Over the past several years, the rise in the number and scope of social networking sites has opened an entirely new marketing tool for businesses around the world. Social media is used by so many people that it is easier than ever to set up an account and market your business – however, out of all the sites, apps, and other tools available, it is important to know which will have the most impact on your marketing strategy. Take a look at these 6 crucial social media sites, and get started promoting your business right away!
1. Facebook
With more than 864 million daily active users, and over 1.35 billion monthly active users, Facebook is the world’s largest social networking site, and offers numerous opportunities for businesses to market, especially through pages and advertisements. Pages can display a business’s history, background, and image, as well as create events for special promotions and post photos and videos. The more people that like your page, the more visitors the page will receive.
Pages are free to create; a paid option is to create an advertisement for your business on Facebook, which will show up on users’ news feeds and sidebars. Learn more about options for businesses on Facebook here.
2. Twitter
Twitter is a rapidly expanding social network that involves short messages or “tweets”; as a business, you can use this to promote any specials you may have, or simply to market new products or services. You can develop your Twitter bio to reflect the history and goals of your business, and can “follow” other people or organizations in your general area. You will also receive Twitter followers yourself, who will keep up with the information that you post!
One key to marketing success in Twitter is to tweet frequently, as a consistent stream of information keeps users involved and up to date with the status of your business. You can also “retweet” posts from other users, which can get your followers to interact with your business more if they are following those users as well. Learn more about marketing with Twitter here.
3. Google+
Google’s social network, Google+, is a great tool for businesses who want to take advantage of the site’s 300 million monthly active users. Creating a Google+ profile for your business is easy and free, and you can connect it to Google Maps, set a profile photo, and write a descriptive bio. Interacting with your customers is easy and consists of adding them to your “circles”; a key to success in this area is to post regular content, and to follow and comment on your fans’ posts. Learn more about Google+ for businesses here.
4. Pinterest
Pinterest is great for businesses that offer a variety of products, especially in the fashion, crafts, furnishings, food, or gift industries. You can use this site by creating “boards”, to which you post “pins”, which are usually pictures that you can use to promote your business. Users can “pin” your posts to their boards, and you can “pin” theirs, allowing you to interact directly with your customers.
Businesses can use Pinterest to display new and innovative ways to use their products or services, as well as show “how-to” guides and promotions. As with other sites, regular updates are key, as well as direct interaction with followers. To learn more about how to set up a Pinterest page for your business, take a look at Pinterest’s website.
5. LinkedIn
LinkedIn has long been known as the social network for professionals, and thus, it is a prime choice when looking for social media sites to market your business. You can create a Company Profile for your business, which can then attract followers that can interact with the company. By creating a page and sharing content, you can promote your image and build your business’s professional reputation. Learn more about LinkedIn for businesses here.
6. Instagram
Instagram, a photo-sharing site incorporated into Facebook, is popular for its ease in posting photos and the numerous artistic filters that users can take advantage of. This is a great opportunity for businesses to show off their products or services using less formal means, and can actively engage with users by posting photos regularly and receiving followers and likes.
Instagram, like Pinterest, is ideal for posting photos of products or “how-to” guides; you can take advantage of the numerous filters for more artistic photos. With over 200 million monthly active users, the site is rapidly expanding. Instagram has a special section for business owners to learn how to set up their profiles.
