Choosing the right social media platforms to use
It is no longer a begging question of why businesses must use social media. But it is now about how they can be effective on the various social media platforms. According to the Digital, Social and Mobile in 2015 report by WeAreSocial, social media active accounts (users) are about 2.078 billion globally, forming about 70 per cent of global Internet users. It is also growing very fast at 12 per cent, every year.
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Some of the popular social media platforms with huge active users are Facebook, Twitter, Messenger, YouTube, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, QZone, Instagram, SnapChat, WeChat, Line, GooglePlus, and Pinterest. As much as these platforms have huge active users, businesses must be deliberate in choosing the right one to use to intensely engage their customers, effectively market their products and strongly position their businesses online.
Checklist for choosing the right platforms
Some of the steps (10 Fs) to follow in selecting the right social media platform for your business include:
Formation: When was the platform developed?
You need to know what inspired the development of each platform, how it has evolved over the years and the prospects of using it in the future. Though some platforms started as campus initiative, as in the case of Facebook, it has evolved over the years to become the largest social media platform, globally. WhatsApp started as a platform to overtake (or kill) SMS using its rich-media content sharing features and intuitive user interface.
Facts: What are the statistical figures?
You must do research on the social media platforms you want to use so you can make data-driven decisions. Facebook, has about 1.4 billion users (47 per cent of all Internet users); WhatsApp has 800 million users; Instagram has 300 million users; and Twitter has 284 million users. You need to know the number of users, the amount and formats of contents shared, the time spent by users, the demography and geography of its users, and how their features work.
Features: How are they different or similar?
Every social media platform has unique features which differentiates it from other platforms, though some of them share common features. These features help in accounts creation, content management, strategy development, engagement strategy, community building, conversion rate and tracking trends. Facebook is known for Likes, Shares, Posts, Schedule, Groups, Newsfeed, and Wall features; Twitter is known for Hashtags, Favourite, Tweets, Trends and 140-Character restriction; WhatsApp known for Status, Group Chats, Broadcast List, and two blue Double-Checked marks. Have a list of the features of the social media platforms so you know how they differ or are similar.
Functionalities: How do the features work?
All the features of the social media platforms perform some unique functions, individually or collectively. Know the functions of the features of the various social media platforms. For example, Facebook “Timeline” gives you a catalogue of all posts by year (or date) like a diary; WhatsApp “Broadcast List” enables you to send messages to 256 contacts at one click, without the contacts knowing each other unlike the Group Chat; and Twitter “Trends” lists all the leading talking points or subjects on their platform so you know what people are conversing about. Feeds: What are the primary content formats?
Since social media thrives on contents, you must know the primary formats of each of the platforms you have chosen. These platforms have newsfeeds which display contents either in text, images, audio, or video formats. Other formats that can be shared are locations and links. Twitter is primarily texts, Instagram is images, and YouTube is videos, while others allow more formats. Facebook allows posting of multiple content formats.
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Fans: Who are the active users?
Business is about customers and social media is about networking with fans, followers and friends. You must know the demography of the users of the social media platforms to know which of them deliver the highest number of your target consumers. Or you must find out which of these platforms your existing customers are on. It is best to know where your target consumers so you can create your business accounts there.
Formula: Which strategies will work?
Strategy is important in managing social media presence. Your strategy must have your business objectives, target consumers, product benefits, communication plan and conversion. Importantly, you must know if your strategy will work on the selected social media platforms. Every platform works based on some formula (using algorithms) to create accounts, connect fans, display posts, measure engagements and advertising. You need to know if the selected social media platform can also deliver the best campaign experience for your business.
Feats: Are there successful case studies?
It is necessary to find if businesses in your industry have been successful in engaging their customers, marketing their products and positioning themselves on the selected social media platform. You need successful case studies to decide if the platform you have chosen will deliver the expected results, optimally. If you do not have any practical examples, you must consider the user-base, research data, features and functionalities of the platform, and the budget you need to manage your presence on the platform.
Finance: How much budget is needed?
You cannot manage social media platforms without knowing how much is involved. You need to acquire more fans, boost posts, buy devices, subscribe to reliable internet connection, pay your social media team or advertise on the platform. It requires monetary commitment. You need budget to manage your business presence on these platforms or their respective third-party applications to enhance you their management.
Future: What are the prospects?
Follow the new trends in the social media space in terms of the new features added to the existing platforms, the new platforms that are growing huge user-base consistently and know where your target consumers are engaging more so you will be where they are. Not knowing when or how the platform you have chosen to position will evolve over the years will result in loss of money and time. Do not be trapped in the past.
The wiriter is a digital marketing strategist, social media expert, app developer and technology instructor.
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