Social media businessSo how do you determine what social media channel is right for you and your business? Should you have a presence everywhere to gain maximum exposure? Or will doing this spread you too thin? Is time and resource an issue? Below we have rounded up some of the merits of the key social channels to help you decide which platform is the right fit for your small business.

Facebook

According to statistics there are currently over 1.86 billion monthly active Facebook users Worldwide. That makes it by far the biggest social media channel around. Creating a business page is a must if you want to reach highly relevant targeted customers, but remember it will need regularly updated with an even mixture of promotional and engaging and interesting content. To see a good return on your investment it’s wise to try out paid advertising. You shouldn’t be afraid to spend a little to get back.

Twitter

Twitter has built reputation over recent years as a platform for up-to-the-minute breaking news. By using the hashtag feature you can easily keep up with and be part of the latest trends and news worthy events. So if you’re in the business of regularly producing relevant interesting newsworthy content then Twitter might just be the platform for you.

Twitter is also a great way to connect with your customers. If you have an unsatisfied customer you’ll be sure to hear about it on Twitter. Take this chance to listen carefully and respond accordingly. Doing this well will allow you to demonstrate that you care about your customer.

Google+

Bear in mind that Google+ is owned by Google. That means that if you are on Google+, you have a better chance of exposure on internet search results. These search ranking benefits makes Google+ an important social media site to consider for your business. By using Google Hangouts, adding and receiving+1s (a form of endorsement on Google+) and using hashtags, you’ll also have a greater chance of making your business easier to find.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the largest social media network for business people and professionals. Although the content posted here is starting to change LinkedIn is still associated with more sober and professional insight. LinkedIn Groups also provide a great way for professionals to mingle with their peers.

YouTube

Although it can be very competitive YouTube, like Google+, is a useful place to be if you want a greater internet search presence. YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google, and is also owned by Google, so having content here that is optimized for your product or service can be massively beneficial to your business.

With large amounts of text your customers can quickly lose focus, a video helps to get the same message across in a lot less time. A video can be a great tool for making a memorable impression.

Video marketing doesn’t have to be expensive either. You can use a smartphone to shoot and get hold of some cheap lighting and hire a video editor to add a professional touch to your video, all for a small cost.

Before you consider what social media platform is best for you and your business, have a think about your product and how you want to communicate it. Is there a natural fit for it somewhere? Also, think about if you have the resource available to manage the workload involved.

KashFlow is jargon free accounting software designed for small businesses. You can manage your business finances from anywhere and create professional, branded quotes and invoices in minutes. For a free, no-obligation 1-2-1 demo of the software just call the KashFlow on boarding team on 0344 815 5779.

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