5 best social media platforms for your business

Social media also enables businesses to establish direct and personalized communication with their customers. Through various tools such as comments, direct messaging and customer service inquiries, social media allows brands to create a more intimate and engaging customer experience. This opens the door to building stronger relationships with customers, hearing their feedback and promptly responding to their needs, which ultimately enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Notably, social media platforms have become vital for customer service, with many users opting to reach out to brands through direct messaging or chatbot features on these platforms. Prompt and empathetic customer service resolutions through social media can greatly impact a company’s reputation and brand image.

Social media serves as a powerful platform for marketing and advertising. By employing strategic marketing tactics such as targeted advertising, sponsored posts and influencer partnerships, brands can effectively reach specific demographics, increase brand awareness and ultimately drive sales.

Additionally, social media provides invaluable insights and analytics that help businesses understand their customer’s behaviour, preferences and feedback. These insights allow brands to adapt and refine their strategies, ensuring they offer products or services that meet their customer’s needs and preferences.

Companies and brands must incorporate social media into their marketing and customer service strategies. By doing so, they can increase their visibility, connect with their customers, provide innovative marketing solutions and gain valuable insights to ultimately boost their brand reputation and drive business growth.

We asked Hilary Shandonay, UCW’s Marketing Manager, Social Media, about the best platforms for companies and brands to use. While she cautions some platforms are better than others for certain industries, here are five widely used platforms that many businesses find beneficial:

Instagram: Particularly effective for visually-oriented brands, Instagram is a photo and video-sharing platform owned by Facebook. With 75% of Gen Z’s and over half of millennials using it, it can be powerful for brand awareness and engagement. With its visually appealing interface and focus on visual content, it’s perfect for showcasing products or services in an engaging way. Additionally, Instagram offers various advertising options and features such as shoppable posts, making it easier for businesses to promote their offerings and drive sales. However, it’s important for companies to understand their target audience and create content that resonates with them. By staying authentic and consistent with their brand message, companies can effectively leverage Instagram to connect with their audience and build a strong online presence.

Facebook: With its vast user base, Facebook remains one of the largest social media platforms. It’s versatile and allows businesses to create pages, run targeted ads and engage with their audience through posts and messaging. Shandonay says while Facebook is great for sharing regular posts, it’s also very handy for posting events. It’s important to keep in mind that the platform is constantly evolving, so companies should regularly review their strategies and adapt to any changes in order to stay relevant and engaging on Facebook.

LinkedIn: For business-to-business companies, LinkedIn is a crucial platform. It’s a professional network where businesses can connect with other businesses, professionals and potential clients. Sharing industry insights and networking are common on LinkedIn. Shandonay says LinkedIn has the added benefit of being a great place to share job postings.

TikTok: With its wide reach and popularity among younger audiences, TikTok offers a unique opportunity for businesses to connect with their target market in a fun and engaging way. However, it’s important to keep in mind that TikTok is primarily a platform for entertainment and creativity, so companies should focus on creating content that aligns with the platform’s tone and style. Additionally, it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and challenges on TikTok in order to effectively engage with the audience. When used strategically and creatively, TikTok can be a valuable tool for companies and brands looking to expand their reach.

YouTube: Video content is increasingly popular and YouTube is the second-largest search engine after its parent company Google. Creating engaging videos can help showcase your products or services, provide educational content and connect with your audience in a more dynamic way. The platform also allows for diverse content formats such as tutorials, product demos and behind-the-scenes footage, making it ideal for showcasing products or services in an interactive and engaging way. While not ideal for every company, “It is beneficial for product-based businesses, allowing consumers to see how products work,” Shandonay says, adding it’s valuable for higher education institutes as well as influencers and content creators.

There are many other platforms, with new ones frequently emerging, so always consider your target audience and marketing objectives when choosing platforms for your brand.

Having a social media presence is important for companies and brands for several reasons:

Increased Visibility and Brand Awareness: Social media provides a platform to reach potential customers and build brand recognition.

Customer Engagement and Trust Building: It allows companies to engage in real-time conversations with consumers, build trust and manage their online reputation.

Reaching Target Audiences: Social media enables businesses to reach and engage with their target audience personally, leading to increased brand awareness and online branding.

Marketing and Sales: It serves as an effective way to reach new audiences with engaging content, build trust and show the human side of the brand, which can ultimately lead to increased sales.

Executive Communication and PR: Building a brand’s social presence, including that of the CEO and executives, provides an owned channel for PR, influences narratives and drives positive media coverage.

A strong social media presence can help businesses connect with their audience, increase brand awareness and ultimately drive revenue and business growth.