The Internet is a massive, diverse platform that allows us to get exposure, whether for personal reasons or for business matters. Through social media, we can provide followers and subscribers with instant updates, fresh content, and interactivity. But the question is, which platform is best to use? Among the many different social media platforms available, it is no doubt that Facebook and Twitter are at the top. A majority of businesses are active on both Facebook and Twitter, but they both deliver information in very different ways, so it’s important to know how to use each effectively in order to reach your target audience.
Facebook can be considered as more of the “dinner party” for businesses. It is a slow-paced and more formal platform with features that allow you to send invitations, create conversations, monitor your online reputation and watch it grow as time goes on. On Facebook, businesses can converse with larger groups at one time and have more control over the atmosphere on which they are posting, including photos and tags.
Facebook is a great way to grow your customer base, especially if you have a new product or promotion to advertise. It may be more useful for specific industries such as the service industry (restaurants) and small businesses that have a specific target audience. Having a Facebook page that you update consistently with relevant content can help your business organically attract new customers. They will see a variety of information on your page, such as check-ins, post sharing, commenting, and other features that your followers will see. If they “like” something on your page, people on their friends list will see this information, even if they aren’t following your page. But if they like what they see, then that means you may have just gained a new follower!
This social media platform allows you to have a more personalized connection with your audience than Twitter does. Online visibility is crucial to business success, and even if you have a website, having a Facebook page enhances your company’s image. It’s a great platform to update outside of your website to engage with customers on a consistent basis.
This specific platform is also great for getting customer feedback. Facebook now has a “recommendations” tool on company pages, allowing users to comment directly on a business’ page and express their thoughts about a service or product, or the company in general. This allows you to have instant access to seeing what a customer is saying about your business, with the opportunity to continue a conversation about it. Feedback is one of the sole foundations of a business, and responding to it is imperative for business growth and success.
You must be utilizing Facebook appropriately in order to have a positive impact on your target audience. Make sure the content you choose is appropriate. Always think about the overall population reading before hitting “Post.” The wrong feedback can backfire and cause distrust and miscommunication between your business and the audience, which could be bad news.
As with any social platform, you must stay consistent in keeping your Facebook page updated. It looks extremely unprofessional to dedicate an entire page to your business without displaying and sharing any information. Proper branding is all about consistency. If you can’t do this yourself, consider hiring an employee that specializes in social media to monitor the updates for you.
Where Facebook can be called the “dinner party,” Twitter is more of the fast-paced “cocktail party.” It’s a quickly updated social media platform that has less diverse conversation. After all, you may have a lot to say, but you’re limited to 140 characters that need to reach your audience as quickly as possible. You’ve got to get your point across much faster.
Twitter is good for your business is because it is so straightforward. You don’t need a fancy website or web skills to master it. It’s also a great way to pitch to the media by sending a tweet to a local reporter about your business and get further attention and coverage without the monotony of cold calls or blast emails that may end up just annoying your audience. The use of hashtags is also an effective way to reach outside of your base audience and bring in new followers and potential customers. Use specific hashtag terminology that is likely to be searched for, but will also promote your company and its purpose.
However, if your ideal target audience is not one that is likely to frequent Twitter a lot, then it may not be the most useful tool to utilize for your business. In order to determine if your customers are utilizing Twitter a lot for purposes that relate back to your business, it’s all about strategy and how you use the platform. Present your posts in a way that caters to the specific needs of your audience.
When it comes to business success, ignoring social media altogether can be seriously detrimental. Every business should consider using different social media platforms based on how they can utilize them for their specific needs and wants for promotion and customer interaction. Having a strategy for your social media networks can make the biggest difference when it comes to how your audience engages with you and your posts. It’s important to be seen and heard on social networks, and Search Control can help you do just that. Call us today at 800-399-2001 to talk to our team about how to get started.
