Social media is constantly changing and so is the way that we use each different platform. Despite its ever-evolving nature, social media isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and your business should be jumping on board to see where it could take you.
Different social media platforms work well for different businesses, so it’s important to take the time to consider each platform carefully to decide which one will work best for your business.
Many of us have our businesses listed on Google – after all, it is one of the first places potential customers will look. Facebook allows you to provide all the usual information – business hours, location, descriptions, reviews and images of premises etc – with the added bonus of interactivity.
Facebook lets your customers interact with you through events, photos, uploading their own reviews and messaging you directly to get their answers. Facebook is a great hub for interactivity and, after Google and your website, it’s one of the first places your potential customers will go to find out more about your business.
Instagram is especially useful if your business is product-based. A well-shot photo of your product may just catch the eye of a potential customer. The platform relies heavily on hashtags, which means that your image has the potential to make a big splash in the Instagram world.
Out of all the popular social media platforms, Instagram provides the most scope for creativity, which means that you can let your business personality shine through visually.
Instagram also offers business pages which means you can gain insight into how your followers are responding to your content and it provides an option for your followers to easily send you an email to find out more.
LinkedIn is useful for building your professional network and sharing news about your business. The platform is perfect when you’re looking to grow your business and find new staff and it’s also a great tool to check up on your competitors!
LinkedIn also provides rooms for articles – formerly known as Pulse – an extension of the platform which allows you to write your own long-form content and share with your network – this is perfect, especially if your own website doesn’t support a blog.
There are plenty of other platforms out there that could be right for your business. Snapchat and Twitter have been useful for businesses that like to update immediately or show behind the scenes information, while YouTube is great for sharing videos highlighting events or even create ‘how-to’ videos for your products.
Using social media is all about getting your name out there, growing both your professional network and your customer network and, most of all, having a bit of fun with your business.
At Bx, we’d love to know how you’re using social media to boost your business – if you’re still unconvinced on the topic of social media, try talking it over with some like-minded peers at one of our networking groups to see how others are harnessing social media. Visit BxNetworking.com