When you finally decide to promote your business on social media, where should you start?

Many indie businesses are born on social media. Not Shopify-like websites. Not Etsy-like marketplaces. But Facebook. Or Instagram.

“I started posting my handmade toys on Instagram. People started asking me if they are for sale. And that’s how I started my shop.”

Or: “I was posting photos of my product on this Facebook group. Then friends wanted to know where to buy them. And that’s how I started my business.”

For these businesses/sellers, the right social platform to sell/market is a solved question.

It’s not so for others. If you launch your store first and then think about social media as a marketing channel (which you typically shouldn’t but that’s okay), you should be ready for some serious focus.

“Which social platform should I promote on?” That’s the first thing to ask. If you go out there and start being everywhere (Fb, IG, Pinterest, Snapchat etc.), you’ll eventually be nowhere. Frustrating.

Instead, pick one.

But pick the right one.

You’ll know the right one when you research.

What are the social channels where your kind of a product is being promoted already? Facebook? Instagram? And do they have a lot of likes, comments, favs? Are people commenting: “I love this. Where can I buy this?” Are people showing an intent to buy?

Look high and low. Seek closed groups on Facebook. Search hashtags on Instagram. Hunt the Snapchat accounts of other people selling similar stuff. Follow all the (related) boards on Pinterest that are active.

You’ll know when you find that channel which seems best. This is where people literally tell you they like your product photo and would like to know where to buy it from.

And that’s where you start.