Because there are more than one billion people on Facebook this means your business has to put tons of time and energy into Facebook, right? Wrong. There are thousands of new media platforms out there that people are so easily convinced to sign up for simply because they exist. Although it sounds cliché, the saying quality over quantity rings true for businesses using social media. It is more important to effectively use a few platforms, than to spread yourself thin trying to use several.
#1: Make Your Audience Your Top Priority
Just because Facebook is ranked as the top social media site, doesn’t mean it's the best platform for your business. In the PR world, we all know it is important to target your audience. But once you do so, how will you reach them? Well, you will push the information out via the social media platforms you know your audience will use. Believe it or not, according to Maroon PR's Jen Bloomer, many of us Gen Y-ers have kicked Facebook to the curb, while our parents and even grandparents are starting to use it more and more.
Let's use the PRSSA 2014 National Conference as an example. The audience for promoting the conference is college students. This means the communications committee should focus on the platforms that young adults are using the most, like Twitter and Instagram. This doesn't mean that the conference shouldn't have a Facebook page, it means the committee should probably put less time and energy into generating Facebook content.
#2: Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover
It's important to really research a new media platform before you drop it from your radar. It might be easy to assume that a platform won't work for your business, especially if you have a personal account already. You might not realize some of the features offered for businesses on platforms you've already taken advantage of for personal use. One platform that is often overlooked by businesses is LinkedIn. As Bloomer explained in her article, "Choosing The Right Social Platforms," people forget that there's more to LinkedIn than HR professionals, job-seekers and networkers.
The Social Media Examiner does a great job breaking down the best ways businesses can use LinkedIn. Their top five ways to market your business on LinkedIn are:
#3: Be A Trend Follower
As much as we want to be trendsetters, sometimes we need to do what others are doing when we see it's working, like start using Twitter. Recently, some of the most successful PR campaigns came from companies on Twitter. Below is a great video that explains how businesses can take advantage of this platform as a marketing tool.
#1: Make Your Audience Your Top Priority
Just because Facebook is ranked as the top social media site, doesn’t mean it's the best platform for your business. In the PR world, we all know it is important to target your audience. But once you do so, how will you reach them? Well, you will push the information out via the social media platforms you know your audience will use. Believe it or not, according to Maroon PR's Jen Bloomer, many of us Gen Y-ers have kicked Facebook to the curb, while our parents and even grandparents are starting to use it more and more.
Let's use the PRSSA 2014 National Conference as an example. The audience for promoting the conference is college students. This means the communications committee should focus on the platforms that young adults are using the most, like Twitter and Instagram. This doesn't mean that the conference shouldn't have a Facebook page, it means the committee should probably put less time and energy into generating Facebook content.
#2: Don't Judge A Book By Its Cover
It's important to really research a new media platform before you drop it from your radar. It might be easy to assume that a platform won't work for your business, especially if you have a personal account already. You might not realize some of the features offered for businesses on platforms you've already taken advantage of for personal use. One platform that is often overlooked by businesses is LinkedIn. As Bloomer explained in her article, "Choosing The Right Social Platforms," people forget that there's more to LinkedIn than HR professionals, job-seekers and networkers.
The Social Media Examiner does a great job breaking down the best ways businesses can use LinkedIn. Their top five ways to market your business on LinkedIn are:
- Use LinkedIn Groups And Receive Tons of New Leads Daily
- Ask Questions And Build Your Credibility
- Create Powerful Events
- Run an Advanced Search in Your Target Market
- Send Personal Messages
#3: Be A Trend Follower
As much as we want to be trendsetters, sometimes we need to do what others are doing when we see it's working, like start using Twitter. Recently, some of the most successful PR campaigns came from companies on Twitter. Below is a great video that explains how businesses can take advantage of this platform as a marketing tool.
With about 241 million monthly active Twitter users, chances are your business's name is already floating around thetwitosphere, so you will benefit from customer feedback, as well as joining in the conversation.
So, let's review. Even though there are more than one billion people on Facebook, that doesn't mean your business has to put tons of time and energy into Facebook, right? RIGHT. If your target audience is active on Facebook, then yes, of course, use it! But if you're looking to get me and my fellow Gen Y-ers to sign up for your event then I suggest you mention us in a tweet, get a hashtag trending, or at the very least give us a follow.
Know your audience. Know your platforms. Know which platforms work.
So, let's review. Even though there are more than one billion people on Facebook, that doesn't mean your business has to put tons of time and energy into Facebook, right? RIGHT. If your target audience is active on Facebook, then yes, of course, use it! But if you're looking to get me and my fellow Gen Y-ers to sign up for your event then I suggest you mention us in a tweet, get a hashtag trending, or at the very least give us a follow.
Know your audience. Know your platforms. Know which platforms work.