How to Pick the Best Social Media Channels for Your Small Business

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Over the years, social media has evolved into one of the most powerful marketing tools for small businesses. With a well-planned social media strategy, small businesses can attract new customers, engage with their existing customers, and increase their revenue. However, creating an effective social media strategy is not an easy task, especially if you’re new to the world of social media marketing. One of the most important aspects of creating a social media strategy is choosing the right social media channels. In this guide, we’ll share our expert tips on determining the best social media channels for your small business.

What is a Social Media Strategy?

A social media strategy is a detailed blueprint that outlines your business goals for using social channels and the actions necessary to achieve them. This strategy is more than just a list of social media channels or a schedule of posts—it's a comprehensive plan that considers your target audience, the nature of your business, and your company's key performance indicators (KPIs). It provides a framework to create, publish, and measure your social media content, ensuring that every post aligns with your business objectives and speaks to your audience's interests. The ultimate goal is to engage with your audience, build relationships, and convert followers into customers.

Related Reading: 10 Ways to Grow Your Business On Instagram

Most Popular Social Media Channels for Business Owners

There are numerous social media channels available today, but not all of them may be suitable for your business. The most popular social media platforms among business owners include:

1. Facebook: With over 2.8 billion active users, Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world, making it a dominant player in online marketing. It provides businesses with diverse features such as business pages, targeted advertising, and in-depth insights into audience behavior.

2. Instagram: As a visually-oriented platform, Instagram is perfect for businesses with strong visual content. It offers unique features like shoppable posts, IGTV, and Stories, which are ideal for showcasing products or sharing behind-the-scenes content.

3. LinkedIn: Regarded as the go-to platform for B2B marketing, LinkedIn enables businesses to network with professionals in their industry, post job openings, and share company news.

4. Twitter: Twitter is a powerful platform for real-time conversation and customer service. Its trending topics feature can help businesses stay up-to-date with current events and participate in popular discussions.

5. YouTube: If your business relies heavily on video content, YouTube is a must-have. It is the second largest search engine after Google and can significantly enhance your SEO.

6. Pinterest: Pinterest is a great platform for businesses selling consumer goods, especially those related to fashion, home decor, or recipes. Its 'buyable pins' feature allows users to purchase your products directly from your pins.

Choosing the appropriate platforms depends on your business type, target audience, and the kind of content you produce. Effectively leveraging these platforms can greatly enhance your social media marketing efforts.

How To Decide Which Social Media Channel is Best for Your Business

1. Identify Your Target Audience: The first step in determining the best social media channels for your small business is to identify your target audience. Knowing your audience’s demographics, interests, and online behavior can help you determine which social media channels they are most likely to use. For instance, if your target audience is women aged 18-24, you may want to focus on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat.
2. Research Your Competitors: Another helpful tip for determining the best social media channels for your small business is to research your competitors. Look for businesses in your industry that are doing well on social media and see which platforms they’re using. This can give you an idea of which social media channels are popular in your industry and which are worth investing your time and resources in.
3. Consider Your Content Strategy: Your social media strategy should be tied to your overall content strategy. For instance, if you plan to create mostly visual content like images and videos, platforms like Instagram and Pinterest may be a better fit for your business. Similarly, if you want to share long-form content like blog posts and news articles, LinkedIn and Twitter may be more appropriate.
4. Evaluate the Features of Different Social Media Channels: Different social media channels have different features and functionalities that may or may not be relevant to your business. For instance, platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn are great for building a professional network, while platforms like Twitter and Instagram are more focused on brevity and visual content. Evaluate each social media channel’s features and consider which ones are most relevant to your business goals.
5. Create a Social Media Strategy and Test Your Results: Once you’ve determined the best social media channels for your small business, it’s time to create a social media strategy. Develop a content calendar, set goals, and establish a budget for social media advertising. Remember that social media marketing is an ongoing process, so it’s important to monitor your results and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Related Reading: Best Marketing Tools for Small Business Owners

How to Keep Things Organized Between Social Media Channels

Maintaining organization across multiple social media channels is key to managing a successful social media strategy. Here are some tips to help you stay organized:

• Use a Social Media Management Tool: Social media management tools like Hubspot, or SocialBee allow you to manage multiple social media accounts from a single dashboard. These tools can help you schedule posts, monitor comments and messages, track key metrics, and more.
• Develop a Content Calendar: A content calendar provides a visual layout of what, when, and where you plan to post content. It helps ensure that you're delivering a consistent flow of content across all channels.
• Implement a Consistent Branding Strategy: Consistency in branding across all channels supports recognition and helps to establish a strong brand identity. This includes using the same logo, color scheme, and brand voice.
• Designate Responsibilities: If you have a team managing your social media channels, clearly define who is responsible for what. This helps to avoid confusion and ensures that all tasks are adequately managed.
• Regularly Check Each Platform: Check each social media platform for messages, comments, and reviews. This will help you to maintain a good relationship with your audience and keep your finger on the pulse of customer feedback.
• Track Your Progress: Regularly measure your social media performance using the analytics provided by each platform. This helps you to understand what's working, what's not, and make necessary adjustments to your strategy.

Remember, the key to staying organized is establishing a process and consistently following it. With the right tools and strategies, you can effectively manage your social media channels and achieve your business objectives.

Frequency of Posting on Social Media Channels as a Business

The frequency of posting on social media as a business varies depending on the platform and your specific audience, but here are some general guidelines:

1. Facebook: As a business, it's recommended to post on Facebook 1-2 times per day. Posting more often can lead to lower engagement. The best times to post are typically mid-day during the week.
2. Twitter: Twitter requires a more frequent posting schedule due to the fast-paced nature of the platform. Aim for 5-10 tweets per day, spread throughout the day.
3. LinkedIn: For LinkedIn, a professional networking platform, posting 1 time per day during the week works best. Weekend posts tend not to perform as well.
4. Instagram: On Instagram, 1-2 posts per day is a good rule of thumb. It's also beneficial to use Instagram's Stories feature consistently throughout the day.
5. Pinterest: Pinterest users are highly active, so businesses can post multiple times per day, as many as 3-5 pins daily.
6. YouTube: On YouTube, consistency is key. Aim to post a new video at least once per week.

Remember, these are just guidelines. It's important to track your social media analytics to understand when your audience is most active and adjust your posting schedule accordingly. If you're struggling to write the content necessary to keep up with your social media strategy, consider utilizing a tool like Jasper.

Jasper helps business owners create brand-aligned content through the power of AI. You can even set your company 'tone' to ensure the content remains consistent. Regardless of how you develop your content, remember that quality should always take precedence over quantity. Over-posting can lead to audience fatigue and decreased engagement, so focus on creating valuable, relevant content for your followers.

Explore Options To Support Your Social Media Strategy

Choosing the right social media channels for your small business is a critical aspect of social media marketing success. By identifying your target audience, researching your competitors, evaluating different social media features, and considering your content strategy, you can determine the best social media channels for your small business. Start with two or three core social media channels and invest your time and resources into creating engaging content that resonates with your audience. With a bit of patience and perseverance, you can build a solid social media presence that drives business growth. Check out our Growth Partners to find the right social media tools for you! Between CRMs, design tools, and email marketing software, we've compiled all the tools you need to succeed in your social media strategy.