Maverick is back with more social media guidelines … this time he is sharing his knowledge on (# 2) the different types of social media platforms and knowing which ones to use.
“Let’s be honest, social media content is really classic public relations presented in a modern digital online style which can be accessed on laptops and smart devices. Instead of a lengthy press release, the same message is conveyed in a short, often more informal style, with the necessary URL links of course. We are still putting that positive (PR) spin on the content. And the objectives remain the same – branding and exposure of a business, products and services in order to generate sales leads.
But we must be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking any social media platform will automatically reach the audience we want to target (the old ‘spray & pray’ approach). Social media platforms all have different demographics in terms of gender, race, culture and age groups. Instagram and Snapchat for example have a younger following while Facebook is favoured by a much more diverse audience. LinkedIn has earned its place as the business platform.
These platforms are free so posting on those platforms that are not well supported by your target market is not a financial waste as much as it is a waste of your time, energy and resources. Chances are that a wrongly directed message may also annoy the viewer and leave a negative impression of your brand.
So, back to my first guideline – know your audience – and determine what social media platforms are most popular with them. By using the correct targeted platforms, you will reach the correct audiences, subsequently increasing sales lead potential.”
