How to Use Each Social Media Platform to Your Brand’s Advantage
Social media is at the center of life today, which means that it’s no longer a question of whether or not to join but where to start!
Building a social media presence can be a stressful AF process for small businesses. You know what to post on your personal page, but what should you post for your business page?
Establishing an online presence for your business is a great way to expose your brand to the public. Whether you’re using Instagram posts and stories to connect with your customer base or using TikToks and Reels to create tutorials on how to use your products, social media is an integral tool to use for your brand.
However, no two social media platforms are the same. To make sure that you’re engaging your followers and attracting new customers, you need to play to each platform’s native style and create content that will keep everyone coming back for more.
Are you curious how you can mobilize your brand’s social media pages to grow your biz? Continue reading to learn more about which social platforms to be on and what content you should be creating to boost brand engagement.
7 Social Media Platforms to Use for Your Brand
Instagram is at the top of the list of social media platforms that you have to be on as a small biz.
What used to be simply a photo-sharing platform, Instagram has now evolved into something much more than that. With more than one billion users every month, Instagram offers several types of content, including:
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Reels
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IG Live
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Stories
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IG TV
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Carousel-style posts
Plus, the addition of Instagram Shops has made it even easier for businesses to sell their products directly to consumers through the platform. Customers can save products to a Wishlist, add items to cart, and even check out – all through the Instagram app.
For small businesses, Instagram is best used as a mini-blog to provide value to your customers. Pair high-quality, creative, and relatable images of your products with content that builds customer trust. Testimonials, customer reviews, how-to videos, before-and-after photos, or any other content that will show your audience that your products are the real deal.
Instagram can be used for way more than sharing your own content. It’s also a place for you to share stories and posts that customers tag you in. For example, Glossier has used their Insta to share content that their users create, such as makeup and skincare routines. Not only does this hype up their products, but it incentivizes other customers to share their Glossier routine as well! It’s a total win-win.
TikTok
TikTok may be the new kid on the block, but it is giving every other platform a run for their money.
Especially loved by Gen Z and Millennials, TikTok is a short-form video-sharing app that uses a unique algorithm to promote videos that match a user’s preferences.
TikTok is skyrocketing in popularity, but what makes it different from other social apps? Other social media platforms rely on organic engagement, but TikTok uses an algorithm that allows content to go viral much more easily than other social media platforms. This means that anyone – from businesses to personal users – can earn a spot on someone’s FYP (For You page.)
While TikTok’s algorithm is largely a mystery, there are a few key elements that you can include in your videos to increase your chances of going viral. Use trending sounds to create short, informative, and entertaining videos that show off your products. Consistency is key. Be sure to post often to gain favor with the algorithm and boost your content!
So, how does this help you earn more $$$? TikTok recently announced their partnership with Shopify. Just like Instagram, TikTok now allows users to shop in the app, which means users can immediately buy your products if they like what they see. At Ouu I Love, we are also Shopify partners, which means that we can help you take advantage of this feature and boost your sales!
The key when it comes to making TikToks is to have fun and be yourself. This strategy has helped many businesses blossom virtually overnight. For example, the beauty brand Kaja used the app to grow their platform at the start of the pandemic, and now, they have a loyal following and growing customer base – all thanks to TikTok!
Social media is all about connecting with your audience. Be authentic and have fun when you create content, and watch your follower count grow!
As a large social media platform, LinkedIn serves a different purpose than apps like TikTok or Instagram.
LinkedIn is a great place to show more of the backend of your business and share your accomplishments with other professionals. It is best used as a tool to connect with others in your industry or professionals that can help take your business to the next level.
Interact with others’ posts, share your milestones, or share polls to get feedback on topics in your field. By connecting with other successful creatives, you can learn more about what has worked in the past and how you can apply it to your brand!
Every brand wants to be the next Wendy’s on Twitter (seriously, check them out.) But how can you use Twitter to reach your target audience?
Twitter is a community-focused platform that rewards value-packed content and community engagement. News travels much faster on Twitter than other platforms because of its retweet feature. This means that it’s a great place to share live updates, promote new products, or host giveaways. Plus, you can use it to respond to customer questions, react to news in your industry, or even just goof off (good-naturedly) like Wendy’s.
Facebook (now Meta)
While it is an older social media platform, Facebook (Meta) is still a valuable social media platform in which to invest time and energy.
As the godfather of modern social media, Facebook has the largest number of users worldwide (around 3 billion.) You can leverage the amount of data Facebook holds by running ads on their site and through Instagram, which is owned by Facebook.
The world of Facebook advertising can be a complicated space. That’s why it’s wise to hire a digital marketer who can handle the details for you.
YouTube
Creating content for YouTube requires a little more effort, but it can be a great tool to use for your success.
YouTube is a long-form video content platform that is a great space for vlogs, tutorials, collection launches, and more. You can use your page to share the thought process behind your latest launch or show customers exactly how to get the most out of your products.
Like Facebook, YouTube boasts a high number of users, which makes it a great space to use Google ads. Again, a digital marketer will come in handy here to make sure that your ads are targeting the right people.
Pinterest has had a legendary comeback as a social media platform and is vital when it comes to your social media strategy.
Pinterest is a platform that allows you to make mood boards that reflect your interests. It also acts as a natural search engine for people who are looking for branding inspo, color palettes, and emerging trends.
As a brand, you can create pins using your product photography, infographics about topics in your niche, or create advertisements. No matter what your Pinterest strategy is, make sure that you are being a source of inspiration to others!
Building a social media presence for your brand isn’t rocket science.
By defining your target audience and using the proper channels to provide value-packed, entertaining content, you can create engagement and drive brand awareness through the vast world of social media.
Each platform has its own native style, so be sure that you’re being true to that and your brand to find success on social media. Also, use each account to cross-promote your other social accounts. If your TikTok blows up, promote your Insta to your followers with content they can’t get on your TikTok (and vice versa.) Before long, you’ll be blowing up the social media game.
Speaking of social media, give us a follow on Insta at @ouuilove!