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How to find the right social media channels for your company
The question of whether a social media account is worthwhile for a company should hopefully be answered clearly for all entrepreneurs by now. Yes, of course, a strong company needs social media in order to reach old and new customers, to interact with them and to draw an approachable picture of the company. No matter how versatile your own product may be, every company finds its own target group on social media. According to the statistics portal statista, there are 2.5 billion social media users worldwide. And there will be more. In recent years, people in the second half of their lives have started to use social media proactively. In 2013, almost 70 percent of Internet users over 50 years of age were registered with at least one social network, and around 55 percent also used it actively. A strong presence on social media is therefore not only interesting for companies whose target group is still in training. But which social media channel is the right one for your own company? Which channels are most effective for reaching your target group?
For this, as with any successful marketing strategy, it is important to name your own target group as precisely as possible. However, the advantages and disadvantages of different social media platforms should also be known so that a successful target group approach can be achieved. How to find the right social media channels for your company.
Facebook is the classic among social networks. There are 25 million German users here every month who actively use the possibilities of Facebook. The older the target group, the more relevant an appealing Facebook profile is. While young people are often active on several platforms, the older target group often uses Facebook primarily. Despite the scandals surrounding data protection, in which Facebook is repeatedly involved, the network is very popular with many users and is set by many as a social media standard. On a profile page, the company is able to present itself, functions such as messenger make communication between customers and companies child's play. Facebook has recently also been offering a marketplace function in which it is possible to offer goods in the form of classified ads.
Who is it for? To put it casually, for everyone. The older the target group, the more important Facebook becomes in communication.
The Instagram photo platform, which has been part of the Facebook empire since 2012, is the hotspot for all companies whose products can be staged aesthetically. Companies that operate in the fashion or interior sector will find their target group here. But Instagram can also be a great way to reach your own target group in the food and lifestyle area. The function of the Insta stories, in which images and videos are only visible for 24 hours, offers strong managers with charisma the opportunity to increase their identification with the brand. The hurdle for interaction between company and user is very low through comments, question fields or votes. The new InstaTV function has recently made it possible to provide longer videos for a longer period of time - similar to the YouTube video platform. However, if your goal is to increase traffic, you should rather look for alternatives to Instagram. Products can now be linked directly to shop links, but links in captions and comments cannot be clicked on the platform. Only the possibility of placing a link, for example to the website, in the profile influences the traffic numbers. Verified accounts can also place links in stories. The vertical swipe with a finger from bottom to top takes the Instagram user to the landing page.
Who is it for? For brands with strong images, aesthetic products and attention to detail.
Pinterest offers a digital pin board, on which users can save content on thematically divided boards. It is also possible to comment and like pictures. Similar to Instagram, the focus is also on Pinterest. Fashion, beauty and interior are easy to place here, but insurance is more difficult. But there is a niche for everything. Pinterest is used by many as an advice platform. Visually appealing financial or savings tips as well as recipes that fit into the cozy look of the social media platform have good chances. Since the images can be stored directly with links, Pinterest is a great way to market products successfully. This is particularly worthwhile because many users use Pinterest as a wish list.
Who is it for? Brands that enrich users' pin boards with great photos and advice.
Snapchat
Snapchat is asking many people over the age of 20 how exactly the platform should be used. At its core, this social media channel is about posting videos that are either visible for a period of 24 hours or for ten seconds. The platform experienced a real hype after its introduction, but the group of Snapchat users has now crystallized strongly. People under 18 make up the largest Snapchat user group. This social media channel is particularly worthwhile if the brand is to appeal to minors. Otherwise, it is better to use the story function on Instagram and concentrate the capacities on one platform.
Who is it for? Companies that want to keep their young target group up to date every day.
Twitter is a short message service that allows you to share utterances with a maximum length of 280 characters in so-called tweets. Even if it is possible to embed pictures and videos in tweets, Twitter relies primarily on the written word. The platform was founded in 2006, but despite its age in Germany it has a fairly manageable user base of 12 million users. These are primarily people from journalism and politics who get information about the latest events on Twitter and comment on them.
Who is it for? People from the media industry and those who want to become one.
WhatApp
WhatsApp is not a classic social network. Rather, it is a messenger service that enables 1: 1 communication. This is not about the number of followers or likes, but solely about being able to answer customers openly and personally with questions. The messenger service enables a new type of email or newsletter marketing. Customers can be addressed individually and informed about offers, and can easily communicate in voice messages. Messenger services such as WhatsApp are particularly interesting for companies that want to offer advice to their customers. In addition, newsletter formats via messenger such as WhatsApp reach a younger target group, since messenger is used more frequently and more intensively than an email program.
Who is it for? Companies that value customer service and want to be approachable.
Xing is a career network that mainly focuses on German-speaking countries. While most social media platforms and authenticity work, the individual presentation on Xing is guided by professional interests. Xing acts as a digital resume, is the natural habitat of headhunters and enables digital networking. Here you have the opportunity to present yourself as a worker-friendly company and stay in touch with former team members. Xing also offers the opportunity to look for potential new employees and to contact them directly.
Who is it for? Companies that often outsource project work and want to be interesting for employees.
Youtube
Youtube is a video platform that enables video content to be presented on its own channel. Youtube videos can be easily integrated into content management systems or other social media accounts, so that a well-maintained channel on the network offers great added value. However, it should be said that the operation of a YouTube channel is only worthwhile if the company creates video content anyway. Otherwise, the recording of YouTube uses an above average amount of time due to the time-consuming production of videos compared to other social media channels. In addition, a YouTube channel should only go hand in hand with strong community management, since the comments here have a rougher tone than on other platforms.
Who is it for? Companies that produce video content.
4 tips at the end
In order to present yourself successfully as a brand on social media, it is important to know the strengths and weaknesses of different platforms. But ultimately the following applies:
Practice creates masters
Sometimes it just helps to try out what suits your company. Target group analysis and the examination of algorithms help to position the brand optimally. It can also be easier at the beginning,
Concentrate on one platform
instead of getting involved everywhere without really meeting the demands of the network.
Don't let innovations deter you!
The front end of the platform looks completely different after an update? Are there new functions that are not yet available to you? No panic. Social media responds promptly to the demands of users in a digital world. Most of the time, the innovations turn out to be helpful.
Community management is the key to success
Anyone who travels on social media without having established a reasonable community management will go to open water without a life jacket. Users want to interact via social media, they want their criticism and praise to be heard. Community management helps outset customers and a shitstorm in crisis situations.
So there are numerous ways to strengthen your own company through social media. If you don't want to lose track of all the platforms, you can use a marketing portal to plan or post posts on social media. Thanks to the analysis options offered by the marketing portal, advertisements on social media platforms can also be targeted to specific target groups using local targeting. In addition, sales and sales partners can be equipped with pre-formulated posts and ads.