If you think social media marketing is just for big companies with an advertising team/department and a big marketing budget, you’re wrong. If you think social media is too much bother, too challenging to master, or too . . . whatever, it’s time to ditch the excuses. And here’s why. No reasons your social-media-resistant mindset can conjure up can stand against these stats.
- 72% of American adults use social media
- 78% of American women use social media vs. 65% of American men
- 73% of American adults use YouTube
- 46 billion people use mobile devices for social media with usage likely to increase
- 366 million new people began using social media in 2018 alone—more than a million new users every single day.
With numbers like these, small businesses interested in staying in business must work through their excuses and get on board with a social media marketing plan that fits their unique advertising needs and business goals.
The first step is to launch a strategizing session that explores the following—
- What are we currently doing in the realm of social media?
On what social media platforms do we have a presence? How active are we? If the answer is none and nothing, shame on you. But honesty counts, so no fibbing.
- What have we done in the past?
Note any past attempts that fell through, were abandoned, or fizzled to nothing, for information sake. Not to steer clear of those particular platforms, but rather, to glean insights from the past.
- What are our competitors doing?
It’s imperative to research the competition, to discover how they utilize social media. Of course, copycatting is a no-no, but letting their efforts spark ideas for your company to try, is not only perfectly acceptable, but also highly advisable.
Which platforms are right for you?
If you don’t consider yourself social media savvy, then you probably have no idea how to answer that question. If you believe everything you hear about who favors which platform or base decisions on impulse thinking, you may be only slightly better equipped than those who have nothing to draw on. Don’t make assumptions about where your audience may be spending their time online.
Thankfully, the Pew Research Center has compiled the data that will help you answer the “Which platform?” question. For instance, their data on the use of Facebook from 2012 to 2019 shows—
- Little fluctuation among Millennial usage with a current high of 84%
- Growth from 67% to 76% in 2018 with a slip to 74% in 2019 for Gen X
- From steady increases to a recent plateau at 60% for Boomers
- Consistent usage in the 21-22% range that shot to 37% in 2019 for the Silent generation
“The first platform for many marketers is Facebook, mainly because of the size and scale,” notes Zvika Goldstein, chief product officer of Kenshoo, a digital advertising technology platform. “But in certain categories, they look at Instagram as the stronger vehicle for e-commerce,”
eMarketer notes that Instagram’s distinctive aesthetic attracts younger users and lifestyle brands with its unique combination of scale and contextual relevance. Each platform offers something a bit different to entice users and advertisers, leaving both to discover the individual nuances and choose accordingly.
This treasure-trove of demographics information for all of the major social networks compiled by Hootsuite can assist in determining where your audience spends their online time.
ASJ Partners can help, too. With over twenty-five years of experience in the staffing and recruiting industry, our team of specialists is well-versed in creating highly targeted marketing programs. Check us out to see how ASJ can inject new life into your digital marketing efforts. Be sure to stop by next month for more tips on how to utilize the power of social media marketing for your small business.
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