How to Grow Your Business Using Social Media

If you’re wondering how to use social media for your business, here are a few tips to get started.

If you're a business owner, you may be wondering which platforms you should be using. Social media has many advantages when it comes to growing your business. When choosing which platforms you should be prioritizing, keep in mind the kind of audience you have and your business goals. Discovering the right social media channel for your business can be difficult since there are so many options. Learn about different social media platforms and which ones are the right fit for your business.

1. Facebook

   Facebook is the largest social networking site. It’s a great platform because almost all content works well on it: text, photo, and video (through reels and stories). It also allows you to post links, so you can drive traffic to your website! A Facebook business page can connect your customers and offer key information about your business, products, services, and upcoming events. Features such as Facebook Groups and Facebook Ads Manager allow you to easily reach more potential customers.

2. Instagram

   Instagram is a great place to share eye-catching visual content, such as photos and videos. In addition to regular posting, you can publish content on reels, Stories, and can even go live. Instagram offers unique features so users can interact with their audience such as question stickers, polls, music, and links that are viewed through Instagram stories. Instagram also allows businesses to open shops from their profiles.

3. X (formerly Twitter)

   X is best used for short content, and is strongly used for real time information. It has a 280-character limit so ideally, businesses utilize this platform for business news or updates. Uploading images, infographics or short videos on X is a way to grab your audience's attention while they’re scrolling through their feed.

4. LinkedIn

   LinkedIn is mainly used as a professional platform, and has recently evolved into a network where users can share their work and showcase their personal brand. Businesses are encouraged to share newsworthy or work-related content with their audience. On this platform, businesses can share insight into their company goals and accomplishments to attract talent as well as customers.

5. YouTube

   Youtube is considered the second largest search engine, after Google. It is used to share long or short videos, depending on the message you are trying to get out to your audience. YouTube is a great platform for sharing educational content. If your business is utilizing this platform, keep in mind your target audience’s attention span, and the types of videos they respond best to.

6. TikTok

   TikTok was created in 2016, and is one the fastest growing apps in the world. TikTok allows users to create content that ranges from 15 seconds to 10 minutes long. The app features many different filters, effects, and sounds to create captivating posts. 56% of 20-29 year olds, and 67% of people between 18 and 19 are users of TikTok, so this is a great option to target young people. TikTok has many options for brands when it comes to advertisements, such as, TopView Ads, In-Feed Ads, Brand Takeover Ads, and Branded Hashtags.

Now that you’ve learned about how different platforms are used in different ways, it’s time to decide which platforms your business should be utilizing. Keep in mind, you know your target audience best. Which social media platform do you think they use the most? It is also important to remember to only pick two or three social media platforms and focus on what type of content you are producing to best reach your audience. There is no point using every social media platform and failing to reach your audience on each one. Knowing which social media platforms most resonate with your target audience will help you create a more effective marketing strategy in order to grow your business.