How to Use Social Media for Business

As a business owner, you have likely heard that social media for your business is an essential component of your marketing strategy. In this day and age, it is almost impossible for businesses to get by without some form of social media presence. But what some small and medium-size businesses don’t know, is that there are differences between each social channel. At Ad House Advertising, we help many of our clients with their social media strategy, but we are happy to share our expertise. Here are some key facts about popular social channels, and some of the differences in how they should be used:

YouTube – One of the most popular social channels, over 30 million users visit YouTube every day. Producing a video for your business and posting it on YouTube is a great strategy for gaining the trust of your prospective customers. In fact, a growing number of consumers research a product or service on YouTube before making a purchase decision. Brands that meet their audience with video are able to establish credibility and consumers feel more comfortable interacting with them. Businesses can use YouTube to post product videos, testimonial videos, explainer videos, and establish a more personal connection to their audience.

Facebook – Facebook has a wide range of demographics when it comes to users. With more than 1.59 billion users, Facebook allows you to connect with a huge audience of prospective customers. Offer value to your Facebook followers by posting product tips, promotional offers, and fun behind-the-scenes photos. You can also use Facebook to promote your blog or direct to industry blogs to establish yourself as an authority and valuable resource. Facebook is a place where people interact with friends and family, but brands can engage their audience with questions and polls that encourage comments. Connecting like a friend instead of a business will help your brand.

Twitter – As of January 2018, Twitter reports 330 million active monthly users, with 500 million tweets being sent per day. Twitter is a great place for brands to showcase their voice, so show your audience your sense of humor. A great example of a brand using Twitter to show its personality is Wendy’s. In April 2017, Wendy’s challenged a Twitter user to get 18 million retweets in exchange for free chicken nuggets for a year. Their sarcastic, dry sense of humor and playful tweets have made them very popular online. Twitter can also be used effectively to interact with existing customers and respond to customer questions, comments, and concerns. In fact, 77% of Twitter users feel more positive about a brand when they get a reply back from it.

LinkedIn – If you’re a business that sells primarily to other businesses, then LinkedIn is a must. LinkedIn is the ideal platform for establishing your B2B business as a thought leader and improving your reputation. With 500 million users as of January 2018, LinkedIn is the perfect channel for connecting with other professionals and generating leads. Add LinkedIn to your social media strategy to expand your network and enhance your business’s image.

Instagram – Instagram’s format makes it ideal for brands that are visually driven. On Instagram, photos generate 36% more engagement than videos. At the end of 2017, Instagram had 800 million monthly active users and 500 million daily active users and is continuing to grow. Engage with those users by posting actionable ideas, for example, if you sell clothing, why not post outfit inspiration ideas using your products? You can also post behind-the-scenes photos to give your audience a glimpse into what makes your business unique. Instagram is also a great place for giveaways, the occasional promotional offer, and shoppable posts.

When you’re determining your social media strategy, be sure to give each channel a purpose. Are you focused on establishing your company as the leader in your field? Are you trying to keep tabs on consumer sentiment surrounding your brand? Or do you want to showcase your company’s latest clothing line or your restaurant’s newest menu item? When you know what your goal is, you can craft a social media strategy designed to meet your goal. If you need help with your social media strategy, Ad House Advertising is here to help! Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.