So, you’ve got your business, the logo, the slogan, and the only thing you’re missing is a social media platform that can properly match your business and its essence. There are plenty of options when it comes to choosing your social media platforms however, you’re probably wondering: what are the benefits to this social media platform over that social media platform? There are abundance of benefits to different platforms such as Instagram has the explore page where depending on your business it can get featured. Twitter has the trending page where if people hashtag it enough, it will get trending. Facebook trending topic where they can see what is trending on the side of the newsfeed at the top of the page. As you can see, you definitely have options. The remaining question is: Which social media platform should you use? Here are your options:

Facebook:

The first social media platform that I will be talking about is Facebook. Facebook was invented in February 2004, Cambridge, Massachusetts by Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook has over 1 billion active users every day, you can find your target audience, build an email list, and gain new customers as well as followers. It is a great way to interact with your clients. Many companies create private groups on the platform where paying customers can join, interact, pose questions and have personalized conversations and experiences with your business that you are trying to promote. The pros of creating a Facebook profile for your business is: massive audience reach, targeted advertising, great for customer interaction, and analytics. The cons are: ads require a large budget, takes constant engagement, so you must keep posting in order to keep engagement with your customers, and there is no control if your account gets suspended. Keep an active account, keep in touch and connect with your users and users of Facebook itself. In short, Facebook is a tool that is good for any startup businesses that want more traction.

Instagram:

The second social media platform is Instagram. Instagram is an overnight success. Within two months of Instagram’s launch in 2010 by the founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger it created overnight traction and is used by over 1 billion people everyday making it one of the most top social media platforms for business. Instagram has stories, which can show the product that you are trying to sell. Instagram is an excellent tool for the future generations. The pros of that are the highly appealing aesthetic aspect, more popular than Facebook when it comes to the younger generation, and created for mobile. However, the cons are: followers do not equal engagement, they can be following you, but do not interact with you. Needs a posting schedule that works for you and for your followers. So, the more you post the more your followers will engage with your business.

Twitter:

The third social media platform that I will be talking about is Twitter. Now Twitter was created on March 21st, 2006, San Francisco, CA by Jack Dorsey. Twitter became known for its character limit, it gives people the voice, but limits that voice. Businesses, journalists, and even celebrities are using twitter to share news articles, updates on their day, and now with a new updated feature share stories with one another online. Consistently engaging with your audience, adding valuable content with your posts, using the correct hashtags, and standing out can be a great way to run your business. You can even do updates on your business if needed. The pros of using Twitter are: Ads are more successful there than on Facebook, easy to engage with followers, and free advertising by using a hashtag. However, the cons are: There are a lot of voices on twitter, yours might drown out. Requires multiple tweets everyday, you get more traffic to your business, but not a lot of sales. Bottom line with Twitter: engagement is everything.

Youtube:

The fourth social media platform is Youtube. Youtube was created by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim on February 14th, 2005, San Mateo, CA. It is mainly used as a video based platform. It is the platform for sharing information via video. It now has 2 billion monthly users and has become a place for people to not only learn new things but to post your own content that you haven’t seen before on the platform. With Youtube, you can create your own content and your own business can be promoted through video as though it was a commercial. The pros of Youtube are: views are easier to gain on Youtube, a great way to show off your business, and drives the conversation in the comments. The con: demonetization if your video has violence (which can be taken down) or too many swears.

Linkedin:

The fifth and final social media platform I will mention is Linkedin. Now, Linkedin is made specifically for you, not so much your business in my opinion. Linked in was created in 2002, Mountain View, CA by Reid Hoffman. Linkedin is a site that allows you to create a business profile for yourself or your business if you prefer and you put in information about yourself, your education, work history, etc. It is a good platform to build connections with other people and have a sense of who your engaged audience is. The pros are: Good engagement for yourself and getting your name out there. However, the cons are: Not so much for the business aspect of things but rather for yourself if you’re looking for a job. Overall, Linkedin: Good for yourself. Not your business.

The Benefits of Social Media Overview:

The overall benefits of social media are that it is the way to create, communicate, and promote your business. You can increase your brand awareness and have people know what your business is and have your ads (if you buy them) to target your audience. 60 percent of Instagram users say they discover a new product on the platform everyday. Connect with customers and potential customers by engaging with them on social media; establishing your brand will create more appeal to customers. Any of these platforms will work for your business, but it is up to YOU to decide which platform given the information will work best for you and help you gain more traction to your business.