If you have established an online presence for your business, learning the mechanics of each social media platform you use is essential for an effective digital marketing strategy. Different platforms lend themselves to certain types and amounts of content and rely on various methods of sharing that content.
One of the most powerful social media platforms for small business owners, Twitter allows you to rapidly share content, including external links, to an audience of thousands who can easily share or retweet what you post. Tweets share small amounts of information because of their low character limit, so learning how to convey information concisely is critical.
Twitter is also one of the few platforms where you should share content multiple times per day. In addition to being an outlet for information about your business, you can also use Twitter to give your brand a unique personality and increase engagement with your customers. Responding to comments on your tweets is the most efficient way to boost brand loyalty and make your account personable and welcoming.
Unlike Twitter, posting on LinkedIn typically involves long-form content or link-sharing with a highly professional audience. The most effective types of content on LinkedIn include short blogs, well-researched articles, and posts describing the professional work of your business.
You should try to post on LinkedIn approximately once per day while maintaining a polished tone and being careful to avoid any errors in your content. You can post less often if you share long content and a bit more frequently if you share shorter content. LinkedIn is also valuable for small business owners who are looking for connections in their field and qualified potential employees.
Facebook is similar to LinkedIn because you can share long-form content, but it takes a less serious tone and is available to a much broader audience. Facebook is the best social media platform to share targeted advertisements and learn about the demographics of your customers. Facebook is also highly effective for building engagement with customers and developing a more personable business identity.
For the best results from your Facebook content, you should create a wide variety of different types of posts to share with varying frequencies. Advertisements should be sparse and correlate to new product launches or developments in your business, but you can share short link-sharing posts or blogs more often.
Unique among the other common social media platforms, Instagram focuses on sharing images and videos. Instagram is a great place to build engagement with your customers and share personable, relatable information about your business. Posts showcasing new products, team members, and your physical storefront are the most likely to earn you strong results from your Instagram account.
While posting on Instagram, you should stay consistent without spamming your customers with low-quality images or videos. Post on Instagram as much as once per day, but you can share less often to have your content correspond with updates to your business or new product launches.