The Lie: You have to be on every major social media platform.
Your new millennial intern just told you about an awesome social network, and you want to know why you’re not on it. I’m glad you asked. Our reason for not adopting a particular platform for your brand typically falls under one of these four categories:
1. Your audience isn’t there.
Just because a platform is popular doesn’t mean its populated with your target demographic. It’s important to do your research and find out where your audience is engaging. If you’re a personal injury law firm committing time and energy to a platform full of 12-year-olds talking about World of Warcraft, you’re likely wasting your resources.
2. You need to prioritize depth over breadth.
There is one constant truth for all social media platforms: you have to post consistently. The recommended frequency varies depending on the platform, but one sporadic post every couple of months simply won’t cut it. Know how often to post on each platform, and decide what you have the time and resources for before committing to any and every platform that presents itself.
3. GIFs and Vines aren’t your forte.
Some platforms are most valuable when populated with very specific content. For example, Tumblr is a primarily visual platform, full of GIFs and memes. If you can’t think of anything the most interesting man in the world might want to say about your brand, Tumblr might not be for you.
A few other platforms that fall in this category include Vine and its 6-second videos, Pinterest and its crafty DIYs, Instagram’s filtered photos, and MySpace and its nearly-famous pop stars. You might have a few ideas that could work, like safety tips or FAQ’s, but are they enough to post over an extended period of time? You have to be able to provide quality content on a regular basis for any platform you adopt.
4. You have to be a committed partner.
Remember that time in high school when you left your crush message after message and never got a call back? You can’t go around breaking hearts on your social media platform. If someone writes a comment or a message, you have to provide a timely response. This is basic customer service.
Every question and comment is an opportunity to engage in conversation and build the user’s relationship with your brand. Our rule of thumb is to respond within 24 hours. If your process for a platform doesn’t allow for reliable and timely communication, you may need to break things off.
The Lie Debunked
The Truth: You can do anything, but not everything.
Powerhouses like Facebook and Twitter aren’t going anywhere. These are the platforms to start with. Build a strong, interactive presence here. Once you have them mastered, do some research, or reach out to our social media team, to see if there is another platform that could offer value to your brand. Be sure to consider these four questions:
- Is your audience there?
- Do you have the time and resources to post consistently?
- Can you offer relevant and appropriate content for the platform?
- Can you commit to being available for conversation?
If you can’t answer yes to all four questions, it’s probably not a platform you need to be on just yet.
Questions about what social media platforms best fit your brand? Contact your Social Media Specialist.
