Insta models, Facebook influencers, tweens racking up the dollars on Twitter, you know there is money to be made on social networks. It’s kind of just how the world works these days, so logically, if individuals out there, from Kylie Jenner to Kayla Itsines to Tyler Oakley can make a damn good living off of social media, then surely the importance of social media in business can’t be overstated, and you need to get your business on all social platforms ASAP!
Yes, but not quite.
One of the reasons that these insanely-paid social influencers are successful, is because they have mastered their platforms; Itsines uses Instagram to showcase sponsored products, her workouts, client transformations and motivational quotes that her user's love in short, bitesize snippets.
Oakley is a more in-depth influencer, focusing on video content with thinkpieces, conversations and cultural issues that centre around the LGBTQ community and real-world issues.
Each has chosen the platform that their target audience regularly engages with, and created content specifically for their given platform, and this is a large part of why they are so successful. Afterall, you can’t post a conversation starter worthy of Facebook on Instagram, and expect it to work out….So out of all of the social platforms out there, how did they figure out which one would be the most profitable for them?!
Why Should I use Social Media for Business?
90% of marketers give social media two thumbs up, saying it’s increased their audience exposure, so suffice to say if your business still isn’t active on social then you are seriously letting your side down. It’s literally as simple as that.
You can’t expect to see huge increases in site traffic, audience engagement and revenue if you’re not putting your business out there! It’s like dating; if you don’t get glammed up, go out into the world and meet people how are you ever going to build those relationships!
The same logic applies to social marketing, and it’s crucial that small companies who want to see this type of growth put their best foot forward and get a grasp on what social marketing looks like for them.
You know what the landscape looks like, you probably have one or two social media accounts yourself, so you know how crowded, loud and noisy it can be! So when it comes to getting your business out there, you need to take a look at a few things:
- Who your target audience is
- Which social platforms this audience engages with the most
- Which social platform can showcase your business in the best light
There are a lot of overly complex articles and papers out there about social marketing, how to find niche specialist social networks, how to use psychology to get your audience’s attention, and while that's all great information people should know, that isn’t the point here.
You don’t have the time to be delving into all that research, and I get it. It’s a lot to digest, so instead I’ll break it down, make it a bit more general and a whole lot easier for you to get a solid footing in social marketing, and get your brand off to the best start possible.
Watch & Learn
But before we get into it, I want to show you a brand that has fully realised their social marketing power, and engaged their customers creatively (and profitably) through killer audience engagement tactics, and epic content marketing skills.
AirBnB
Adored by globetrotters the world over, AirBnB have dominated in the travel industry for the past couple of years, and their excellent social game has helped them become a giant in the market.
With a profile on 3 of the biggest platforms out there, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, they’ve not only created drool-worthy content, they’ve amassed a following of over 17 million followers, giving them heaps of essential brand exposure.
But of all of these platforms, their most renowned is their Instagram account.
(AirBnB)
Creating a library of user-generated and inspirational content to make the cheapest traveller in the world hit BUY, they have managed to engage, inspire and excite their target audience in just the right way. And with around 71% of social users saying they’re more likely to buy based on customer referrals, this is a smart, cost effective and consistent marketing tactic.
With content that is generated by their customers, they are giving their prospective travellers immediate trust signals, and at the same time showcasing the breathtaking locations they work in.
So why are they so profitable on Instagram?
Easy - they knew their audience was consistently engaging with Instagram, and that the best way to inspire people to take holidays, short breaks and adventures out of the norm was to show them, not tell them. Visual marketing takes a fraction of the time to digest and understand than written text, and can create an emotion much more powerfully and quicker than words too which is key when operating in such a competitive and fast-moving industry.
They figured out what their USP was (affordable, exotic escapes), the best way to market it (inspirational images & video), and found the most relevant social platform that their target audience loved (Instagram) to market on.
How to Get Started
Do you see what I meant by ‘general’ earlier?
This isn’t a guide for established companies looking for some new tactics to take their social marketing to the next level (though if you want that info, we can certainly show you).
This is for small businesses who are looking to take their first steps into social marketing, and don’t want to waste time stretching themselves thin over all the platforms just to burn out and pack it in before any real results come in.
