solutions

By Hannah Ramsey

Social media is both fun and daunting , user-friendly and complex – especially when you ’ re using it for your business . While tons of resources exist to help you maximize the marketing opportunities , social media seems to change all the time . “ This is what the algorithm is doing now ,” and “ You should post this many times per day to stay relevant ,” and “ Nobody uses ABC anymore ; everybody is on XYZ .” It ’ s hard to know the right answer .

Here ’ s the deal : There is no right answer for how to use social media . The best thing you can do is observe and listen to what your audience is telling you , whether directly or through their behavior online ( i . e ., analytics ). With a foundation of data and experimentation , you can make decisions about which channels your business should be on , how often you should be posting , and what content to share . In many cases , less is actually more .

Choosing the Right Channels It ’ s unlikely your target audience uses every social media platform . And unless you have full-time social media staff , it ’ s unrealistic to use all these platforms as a part of your marketing strategy . Instead , know your communication goals and your reasons for using social media . Then align those with the activity of your target audience and use those select social media channels .

For instance , are you hoping to reach other businesses or recruit employees ? LinkedIn , designed as a professional networking site , would be a good channel to focus your efforts . Industry professionals are on LinkedIn to talk about their industry work , to learn from others , to look for jobs or for new employees . Post on LinkedIn at least twice a week , and make sure to comment on the posts of your industry peers . Then watch the responses and build your network .

Want to reach potential buyers and promote your business to a younger and more diverse audience ? Then picture and video-driven Instagram would be the way to go . With Instagram , you need to post frequently , probably once a day to truly gain traction and grow a following . You can choose to use picture Posts , video Reels , and timely Stories , and you will quickly learn which ones deliver a better response for you , or which style of post you ’ re more comfortable creating .

Facebook remains a popular destination , with Americans spending an average of 33 minutes per day on the platform . The site is particularly popular as a customer service outlet , and a way for customers or potential customers to communicate with you . Your business can ’ t ignore Facebook completely . Its use by American adults , however , is declining . In 2022 , Facebook use accounted for 25.7 % of the time U . S . adults spent on social media . That ’ s a decrease from 35.3 % in 2019 . Web research company eMarketer predicts Facebook use will decrease further to 22.4 % in 2024 . Almost all of the lost time is going to TikTok .

Should you be on TikTok ? With the site facing a possible ban in America , it ’ s difficult to make an investment in learning this social platform . A ban is far from certain with the site ’ s growing popularity . According to TikTok , about 150 million Americans are active monthly users . Roughly 60 % are female , 40 % are male . Some 60 % are between the ages of 16-24 , and 26 % are between the ages 25-44 . It ’ s not all teenagers , but this may not be your audience .

Select a channel mix that combines both where your audience is and your capabilities , time and energy to maintain activity . It might be best to focus on just one channel at a time . A quality representation of your brand is more important than a poor one spread across too many channels with too little content .

Prioritize Quality over Quantity It ’ s not about how much you post – it ’ s about what you ’ re posting . Companies must find a delicate balance between capturing attention , generating awareness , and making their message memorable without overwhelming or annoying their audience . A daily , salesy post is not the prescribed plan here .

You ’ ll create a deeper connection and generate more interest by aligning your content with what your target audience cares about , providing them with value-added content vs . sales promos . Using the platform ’ s own analytics , you can monitor their engagement ( likes , shares , comments ) to determine how often to share .

For example , a restaurant targeting millennials can promote money-saving specials , focusing on the overall experience and how it aligns with their purchasing decisions , then track a post ’ s likes as well as restaurant activity . A sports car brand can target retirementaged individuals , sharing lifestyle tips to create a connection and show how their product would enhance their life in retirement , and then see if people comment with questions . A local hardware

14 OPE Business April 2023 www . OPEBusiness . com