Businesses have been competing with each other probably since the very dawn of commerce, especially those in the same industry, and as time goes by, the competition gets tougher, because technology, just like humans, changes and improves with time.

The more technology develops, the more new trends appear. Businesses use trends to “stay connected” with their customers; therefore, business owners are always required to keep up with the trends to keep their business current.

That being said, trends are not just the only key in communicating with customers. A key technology to help develop good communication with customers is social media. Basically, social media is a tool for social interaction between people, to help them stay in touch with each other. However, social media is more than that. Whether you are a business owner or not, you should be aware that social media is influential to both people and businesses. In fact, social media now has become a major platform for businesses to promote their brand.

If you have a business, it is important to have a social media business profile, because not only will it improve your business’ online presence, it can also be a way for you to communicate with your customers or potential customers. That being said, you don’t just flat out create an account on any social media platform without even observing which one is the most suitable for your company. In theory, all social media platforms are good for communication, but only some are all that and a bag of Fritos when it comes to business.

In this article, we are going to guide you to choose the right social media platforms for your business and what you should look out for. Keep reading to explore more!

One of the main reasons why some businesses fail to deliver the best social media practice is that they focus on the wrong social media platform. That’s why you need to observe first, and more importantly, understand your own business better before choosing a social media platform.

The first step you have to take is to determine these three key questions about your business:

1. Which category does your business belong in? B2C or B2B, or both?
2. What is your target audience?
3. What is your main goal?

By determining these first, at least you have a clear description of what you need when you manage your social media business profile. Now, let’s get on to the next step. It’s now time to conduct some research on social media platforms and make a list of the best and the most influential social media platforms with millions of active users. Alright, now keep the list.

For those of you who are still not familiar with the terms B2B and B2C, let us explain to you in short. B2B stands for Business-to-Business, meaning that your company offers your products to another company that might need your products in order to sell their products. For example, your company sells a huge amount of cooking ingredients, like sugar, salt, batter, etc., and then you sell those to companies to bakeries, cake shops, etc.

Next is B2C, which is Business-to-Customers (or Consumer in some cases), meaning that your company makes direct sales to customers. For example, your company is in a form of a restaurant, or your company sells clothes or shoes directly to the customers. By now this should be clear and you already know your company’s main focus.

Alright, so now onto the social media platforms, we have a list of 3 best-for-business social media platforms that can get you some insights on how you create yours. Remember, the  final choice(s)  still depends on your business.

Facebook

As of the fourth quarter of 2017, Facebook had 2.2 billion monthly active users. So, it doesn’t matter whether your business is a B2C or a B2B, you still need Facebook, as it can reach a wider audience. The information below can help you evaluate this better based on your target audience and your business.

Facebook is best used for B2C (mostly) and B2B in some cases.

Top industries to use Facebook:

• Fashion
• Cosmetics
• E-commerce
• Retail
• Entertainment
• Real Estate
• News
• Health & Wellness
• Sports, etc.

Target audience’s age in percentage:

• 88% of 17 – 29 year-olds
• 84% of 30 – 49 year-olds
• 72% of 50 – 64 year-olds
• 56% are 65 year-olds and above

 

Instagram

Through pictures, we can tell so many stories. Yes, Instagram is really popular, and even people from the age of 13 already use it. In 2018, Instagram has reached 800 million active users! Here are the points you need to learn about Instagram:

Instagram is best used for B2C

Top industries suitable for using Instagram:

• Arts & Crafts
• Photography
• Beauty or Cosmetics
• Event Planning
• Travel & Lifestyle
• Food & Beverage
• Fashion, etc.

Target audience’s age range in percentage:

• 59% of 18 – 29 year olds
• 33% of 30 – 49 year olds
• 18% of 50 – 64 year olds

 

Pinterest

Again, who doesn’t like pictures? Pinterest is the best place for hobbyists. Many high quality pictures are uploaded each day. This can be perfect for business. Also, in 2018, Pinterest has reached 200 million users already. Here are the things you need to look at for observations:

Best used for: B2C

Industries suitable for using Pinterest:

• E-commerce
• Arts & Crafts
• Travel & Lifestyle
• Retail
• Home & Garden
• Fashion
• Food and Beverage
• Beauty or Cosmetics, etc.

Target audience’s age range in percentage:

• 36% of 18 – 29 year olds
• 34% of 30 – 49 year olds
• 28% of 50 – 64 year olds

 

Now that you know the statistics of these three big social media platforms, you can evaluate your business and find the right social media platforms for you.

You can be on as many social media platforms as you want, as long as they are suitable for your business and as long as you have people to manage them. Remember; don’t neglect your social media business profiles – hence why it’s important to select wisely. Keep communicating with your customers and potential customers; keep updating your posts every day. If you find that one of these platforms is not getting the engagement you envisioned, then cut your losses and focus on the ones that work.

Exploring social media searches, hashtags, and popular feeds might also help you get many ideas and inspirations for your next posts. Keeping up with the trends is the key to manage a social media business profile, because you need people to see your posts, but make sure the posts and hashtags are still relevant to your business. Hopefully, this article can help you set your focus on your goals in terms of social media use. If you still have enquiries regarding social media, don’t hesitate to contact us now. Our team is always ready to help you.