Like it or not, social media is an essential part of marketing for anyone looking to connect with an audience. Businesses and organizations looking to build rapport with their own communities can find their audience on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram; but are they all necessary? 

Finding your balance with the social platforms you take on is about ignoring FOMO and getting to the root of what your purpose on social media is, who your audience is, and what’s appropriate for your organization. Even if you created a business profile on every social media platform there was (and at least 17 of the social media platforms have more than 300 million active users), it’s no guarantee that you’d be reaching anyone. While it used to be simpler with only a few options to choose from, it pays to be selective with where and how you put yourself out there these days. 

Here are some tips on how to establish the right digital touchpoints for your business–without letting the fear of missing out do you in. 
 

1. Identify your target audience–and then meet them where they are

Wondering what social channels to set up shop on? Save yourself the trouble and instead ask yourself: where does my target audience spend their time? Then, go to those platforms. There’s no real sense in establishing yourself on a social media platform where your audience is absent or inactive. The goal of social media is to promote your business, communicate with your audience, and grow the brand-customer relationship; but you can’t do that without an active audience present. 

As a note, remember that the same user will behave differently between platforms so don’t let your audience’s platform(s) of choice be the deciding factor alone.
 

2. Understand the nature of your business and pick platforms that support you best

One of the simplest ways to narrow down your social media options is to start with answering whether you’re a B2C or B2B business. B2Bs can find a home on professional platforms like LinkedIn where they’ll have a much higher chance to connect with and reach other businesses compared to a platform like TikTok. If you’re marketing to consumers (B2C), then Facebook, Instagram, or even the fad-filled TikTok could be an easy way to reach customers. 
 

3. Think about the type of content you want to share

Going into the grocery store without a shopping list - or worse, while hungry - seldom works in your favor. The same applies to jumping on social media without a clear picture of what you want to share with your audience. If you want to show off your latest case studies or detailed blog posts, LinkedIn might be the right environment for that kind of content. If you wanted to share more consumer-centric content like photos, special offers, or an insider’s look at your company culture, Instagram or Facebook would be ideal. 

Know what you want to share and let that be a factor in your decision.

4. Consider your business goals

In 2021, a Sprout Social Index™ report showed the importance of social media for consumers:

• 31% of consumers use social media to share product feedback
• 33% prefer social media to contact customer service with issues or questions

Going into the social media game with a list of your business goals–what you want to accomplish with your business profiles–can help steer you in the right direction. If you’re unsure about that, here are a few of the most common goals social media can help you pursue:

1. Finding new leads and prospects
2. Increasing brand awareness
3. Research on your audience
4. Exploring new audiences and demographics that might be interested in your product or services
5. Providing your customers with a more appealing platform to interact with and contact you

Your goals can also help you tailor the content you share with your audience, which can further narrow down your choices. 
 

5. Take a page from the competition’s playbook

If you’ve mulled it over and still aren’t sure which platforms would best serve your business, consider checking out your competitors and seeing which platforms they’re active on. This can give you a good idea and an example of whether a certain platform might work for your needs over another. Once you realize that FOMO can push you towards excess and unwanted work managing business profiles that aren’t helping you reach your goals or your audience, it does get easier. 

Learn from the mistakes of your competition and take note of their social media successes, and put that information to work for you. Still uncertain? Contact the team at Citro and we can help walk you through the process of choosing the most appropriate social media platforms for your business!