The top social media platforms for business

Here are the top 6 platforms businesses are using (and winning at)

Social media – the side of business that so many people have a love/hate relationship with. They love knowing what it can do for them (and seeing the success others have online), but they hate all the ‘bits’ that come along with it.

And by bits I mean measuring success, knowing what to post, knowing when to post and most importantly, knowing where to post.

Because as we know, not all social media platforms are created equally.

What works for one business may not work for another.

So, how do you determine where to invest your time and efforts when it comes to keeping social online?

Don’t gasp, but you should try out all the social media platforms!

If you’re sitting there thinking, ‘Sam, you’ve gotta be kidding – I can’t even handle the one I’m on right now’, hear me out for a tick.

I believe that at times, we get stuck in business ruts, and if something seems like it’s working, we tend to keep going along with it. But how do you know if there’s something better for your business if you never try?

I’m not saying you have to keep being active on every social media platform, but try them out. Judge the responses you receive on the platforms. Do you find you generate more leads or sales on one platform over another?

You may have thought your audience hangs out on one platform, but be surprised to find more hang out elsewhere. So, give them all a go first and then decide on your favourite one or two to concentrate on.

Here are the top 6 social media platforms for business

1. Facebook

Active Monthly Users: 2.45 billion

Best post engagement times: Thursday through Sunday work well with most people being online over the weekend. Popular post times seem to be 9am, 1pm and 3pm.

Facebook is still one of the biggest platforms for business as it’s suitable for all industries. The first thing to consider is that most people on Facebook are there as an individual, so it’s ideal if you use it as a business to consumer – be human and relate to humans. You can do this in different ways using your posts, but personalising your story is a great way to form individual connections (rather than being seen as just a business or brand). Make sure your business page has keywords and a summary that is targeted towards your audience. And keep active. You don’t just have to post your own content but share content from other pages. Encourage interaction by posing open-ended questions or encouraging sharing.

2. Twitter

Average Monthly Users: 330 million

Best post engagement times: Peak times of engagement tend to be around lunchtime, 3pm and between 5-6pm.

Twitter remains hugely popular for businesses that are in the entertainment, sports, political or marketing industries. Businesses on Twitter need to encourage people to follow them by tweeting interesting, helpful information and images. And it would be best if you were tweeting often during these peak times. The Twitter feed moves fast as they are all short posts. So one post can be overlooked. If you have an important message to get out, you can retweet it throughout the day, but make sure you’re mixing it up with other unique tweets. And keep social too. Retweet things from people in your industry if you think your audience will appreciate it. Tag the business using @ and include #hashtags to make your posts more searchable.

3. LinkedIn

Average Monthly Users: 310 million

Best post engagement times: Weekdays, from 7-8am, lunchtime, or after work around 5-6pm.

LinkedIn is the largest professional networking social media site. It’s great for B2B companies as you can connect with potential buyers and tap into their networks. As a business, you will need to have a business page too. Many people tend only to use a personal profile, but a business page helps you to gain more exposure online.

Use keywords and tailor your summary and service descriptions to your audience, almost working on the notion that you’re at a live networking event. Take advantage of publishing content online by sharing helpful articles related to your business. It’s also known that articles on work/life balance, leadership and time management are well received.

4. Instagram

Active Monthly Users: 1 billion

Best post engagement times: Mondays and Thursdays from 8-9am and 5pm

Instagram’s target demographic is under 35, with 63% of users aged between 18 to 34, so if your audience falls into this bracket, you need to be on Insta! Product-based businesses, influencers and coaches seem to thrive on this platform as it’s highly visual and a fantastic way to showcase their creations.

You can personalise your business on Instagram by sharing stories and creating short videos to invite people into your behind the scenes world. When you create posts, make sure you’re using 7-10 hashtags per post to help people find you. In your business bio, you should include your phone number and use the link to either direct people to your website or an event you’re running.

5. Snapchat

Active Monthly Users: 360 million

Best post engagement times: NA

If you’re selling products aimed at a younger demographic, you need to be on Snapchat. 90% of the users on Snapchat are under the age of 25. Snapchat has been successful for businesses for promotions like flash sales, giveaways and sneak peeks into new products. Businesses such as retail, food and the like go well on Snapchat.

Snapchat has a function called Ads, where you can create videos that appear between stories. You can also create sponsored lenses and geofilters to help promote your business in a fun way. To capture this audience, you need to create engaging images and entertain people while you’re raising awareness of your brand.

6. Pinterest

Active Monthly Users: 322 million

Best post engagement times: NA

81% of users on Pinterest are women, with the majority being under 40 and using it to find things they want to buy. So if this is your audience, you need to be here! Pinterest works well for fashion, food, décor, wedding, workout and DIY businesses. However, anyone who can create rich visual content can perform well on Pinterest (using infographics, etc.).

It’s best practice if you not only create visually engaging pins but also share pins. Use keywords so when someone searches for what you offer, you will be found. The ultimate end game is people ‘pinning’ you to their board and then buying from you when they’re ready. Pinterest also allows video ads and promoted pins to help you get more engagement.

And there are other online social media platforms!

Today we’ve covered the 6 major social media platforms; however there are more available you may want to look at, such as TikTok, Tumblr, Flickr and of course, YouTube. There are also some niche platforms if you look around, such as music.ly; a social media app for music lovers!

I’d love to hear what social media platform suits your business. What have you tried? What works best for you? What posts do you find get the most engagement? Drop your comments below.

And if you’d like any help in determining how to use social media platform, feel free to get in touch.