Social media platforms used to solely be virtual spaces where people could stay connected, no matter where they were in the world. Facebook allowed people to share photos, Myspace was a place for true expression, and Twitter (now X) was perfect for quirky one-liners and updates on our lives.
Today, they also serve as places where businesses can grow, enabling billions of people to discover products and services and to directly interact with their customer base. It’s arguably the most effective way to perform targeted advertising – often for free. It’s so effective that it can encourage potential customers to follow a link, make a purchase, and eventually even become loyal advocates of your brand.
Haven’t harnessed the raw power of social media just yet? Here are the top socials you’ll want to take advantage of to grow your brand from a caterpillar into a butterfly.
Instagram stands as a visual powerhouse, making it the ideal platform for businesses that sell physical products. With over two billion monthly users on the app from a wide demographic, it provides a prime opportunity to build a large community. Even better, Instagram boasts Instagram for Business, a hub featuring a selection of creative tools to make Stories and Reels and deploy product tags to create an in-app shopping experience.
It’ll also turn your creations into purpose-driven ads, whether you want to increase web traffic or get people to visit your profile and place that content in front of a curated audience. For instance, a high-end luxury watch brand can craft a page that exudes sophistication, while a colorful makeup brand can welcome users with pops of color and whimsical Instagram Highlights – the customization and personalization are fully up to you.
Facebook remains the largest social media platform in the world, which means no other platform can offer such a level of potential exposure. Its primary perk lies in its integrations, which let businesses lead customers to their website and other external content they want them to see, directly communicate with users, and much more.
For example, if your business runs on appointments, the Meta Appointments tool can seamlessly integrate with your calendar system. If you want to sell your products on another platform other than your already established e-commerce site, Meta Pay can help you run an effective Facebook shop to garner new customers.
Pro Tip: Use Meta Business Suite
Planning to use both Facebook and Instagram? Meta Business Suite lets you manage all your content across both platforms from one single hub. It’ll make publishing and management much easier, from posting to tracking your performance and interacting with your audience.
LinkedIn Platform
If you want to maintain a professional identity online, LinkedIn can help establish that through a company page. Having a company page allows customers, potential employees, and other interested parties to interact with your business, whether they’re looking to collaborate, find a role, or simply seek updates on what you’re up to. It’s also the perfect place to network with industry leaders and other thought leaders, as well as capture leads that lead to direct communications with all the right people. Like other social media platforms, LinkedIn has dedicated marketing solutions that feature precise and powerful audience targeting so you can target your ideal customer.
X (formerly Twitter)
X has something special that other socials don’t: the ability for brands to interact with their audience in a direct and personable way. Many businesses enhance their character and show off their human side on Twitter, engaging in consistent conversation and responding to queries and feedback whenever possible. We’ve seen it with Wendy’s, Duolingo, Ryanair, and other major brands, where they’ll leverage funny memes and relevant content based on popular culture and receive ample engagement and loyalty in return. It’s a prime opportunity for businesses to reinvent their brand perception and become more approachable to the public.
Snapchat
Snapchat was once focused on private and disappearing messages and stories for personal use and later realized its potential for businesses. As the platform has a primarily younger audience, it’s particularly effective for brands that target those under 35. Snapchat is a lot like X, where brands can be authentic and lighthearted and interact with their audience in real time. Depending on what you’re offering, you can use Bitmojis, location-targeting, Snap Maps, AR filters, and branded illustrations to bolster your message.
TikTok
For a moment in time, TikTok was overwhelmingly prolific in the social media scene. TikTok dances and other viral challenges were reposted everywhere, creators could post entertaining short-form videos in seconds, and its inherent format catered to people’s short attention spans and love for discovery. Soon enough, the platform launched its many business solutions, including an ads manager, a full-service commerce solution, a creator marketplace for collaborations, marketing tools, and toolkits to help drive sales and view performance insights. It’s a great place to show off your products in action, showcase features, and connect with your audience on a deeper level.
Pinterest is the ultimate visual search engine for those seeking inspiration for new family dinner recipes, home DIYs, travel destinations, or what to buy next. With over 200 million users and a majority female audience, this platform works best for those looking to sell to women and rely on visual appeal. Culinary products, beauty and personal care, event planning, home decor, fashion, crafts, fitness, and travel products and services typically thrive on Pinterest, so long as they curate engaging and tasteful “Pins” that spark curiosity. Experiment with carousels, videos, traditional pins, and organized boards, and you just might see an uptick in engagement and sales.
