So, you’ve built up a killer Facebook page and now you’re looking to branch out. If you’re wondering what the other magic social media site is, brace yourself: You might not like the answer.
There isn’t one.
Every social media site attracts a different audience and lends itself to a different way to present yourself to it. So, where does that leave you and your dilemma? It means you’ll have to nail down what you’re trying to accomplish and then choose which site works best for that objective.
The right crowd
It’s easy to think, “Oh, Twitter and Google+ have the most users outside Facebook, so I should be on those so I can reach the most people.”
Wrong audience: But let’s say you’re a company that sells cook books and are looking to share some teaser recipes. Google+ is currently dominated by men and Twitter users aren’t naturally in the market for recipes. Yes, using those sites will expose you more people, but they aren’t as apt to listen to your message.
Now, Pinterest would be the ideal place for you. It’s a site dominated by women and recipes are one of the top things users are looking for. At 11.7 million users, it’s one of the smaller audiences, but it’s a targeted group of listeners for your message.
The right message
OK, so the women are Pinterest? I own a salon and I’m looking to attract more walk-in traffic by offering that-day-only specials. I’m looking to get the message out to women about my new daily deals program. So, since the women are on Pinterest, I should be there, right?
Right audience, wrong message: Yes, your message would be seen by women, but not in the timely fashion you’re seeking. If you’re looking to reach an audience quickly, Twitter would be the way to go. It’s a site all about what’s happening now.
It’s OK to be picky
Choosing the right platform is important. It’s not something to be chosen randomly. It’s also not something to just follow the crowd on. Just because it seems like everyone is on Twitter, it doesn’t mean you have to be. Or even should be for that matter.
Time spent considering your options and learning how each can benefit you is time well spent. So before you jump into anything, be sure to really nail down what you’re trying to accomplish and devise a strategy for how you plan to accomplish it.
Not doing so could result in a waste of time and energy.
Thanks for reading,
