice for capturing your audience’s attention. Short-form videos that are creative, authentic and trend-savy are the best way to step up your marketing game on this app. Create shareable, entertaining content that seamlessly integrates into the platform’s vibrant and evolving culture. While there is, of course, reason to be hesitant about starting on TikTok because of the latest news regarding an impeding ban, I do think it’s still important to utilize this influential app especially if you have visually appealing products.
Brands that can master the art of crafting attention-grabbing, relatable videos will reap the rewards. Leverage popular audio clips, participate in viral challenges and collaborate with influential creators. Keep in mind that authenticity and transparency is valuable on every platform so stay away from overly promotional or inauthentic content.
Unlock the power of TikTok, increase your visibility online and create meaningful connections with your target audience.
Tailor Your Social Media Content
Cross-posting isn’t always the answer. What works on one social media platform may not work as well on the other. Post with intention and purpose. Increase your online visibility with purposeful content creation and newsletters! Sign up for our newsletters to stay on top of any new social media updates to continue increasing your visibility online effectively and meaningfully.
