Which social media channel can I use to grow my business?

I know a lot of people think that facebook or instagram are great online platforms to connect with customers, but have you personally tried it? You have to create a business page and share updates to connect with people and then you are competing with millions of other pages. Think about it. Have you got substantial leads for the amount of effort this requires.

What about Facebook or Instagram Ads? Does paying to facebook or instagram to show business ads works? It doesn’t work. Why? Because you are showing ads to people who have shown absolutely no interest in your products or services, so essentially you are just assuming that someone out there may take notice and consider to become your customer. As you see, here we are missing on relevant audience. We are just pouring money not knowing if people want anything or not. It is a blind game.

On the other hand on Google, people specifically search something and they get to see ads that are relevant to their query, which means placing ads on Google is more appropriate way of targeting people in real time – when they need something. However, as per Google more than 70% people don’t click on Ads and that being said we have no other option but to go for Organic Digital Marketing which requires us to build a good business presence on all free to use networks, media, question answer sites and share creative content which interests the users and delivers top ranks on Google.

It is, in my humble opinion, the only way to market a business effectively and without burning holes in your pocket. But it takes time, like all good things and there are a lot many businesses which need immediate leads to survive and here there is little option but to use google ads. As far as social networks are concerned, i feel that they are good for improving brand recognition but not the right place for lead generation, after all who goes to social networks looking for products or services?

3 Ways to use Social Media to Drive Organic Traffic to Your Website

1. Paid Ads
Brands that don’t use or advertise through social media risk falling behind their competitors. However, the majority of those who are using social media are unsure if they should pay for social media advertising. Paid advertising differs significantly from traditional outbound marketing.

2. Post Regularly
In as much as you don’t want to spam your followers, posting regularly to your social media channels leads to more exposure and traffic. You shouldn’t take breaks on social media platforms. Your daily routine as a social media marketer should include updating both new and quality content to various social media platforms. Posting regularly not only increases retention, as your followers will easily remember your brand name but also builds a general interest in your products and services.

3. Use Videos
Recently, the use of visual content has proved to be an effective social media marketing strategy. For most social media users, it is easy to scroll through endless social media feeds. Meaning they often miss interesting and helpful content. You can prevent potential customers from doing this by sharing more visual content, especially videos that stand out.

Before choosing any platform to identify some basics of your business-

1. Ask yourself that how you want to be perceived as a brand because then only you can align your goals and values with your marketing strategies.
2. identify which platforms have the best-suited audience for your business like Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Youtube, and Pinterest all have the unique segment according to age group, gender, and interests.
3. Analyze your competitor’s profiles and website and know what works the best for them and then come up with a great profile.
4. Ask yourself that what kind of content you are going to post on regular basis and how this is going to support your website.
5. Finally understand what type of content your customer would like to hear about your business or for a product or service?

I think almost all of the social media’s help you grow your business, no matter the size of your business. 

Certainly, here are top most social media platforms that can be useful for businesses:

Facebook

Details: Facebook is the largest social media platform globally, with over 2.8 billion monthly active users. It offers various features, including personal profiles, pages for businesses, groups, and a marketplace.

Website: Facebook

YouTube

Details: YouTube is the leading video-sharing platform, allowing users to upload, share, and view videos on a wide range of topics. It has over 2 billion logged-in monthly users.

Website: YouTube

Instagram

Details: Instagram is a photo and video-sharing platform with over 1 billion monthly active users. It emphasizes visual content through posts, stories, reels, and IGTV.

Website: Instagram

WhatsApp

Details: WhatsApp is a messaging app with over 2 billion monthly active users. It enables text and voice messaging, voice and video calls, and sharing of media files.

Website: WhatsApp

TikTok

Details: TikTok is a short-form video platform known for its viral trends and challenges. It has over 1 billion monthly active users and offers a diverse range of content.

Website: TikTok

Twitter

Details: Twitter is a microblogging platform with over 330 million monthly active users. It allows users to post tweets of up to 280 characters, share links, images, and videos.

Website: Twitter

LinkedIn

Details: LinkedIn is a professional networking platform with over 740 million members worldwide. It is used for job searching, recruiting, networking, and professional content sharing.

Website: LinkedIn

Snapchat

Details: Snapchat is a multimedia messaging app with over 400 million daily active users. It is known for its disappearing photo and video messages, augmented reality filters, and stories.