The old saying ‘a jack of all trades, but a master of none’ is one that springs to mind here, and a warning that should be heeded.
Social marketing is a long-game, played with strategy, psychology and creativity, but you don’t need to start out as an expert. No one does! It does however help to have a general guide to start you off right, so see how best to market your business on social media with our quick guide to finding the most profitable channel for you.
First, you need to start with your 3 top questions:
- Who your target audience is
- Which social platforms this audience engages with the most
- Which social platform can showcase your business in the best light
You should already have a grasp on who your target audience is, thanks to that essential marketing strategy you should already have, so from there, you can dive straight into finding out which social platform your audience engages with the most, so check the image below.
(Source: eMarketer)
Next, you need to see which social platform suits your business the best so we need to look at which attributes of the several options you have can be the most profitable for your business.
With over 30 million UK users, Facebook is by far the most widely used social platform, with everyone and their uncle engaging with each other on a daily basis.
Thanks to the various formats you can host on your FB profile, it’s a great space for sharing text, video and image content, and brilliant for building lasting relationships with your potential customers.
Industries like B2B, Healthcare and Non-Profit work brilliantly here, as along with giving brands ample space to develop their brand personality, it enables companies to build on and emphasise their human side, which works well for business-centric companies and traditionally less-humanised organisations.
Immediate and snappy, Twitter is the platform for news releases and on the go reporting, great for Media, News & Entertainment businesses. Historically, it’s been used by most companies as a customer service board, and while this is a smart and time-effective way of answering your customer’s problems, there’s something to be said for going against the grain and becoming a standout brand on Twitter.
Twitter is all about what is happening in the here and now, and if you’re in the business of providing people with instant, breaking news and updates, then there is no better platform in terms of audience engagement, reach and influencer advocacy.
The platform for creatives and dreamers, and the single best place to showcase your brand personality in a well designed and simple way, Instagram is the place to go to build your empire.
Perfect for B2C companies focused on the under 35’s, especially in Fashion, Travel and Lifestyle, with over 80% of Instagram users willingly engaging with brands, users can be inspired, motivated and converted into highly-engaged, active and loyal customers. Just look at ASOS for example; regramming their customer photos, audience-appropriate language, brightly coloured and fun = brand loyalty 4 LYF.
YouTube
If you’ve got someone with you who knows their way around a video-camera, creating videos around your services or products is the key way to engage, inform and entertain your audience. Especially for SaaS, and Technology industries, with 69% of people saying they would buy software or apps after watching a video, now is the time to invest and get that camera rolling.
Especially when you could be getting up to 49% increases in your revenue!
This social platform is primarily used for building professional relationships with your peers and colleagues in the industry, connecting over company groups and industry-relevant news pieces in your feed. But where it excels is for placing your Marketing, IT, B2B and Lead Generation organisations in front of an active & highly motivated audience who are in need of your services.
Here, they already have your professional information to hand so it’s more a case of showcasing your unique value as the provider on LinkedIn Publisher, rather than winning them over in the first instance.
And Boom! There it is, your most profitable channel.
In an incredibly basic and general way, you have just sorted out the foundation of your social media empire; focusing on the channel that your target audience engages with the most and showcases your services the best, you will create the loyalty and brand inspo needed to bring you that lovely revenue increase. Afterall, there’s a reason PrettyLittleThing makes more money from their Instagram account than their Twitter one!
You know why you need social media (because your business needs to be seen!), and you know how other people are doing it (go AirBnB go!), and you even have a clearer idea of where you’re going to start focusing your social efforts (a young lifestyle brand? To Instagram you go!); congrats!
Social Media strategies can be notoriously stressful, so by breaking it down here, you’ve saved yourself a headache!
This is you putting your best foot forward on the start of your social media journey; it’s a creative, challenging and ever-changing field to work in, and starting off strong on one channel, puts in you in the best position to go forth and conquer the others.
Make your social game even stronger & more profitable still with a fully holistic, bespoke and on-brand social strategy when you work with our team here at iNS. We know the industry hacks to get your social audience growing fast and efficiently, leaving you time to focus on growing your business the way you want.
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