3 Questions You Need To Ask Before Choosing Your Social Media Platform

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If you're a business, then you already know that getting onto social media is one of the smartest things you can do. It gives you the potential to reach millions of eyes, it takes a relatively small amount of time, and best of all it's free! With that said, though, it's important to ask which social media site (or sites, if you have the time and energy to build up multiple platforms) is right for you?

Unfortunately there is no one, right answer to that question. But there are some questions you can ask to narrow the field, and to figure out which platform is best for you, and your business.

Question #1: Who Is Your Target Audience?

The first thing you need to ask is who is your target audience, and where are you most likely to reach them?

As a for instance, say you are primarily marketing yourself to other businesses, or to professionals. The best platform to reach the people who will be interested in picking up what you're laying down is likely LinkedIn, even if other social media websites may be more popular, or larger in scope. As WP Curve points out, if you only have the resources to build up a single social media platform then it's better to focus on your sights in a place where you'll get more engagement, even if it is from a smaller population.

Question #2: What Kind of Content Will You Be Sharing?

While you can share all kinds of content on all kinds of social media sites, the sort of content you'll be sharing most will affect your chances of success.

For example, is your business very visual? If you're going to be primarily sharing pictures, then you might find more success on Instagram or Pinterest than you would on Facebook, even though Facebook will let you post images as surely as anything else. On the other hand, if you're going to be making videos then it's important to ask if YouTube or Vimeo will serve you better, even though such sites may not be strictly considered social media by some people's definition. The purpose of the site you're on, and how well that meshes with your goals and what you'll be providing can make a huge difference, as Vertical Response tells us.

Question #3: Which Is Most Visible?

While it might seem like it contradicts the first question, it is important to consider the sheer size and connectivity of the social media site you're planning on using, in addition to the interaction you can get from it, according to Medium.

As an example, compare MeWe with Facebook. Both of these sites allow you to join themed groups, post content, and to reach other users organically. However, Facebook is by far the larger of these two options, with bigger tools, more groups, and additional options. While MeWe may still provide you with engagement, and allow you to reach people who are interested in the products or services you're providing, it simply can't compete with Facebook in terms of ROI. Additionally, because of Facebook's sheer size and track record, it's a website that everyone knows about. While it's possible some folks may be aware of MeWe (largely due to Google + shutting down and the groups there looking for a new home to migrate to), it simply isn't going to be as well known.

Sometimes it's a good example to join the social media sites that are the most popular, precisely because they're the ones everyone knows and uses. That means they'll be the first places someone goes looking for your page. For more information on finding the right social media platform for you and your business, simply contact us today!