Website: Snapchat

Pinterest

Details: Pinterest is a visual discovery platform with over 450 million monthly active users. It allows users to discover and save ideas on various topics through images and videos.

Website: Pinterest

Reddit

Details: Reddit is a social news aggregation and discussion platform with over 430 million monthly active users. It features user-generated content organized into communities called “subreddits.”

Website: Reddit

Choosing the right social media channel to grow your business depends on various factors, including your target audience, industry, and the type of content you plan to share. Here are some popular social media platforms to consider:

1. Facebook: With over 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook is a versatile platform suitable for almost any business. It offers robust advertising options, business pages, and various content formats, making it ideal for building brand awareness, engaging with customers, and driving website traffic.
2. Instagram: As a visually-driven platform, Instagram is highly effective for businesses that can showcase their products or services through images and videos. It has a younger user base and provides features like Instagram Stories, IGTV, and shoppable posts, allowing businesses to promote their offerings and reach a wide audience.
3. Twitter: Twitter is known for its fast-paced and real-time nature. It is great for businesses that want to engage in conversations, share updates, and provide customer support. It is particularly useful for industries related to news, technology, entertainment, and trends.
4. LinkedIn: Primarily a professional networking platform, LinkedIn is ideal for B2B businesses, job recruitment, and industry professionals. It allows businesses to share thought leadership content, connect with industry peers, and build professional relationships.
5. Pinterest: Pinterest is a visual discovery platform where users search for inspiration and ideas. It is particularly useful for businesses in the fashion, home decor, food, and lifestyle industries. If your products or services are visually appealing and can be categorized into various boards, Pinterest can be a valuable platform to reach a targeted audience.
6. YouTube: If your business can create video content, YouTube is a powerful platform to consider. It is the second-largest search engine after Google and can help you reach a global audience. YouTube allows businesses to provide tutorials, product demonstrations, vlogs, and other engaging video content.

The choice of social media channels for your business depends on your target audience, industry, content type, and marketing goals. To help you decide, here’s an overview of popular social media platforms and the types of businesses they are well-suited for:

1. 1. Facebook:
      • Suitable for a wide range of businesses due to its massive user base.
      • Ideal for B2C businesses, local businesses, e-commerce stores, and service providers.
      • Offers a variety of content formats including text, images, videos, and links.
      • Facebook Ads provide robust targeting options for reaching specific audiences.
   2. Instagram:
      • Great for businesses with visually appealing products or services.
      • Effective for fashion, beauty, travel, food, lifestyle, and creative industries.
      • Focuses on image and video content, including Stories, IGTV, and Reels.
      • Influencer collaborations and product showcases work well.
   3. Twitter:
      • Suitable for businesses that want to engage with real-time conversations and trends.
      • Effective for news, technology, entertainment, and customer service interactions.
      • Limited character count encourages concise messaging.
   4. LinkedIn:
      • Best for B2B businesses, professional networking, and industry thought leadership.
      • Ideal for sharing educational content, industry insights, and job postings.
      • Well-suited for building professional connections and partnerships.
   5. Pinterest:
      • Works well for businesses with visually appealing products or content.
      • Effective for DIY, home decor, fashion, wedding planning, and recipe niches.
      • Focuses on curating and sharing images (pins) on boards.
   6. YouTube:
      • Perfect for businesses that can create video content, tutorials, product demos, and educational content.
      • Well-suited for industries like beauty, gaming, education, tech, and entertainment.
      • High-quality video production is key.
   7. TikTok:
      • Effective for reaching a younger audience and creating short, engaging videos.
      • Suitable for creative and entertaining content, challenges, and trends.
      • Emerging platform with potential for viral reach.
   8. Snapchat:
      • Ideal for reaching a younger demographic.
      • Effective for promoting time-sensitive offers, behind-the-scenes content, and engaging with users through filters and lenses.
   9. Reddit:
      • Good for engaging with niche communities and discussions.
      • Can work for industries that align with specific subreddits (topic-based communities).
   10. Clubhouse (audio-based platform):
       • Suitable for networking, discussions, and thought leadership.
       • Ideal for industries where verbal communication and discussions are valuable.

Remember, it’s often better to focus on a few platforms where your target audience is most active, rather than trying to maintain a presence on all platforms. Consider your resources, content strategy, and the platform’s alignment with your brand when making your decision. Regularly assess your chosen platforms’ performance and adjust your strategy as needed to achieve your business growth goals.