Picture this: you walk into a room, and it's buzzing with chatter, laughter, debates, and a ton of cat videos. Welcome to social media. But here's the kicker: not every conversation in that room is meant for you. And that's okay.
A World Beyond the 'Like' Button
I get it. Social media can feel like that high school party where everyone seems to be having a blast, and you're just trying to figure out the best place to post up.
Facebook, SnapChat, Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn - it's a buffet of social content.
But remember that time you piled your plate too high and couldn't finish anything and you felt like you were going to explode? Diving headfirst into every platform can feel just like that.
Your Social Sweet Spot
Before you just jump onto the next trending platform, take a step back. Do you need to be there?
Here's the deal:
Know Your Audience: Are your potential customers professionals looking for industry insights? LinkedIn is your best bet. Are they younger folks looking for a quick laugh or a dance move? TikTok might just be your stage. It's all about knowing where your tribe hangs out, and engaging with them where they are.
Quality Over Quantity: It's tempting to be everywhere, but it's more fruitful to be where your customers are. Instead of spreading yourself thin across five platforms, dominate one or two. Make them your kingdom. It's easy to get caught up with trying to do too much and end up getting nowhere.
Engagement is the New Gold: It's not about how many followers you have; it's about how many you talk to. Engage, converse, and build relationships. Remember, it's a social network, not a broadcasting platform.
It's also important to remember that only around 7% of your audience will see your content organically, so make your posts count and don't hesitate to reuse or repurpose older content to save time and effort (but make sure it's still quality content).
The Balancing Act
Social media is a tool, not the entire toolbox. It's fantastic for brand visibility, customer engagement, and even crisis management. But it's also easy to get lost.
Understand your audience, chart your path, but don't be afraid to stray and explore a little. Just ensure you're not wandering aimlessly through a digital wasteland.
The Playbook
Here's how you can assess and ensure you're making the right choice for platforms:
- Evaluate: Understand your audience. Dive deep into their habits, likes, and dislikes.
- Choose: Pick your platforms wisely. Wasting your time is easy.
- Engage: Dive into conversations, start discussions, and be authentically you. Nobody comes to social media to see you post products.
In the grand scheme of things, social media is kind of like a street market. There are people shouting, haggling, loud music, and the aroma of a hundred different things.
Your job? Find your corner, set up your stall, and attract your crowd. And remember, in this vast market, it's not about shouting the loudest but resonating the most. If you don't know your audience, resonating is hard.
Hopefully this will keep you from spending too much time where it won't help you move things forward.