Should You Put Your Business on Social Media?
Our client, Jackson, came to us wanting to get his car wash business on social media.
He knew that it was an important part of his business but he had absolutely no idea where to begin.
Together, we came up with a plan that included 2 social media platforms and a robust advertising schedule.
Businesses are bombarded daily with “you need to be on social media!” or “why aren’t you on Instagram!?” but is being on social media really what is best for YOUR business?
The short answer is yes!
Why?
Social media is where consumers are getting their information about businesses. This is especially important for social proof.
Consumers want to know in advance what services are offered, what the price point is, and most importantly they want to know what others are saying about your business.
To be on or not to be on isn’t really the question here though.
The question is: How should you put your business on social media?
There are a few things you should determine before deciding on your platform:
- Who is your target market?
- Do you have an advertising budget?
- How much time do you want to dedicate?
Once these questions are answered it becomes very simple to choose the right platform for your business on social media.
This is a great platform for businesses who want to build their brand with a younger audience. Instagram has a huge user base and a huge percentage of daily active users.
There are a few downsides to Instagram including the lack of ability to include links in your posts (though there are some ways around this) and the unpredictable way that their algorithm shows your posts to your followers.
If you want to reach people aged 25–54 Facebook is where you will find them. Their users are also very active on the platform with almost half checking Facebook daily.
Currently, the most effective way for a business to use Facebook is through paid advertising which, when done effectively, can be extremely cost effective.
A great benefit to Facebook as well as the ability to target your audience by location both organically and paid.
Running a female-focused business? Pinterest is a great place to be. Almost half of all women online use Pinterest. The age range of users is wide creating a huge potential reach for your content.
Snapchat
Looking to reach those aged 18–24? Snapchat is a great option. Companies that create unique videos, behind the scenes shots and those who Interview others can definitely capitalize on the free opportunity with Snapchat.
Yelp
Service-based and location-specific businesses benefit most from Yelp. It’s a fabulous way to gain social proof from past customers and it’s a quick and easy way to keep your customers informed of your business details such as hours, address, and service updates.
With Jackson, we opted to go with Facebook and Yelp for a couple of reasons:
- A car wash is location based. Very few people are going to go a great distance to wash their car.
- Social proof is critical for a service based business like a car wash
- He had an advertising budget and wanted to get great reach for his money.
We set up his business on social media, set up his advertising and contacted subscribers offering them a coupon for leaving a review on either Yelp or Facebook.
There is a custom social media solution out there for your business as well. Contact us here for a free consultation!
Originally published at webscientists.net on September 6, 2018.
