Different Social Media Platforms in Marketing
Social media - done right - will help you grow brand awareness, attract visitors to your website and increase sales.
Social media also offers an outlet for you to share company news, ideas and other information which may not fit with your website. This engages the customer in the first part of the user journey, the awareness stage, which is when a potential client first discovers you and your website.
This is only one part of the journey however as repeated exposure and knowledge is needed to persuade the customer to consider using your services. This is where social media can help. A lot of exposure from your social accounts about what you do as a company can help turn awareness into business.
Social media is also important in growing you owned community.
Your owned community includes client and repeat buyers, email lists, event attendees and regular in store customers.
Social media is a tool, it can’t run your business entirely. It should direct your customers to your website or landing page.
Do you need multiple social accounts?
Where are your potential and existing customers spending time online? That’s where your business should be investing their time and resources. If your target audience isn’t on TikTok or LinkedIn, there’s no reason why you should be.
That said, the more platforms you post regular content on, the wider net you’re casting when trying to catch new clients. It’s also true that each social media platform excels in promoting different content, so you need to identify which platforms work for the type of content you’re currently producing.
Are you unsure what platforms are best for your business? We’re here to give a rundown of the type of content that works best for each major social media platform in the UK.
Facebook remains the largest social media platform in the UK with 43 million users in the UK (Cybercrew, 2022).
Facebook has increasingly emphasised personal connection, and many businesses now have followers who have a direct connection to the business or the people who work there. It serves as the ideal place to keep those personally connected and interested in the business updated on what’s going.
Facebook is also great for events-based organisations, or those looking to create community groups. You can set up one-off events, closed groups and pages which all connect to each other.
If you are looking to reach specific groups and communities, there are alternatives to Facebook. Discord, Patreon and Slack all provide access to specific sub-communities. Discord and Slack are great if you’re looking to reach tech geeks and gamers, Patreon is excellent for creatively focussed communities.
On the other hand, Twitter is the perfect social media platform for connecting with other business accounts and creating a network of potential clients. Many companies that use social media use their Twitter account to share content which attracts new customers.
Twitter excels in the business to business (B2B) community, where one company is selling to another.
Brands in both the B2B and direct to consumer (DTC) brands can make use of Twitter as a marketing and customer service tool, as they can provide service announcements on the platform with ease.
For example, case studies that highlight the work your company has done for an existing or previous client fit perfectly with Twitter as it appeals to new businesses and clients alike.
LinkedIn is the social media platform for professional content. It is the perfect platform for company updates, recruitment, and advertising new opportunities within your business.
The best LinkedIn content celebrates the success of your company and crucially your employees, in a professional manner. For example, this could include any awards that your firm has won, or any talks or conferences your business has attended.
Above all, LinkedIn is a place to celebrate the success of the individual. A large proportion of content is focused on individuals who share their professional achievements. Due to the nature of the platform company pages often receive less attention than the individual.
Don’t be afraid to lean into this. If your employees have a large network, this can be used to help boost your company’s posts on the platform.
Instagram is the platform for visual content. If your company produces visual content - whether it’s video or photos - you should consider setting up a profile.
Perfect for those wanting to reach and speak directly to their customers, 30% of Instagram users in the UK are aged 25- 34 and 57% of users are women (Cybercrew, 2022). If your company is aimed at attracting a younger audience or women, chances are you’ll find them on Instagram.
Even if you produce largely written content, Instagram can be vital in providing your marketing with some variety.
Instagram is a great space for behind the scenes content, giving your customers insight into your business. Informal content can be shared on stories and then stored as highlights on your profile.
If you want to attract audiences, content needs to be stimulating and eye-catching.
Moreover, video content is becoming increasingly common on the app with the development of Instagram Reels. This is in no doubt a reaction to the popularity of TikTok, but still offers brands with an Instagram presence to share short form video content without having to use TikTok.
TikTok
TikTok has quickly become a platform in need of attention. It’s one of the most popular social networks for younger people, with 26% of users in the UK aged 18-24 (Cybercrew, 2022).
TikTok serves as the ideal place to post comedic and less serious content due to the tongue-in-cheek nature of the app and the most successful companies act as independent content creators. Take Ryanair - their page has 1.6 million followers, 9.5 million likes and is a great example of how brands can succeed on TikTok.
Content and creators which take themselves too seriously on the app struggle to attract views.
Companies looking to succeed on TikTok must adopt a new strategy. It is perhaps the platform which requires the most thought and creativity, but if used correctly it can open the door to new audiences.
The app is also an interesting space to work with influencers who have an established TikTok following to help you reach a wider audience. You can also find and share excellent user generated content (UGC) for your business.
Audiences also react with greater interests to video content, so making the most out of either TikTok or Instagram - or both! - is in your best interest.
YouTube
For longform videos, YouTube remains the best platform. No other platform allows videos over a few minutes long, although TikTok’s limit has recently been upped to 10 minutes.
If you produce longform videos, YouTube should be a cornerstone of your digital strategy.
Other social media platforms, like Instagram or Twitter, can be used to direct traffic to your videos on YouTube.
Pinterest is a visual search engine - think Google, but for images. It’s a social network people use to find inspiration and ideas, for everything from their next haircut to interior design.
Many brands sleep on Pinterest, but it has many benefits for visual content.
Firstly, content on Pinterest has a great chance of spreading organically to more people which increases your exposure. The shelf-life of a Pinterest post is far longer than any other social network.
Like Instagram, Pinterest is a great platform to target women, as the app is dominated by female users.
If your company is creative and produces artistic content, then Pinterest can be incredibly useful in inspiring others to save and share your content.
Google Listing
Last but certainly not least, all businesses should use Google. Ensuring your company is listed on Google is imperative for your business.
A Google listing is not a website, but rather a listing that appears when customers are searching for your business or a service that you offer.
Google is by far the most popular search engine, with a market share of 92.49% in the UK (Statcounter, 2021).
Ensuring your business has good search engine optimisation (SEO) will be fundamental in attracting customers.