As a business owner your time is valuable. That’s why choosing the right social media platforms that you will genuinely enjoy creating content for AND see results for your business is so important!!
Today I’m going to take you through the process of selecting the right platforms for you and your business.
Exploring Social Media Platforms
To begin, familiarize yourself with the platforms available to you, such as Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, Podcasts, Blogs, X (formerly Twitter), and Threads.
Understanding Your Audience
Next, you need to understand the types of audiences found on each platform, as well as your content lifespan. There are three key groups to focus on:
- Cold Audience: Individuals unfamiliar with your brand.
This group of individuals have no connection or knowledge of you (or your brand). They haven't experienced any value from your offerings, haven't engaged with your website or social media content. To this group, you are entirely unknown.
- Warm Audience: Those connected and engaged with your brand.
This group of individuals are familiar with you or your brand, including past customers, email subscribers, website visitors, or followers on social media. Members of this audience actively interact with your content, and the greater their engagement, the more valuable the lead becomes.
- Evergreen: Content with enduring relevance.
This type of content stays relevant over time and continues to drive traffic long after its first published.
Strategic Platform Combinations
Considering your capacity, especially if you're new to social media marketing. I recommend starting with two platforms to avoid burnout, and choosing platforms that cater to all three categories we listed above.
- Warm Audience Platforms: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads
- Cold Audience Platforms: TikTok, YouTube, Podcasts, X
- Evergreen Platforms: Blog, Pinterest
While some platforms serve dual purposes, align your posting strategy with your goals for audience engagement and community building.
Ideal Platform Combination Example:
1. Instagram: Warm Audience
2. Blog: Cold Audience + Evergreen Content
This combination is optimal because, although Instagram can also attract a cold audience, our primary objective is nurturing our engaged audience to convert them into leads. Instagram content has a short lifespan, lasting only a few hours after posting. This is where having a Blog proves invaluable. Blog posts on your website remain relevant, consistently driving traffic long after the initial publication. While existing readers may revisit your blogs, the ultimate aim with each new post is to attract fresh individuals and direct them to areas for further relationship nurturing, such as your services page, contact me page, or Instagram profile.
Avoiding Pitfalls:
Be cautious of platform combinations like TikTok and YouTube, focusing solely on cold audiences and evergreen content, as they miss out on audience nurturing and community building (your warm audience).
Selecting Your Perfect Platforms
Start by listing platforms you enjoy creating content for. Then, ask yourself these key questions:
- Is your ideal client on this platform?
- Does it fill a need for a cold audience, a warm audience, or evergreen content?
- Does it offer an opportunity gap?
Remember, to have fun and don’t be afraid to switch it up! If you're not enjoying a platform, it will reflect in your content and may not resonate with your audience. Experiment, and if after six months it's not working, consider a change.
BONUS: The Power of Email
Building an email list is one of the most important things you can do for your business. You own your list, providing a direct channel to your audience. Email subscribers constitute a warm audience, demonstrating a higher level of engagement.
And there you have it, the key to business growth through social media lies in a thoughtful and strategic approach to platform selection. Tailor your choices to your preferences, audience needs, and business goals, ensuring a positive and effective online presence. Don't forget the invaluable role of an email list in fostering a dedicated community.
Here's to confidently navigating the social media landscape and steering your business towards success!
