Not all social media platforms are the same – so why would you advertise on all of them? The different features and purposes that different platforms bring make each one remarkably useful for different tasks. Therefore, you probably should be more cognizant of where you and your business may be spending advertisement dollars, or at least be mindful of where you do advertise and how.
Back when I worked for a small business strategy and financial consulting firm in Houston, I was in charge of putting together advertisements to promote through various social media platforms. It didn’t make sense for us to promote our local services on the worldwide platform that is Instagram – people don’t go to Instagram to find financial consulting (usually).
Placement matters.
Here’s how to know which types of platforms benefit certain types of businesses depending on your field of interest.
- INSTAGRAM The jack-of-all-trades (or is it?). Many business have flocked to Instagram for paid and automated promotions that can be potentially helpful for generating more business whether it be through website clicks, follows, profile clicks, and more. However, Instagram can be a lucrative tool, IF used correctly. Think about the last time you clicked on an Instagram ad. Was it a cool pair of shoes, a cool new app? Chances are if your business is mostly local, administrative, consultative, business-driven, you could thrive off of other platforms more than Instagram.
- LINKEDIN Now, where can administrative, consultative, business-driven businesses catch the most bang for their buck? Try a platform that is primarily centered on all-things business, jobs, connections, and networks. That consulting firm for small businesses I mentioned earlier could’ve put out really useful advertisements in the LinkedIn sphere, where many small business owners browse, for example. Identify if the typical users of LinkedIn might find value in your product/service versus the typical Instagram user.
- FACEBOOK Learning how to correctly target certain customer groups for Facebook ads can be lucrative. With this platform slowly decreasing in user traffic against platforms like Instagram. While most businesses can be easily promoted through the Facebook platform, we suggest watching some YouTube videos on strategies to maximize your reach to Facebook users.
- PINTEREST Everyone uses Pinterest for different reasons. Whether if it’s to get the right office inspo, DIY project ideas, lifestyle inspo, or recipes to make for dinner. Product-based businesses can easily promote through Pinterest. With a striking visual ad, you can use Pinterest advertising to your advantage. With a smart algorithm, your product advertisement will show up for users interested in your type of product via Pinterest or Google searches. Get promoting, girl!
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