Social Media? Maybe it's just not for you
It's been a while since I've posted anything up here lately and I do apologize to all. But today I decided to repost an article I read just surfing the web about social media platforms and businesses and brands dipping their fingers into every social site just because....Yes Just because.
Now, to all my brands, up and coming artists, and business owners out there that are contemplating creating a profile for EVERY hot and popping social media site out right now, please stop right where you are. Not every site is for you and that is "A" okay! Just because it's out does not mean it will be good for your site and your brand or business. In all actuality it's better to just focus on the social sites that ARE good for you brand or business (depending on your industry) instead of having so many and not flourishing on them. So, quality over quantity. That's the lesson for today.
Social Media is Not “One Size Fits All”
You know your brand needs to be on social media to stay relevant in today’s market. So, you decide to create an account on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. You waiver on the idea of Pinterest and Instagram but decide to ‘start small’ and look at expanding your social media presence in the future – great! Well, sort of…
The problem with assuming your brand needs to be on these social media sites (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube) is that all four of the sites might not be the right fit for your brand. You’re probably thinking, of course they are! You may be right, but let’s take a step back and fully understand the function and audience of each platform.
Facebook is a site that is no longer being used for the up-to-the-second updates on what people are doing (or at least it shouldn’t be used in that fashion). Facebook is a site to share photos, videos and really engage in two-way conversation. The audience of the site started as college students and has quickly grown to encompass everyone under the sun from grandparents and children to people making pages for their pets and cars. Brands should use Facebook as a platform to truly build a relationship with individuals by engaging in meaningful conversations.
While a brand still needs to update the page frequently to appear in the newsfeeds of its fan base, it does not need to be sending information every 15 minutes.
So ask yourself, “What age group is my brand looking to communicate with? What type of content will we be able to share on a regular basis? Will we be sharing photos and videos, asking questions and sharing other industry related information?” If you answered yes, then Facebook could be a social media site for your brand to build a presence.
LinkedIn is a professional networking site. Commonly explained as the “Facebook for the business community” the site allows you to post a profile explaining your work history, education, volunteerism, etc. along with connecting with fellow colleagues, other professionals in the same or similar industry and with companies.
As a brand, you want to have a presence on LinkedIn if you are looking to have more intellectual conversations with your connections than, say, Facebook. Brands can provide detailed information about the company, products and services offered and even open positions. Again, this is not a site to post an update every 15 minutes; instead, posting meaningful content approximately four to seven times a week is sufficient. LinkedIn is a platform to share company news, industry related articles, start meaningful two-way conversations and engage with professionals who have an interest in and need for/ desire of your brand.
So ask yourself, “Is my brand looking to connect with “the working world” (soon-to-be college graduates through seasoned professionals)? Will we be able to share industry news and articles on a regular basis? Are we looking to engage our audience in deeper conversation or are we looking to keep the conversation light?” Depending on how you answer the above questions, LinkedIn may be a social media site that makes sense for your brand participation.
Twitter is a real-time, up-to-the-minute (sometimes second) running feed of information. From breaking news and sports updates to the latest celebrity gossip and sales from retailers (okay, some may argue all of the above are ‘breaking news’), the individuals on Twitter are extremely diverse, meaning your potential audience is very diverse.
Twitter is a platform that requires frequent updates in order to be successful. However, the content a brand shares on Twitter also needs to be meaningful and engaging. There is still no place for “We are open for the day”… “”First customer of the day just came to the store”… “The manager just drank a diet pop.” Instead, your brand should be sharing interesting facts, news and updates about the company, relevant industry news and articles, photos, videos and posing questions – all in 140 characters or less.
So ask yourself, “Is my brand looking to engage in real-time conversations with a wide range of audiences? Are we able to provide frequent updates (multiple tweets per day) of meaningful information? Do we want to communicate in fast paced, short messages?” If you answered yes, Twitter may very well be an excellent platform for your brand to build a presence on.
YouTube is all about video. Whether the video footage is of your cat or dog doing ‘amazing’ tricks to crazy stunts and demonstrations of the latest gadget, YouTube lends itself to be an interactive, informative and fun social media site (not that the others are not fun).
If your brand has the capacity to take lots of video footage, has complex ideas, processes or products that can easily be explained through video or are looking for a way to communicate your brand’s culture, video can be a great option.n
So ask yourself “Is my brand looking to provide information in an entertaining fashion? Do we have the capacity to provide new videos on a semi-frequent basis (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)?” Depending on how you answered the above questions, YouTube may be the right platform for your brand to participate on.
The social media platform(s) where your brand needs to be present is determined by your audience and the purpose social media plays in your overall business strategy. Your response should not be “we need to be on social media because everyone else is.” Instead, your response should be tailored to the function and audience of each platform as well as how it relates to the overall business goal: “We need to be on LinkedIn to build a presence among the business community to engage with them on a more intellectual level and in a medium where they are already participating.”
Maybe the above four social media sites aren’t the right fit for your brand. Pinterest and/or Instagram could make more sense depending on your business strategy. Whatever the site(s), just make sure you have a sound reason for being there – and your content reflects that.
Remember: Your brand needs to keep a consistent tone, reflective of the brand, across whatever social media platform(s) you choose, while tailoring messages to the specific audience of each site. This means you cannot copy and paste the same content posted to Facebook on LinkedIn and Twitter. If you have individuals who follow you across a variety of platforms, they are going to want different information on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. Lastly, don’t just post content because you feel you need to post another update; make sure the content has a purpose and is meaningful. Happy socializing!
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