You don’t have to be on every single platform! It’s too overwhelming and most likely isn’t necessary for your business. Instead, identify your social media goals and who you are trying to reach with your message.
As the list of social media platforms continues to grow, we often feel pressured to join each and every one. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s stressful to maintain a well-polished account on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Trying to manage so many accounts can leave you feeling burnt out and takes all the fun out of social media.
Here’s a secret: You don’t have to be on every single platform! It’s too overwhelming and most likely isn’t necessary for your business. Instead, identify your social media goals and who you are trying to reach with your message. What do you want to accomplish and who is your target audience? Answering these two questions and keeping them top of mind will help you identify which channels are best for you and your brand. With those items in mind, let’s look at the most popular social media platforms out there right now.
With more than 2.3 billion users, Facebook is the most popular social media network. It can target almost anyone because its users are both male and female and range from age 27-65+. With the ability to share text, photos, and videos, Facebook gives you plenty of opportunities to build relationships with your audience.
Because of Facebook’s wide reach and its ability to house so much content, it’s a great starting point – especially if you have limited bandwidth. Many REALTORS® opt for a Business Page, which allows you to target your audience via Facebook ads. To make the most of Facebook, post consistently (at least once a day) and aim to Go Live weekly!
With 1 billion users, Instagram is one of the fastest-growing platforms. It’s especially popular with the 18-29-year-old market and has great organic reach. Instagram is all about sharing photos, although it does have live video capabilities and a “story” feature that is similar to Snapchat. Instagram is a wonderful creative outlet for brands, as it allows you to carefully build your feed to reflect a certain personality or aesthetic.
If you choose to use Instagram, be sure to take advantage of hashtags. Hashtag 10-20 relevant terms. This can get your post seen by users posting similar content or with similar interests. Use a mix of common hashtags, (#realestate #realtor #realtorlife) to help your post get seen, local hashtags, or hashtags that are specific to your brand (#Berkshirerealtor #worcesterliving).
If you want to build your reputation as an industry leader, LinkedIn is a good place to be. It has 500 million registered members who range in age from 18-65+. With them, you can network and share industry news.
On LinkedIn, you can have a personal profile and a company page. I recommend both – but definitely start with your own profile! Share informative blog posts or articles, market statistics, or how you’re adding to your growing team. This is your online business card, resume, and a great place to expand your network and sphere of influence.
YouTube
YouTube is the second-largest search engine in the world, with 1.3 billion users around the age of 25-44. If you are creating any video, then you should have a YouTube channel. Here are a few reasons why:
- YouTube yields valuable SEO benefits. It is owned by Google, so YouTube videos often appear organically in Google search results.
- YouTube videos are easy to embed or upload onto almost any website, from Facebook to LinkedIn to blogging sites. This allows you to seamlessly incorporate video marketing across all of your platforms.
- By 2022, it is projected that video traffic will make up 82 percent of all internet traffic. Build your video marketing strategy now to stay on top of the trends.
Twitter is good for real-time content, such as live-tweeting an event or quickly sharing breaking news. It is also an excellent way to build expertise within your industry and can lead to relationships with other businesses and REALTORS® across the country.
Twitter has 330 million users age 18-49, and it allows you to have real-time conversations with them. If you choose to use Twitter, feel free to tweet more than once a day, aiming for at least three.
Each social media platform is unique – with its own audience, set of rules, and language. I recommend starting small and developing and implementing your content social media strategy on one or two platforms before trying to take them all on.
BONUS TIP: Set up a personal profile and get comfortable using the platform before using it for business. This will help you get the lay of the land.
Teah Hopper is a social media strategist and the owner of Teah Hopper Consulting. For more social media tips from Teah, follow Teah Hopper Consulting on Facebook or check out her blog at teahhopper.com.