How to Choose the Right Social Media Channel for Your Business

Targeting everyone is a rookie mistake in marketing. So is being everywhere all at once, regardless of available resources.

Yet many entrepreneurs dabble in several social media channels, thinking the way to win is to spread oneself thin or be present in every platform for the sake of it.

Are you making the same mistake?

Let’s do a quick audit. ✏️

1. What social media channels are you currently using?
2. Where are you most active?
3. What channels have you put on the back burner?
4. How much time and resources are you spending on these channels?
5. Are you seeing the results you want for every channel you’re on?

Choosing the right social media channels for your business can be tricky.

With more platforms sprouting on the internet, the audience is split into smaller fragments with varied online behavior.

Some consumers spend hours answering emails, while others scroll their TikTok feed every time they’re bored. Some spend more time on their desktops, while others prefer to get things done on the go through mobile phones. Some enjoy audio content, while others appreciate visuals more.

So with all these complexities in the consumer’s online behavior, how do you produce the most effective content type on the most appropriate platform for the right audience?

1. Let’s start with WHY.

Why do you want to show up on socials anyway? What’s your top goal?

Your why will influence how you build an effective social media content strategy, from setting up the right platforms to creating content in engaging formats.

Buffer listed some social media goals that you can set for your business, and here’s a rundown:

1. Increase brand awareness
2. Drive traffic to your website
3. Generate new leads
4. Grow revenue (by increasing signups or sales)
5. Boost brand engagement
6. Build a community around your business
7. Create an effective social customer service
8. Increase mentions in the press
9. Gather insights through social listening

You can check their article here for specific KPIs you can track for every goal you pick.

2. Figure out the HOW.

After the research phase and goal-setting, you now have the data to help you select the appropriate core and secondary social media channels for your business.

Here are the prompts to guide you in the right direction:

1. Where is your target audience hanging out online?
2. What type of content do they enjoy?
3. What content format do they find engaging?
4. What channels are on your buyer’s journey? How can you give value at every turn?
5. What makes sense for your budget and resources?

After you ponder these, you will be able to identify the best core channel and supporting platforms for your business.

Work on the WHAT.

What topics should you talk about? Stay tuned for the next post, where we talk about the nitty-gritty of social media content planning. 👋🏼

Reference:

Digital Marketing Institute, Strategy & Planning

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