Despite sharing common traits, each social media platform has its own voice and audience.
For social media marketers, you must know how to tailor each message to different social media sites.
When you create a social media message, blog post or an offer, you should share it with your entire social media audience. You can do this, but it requires adjusting each message you send out to the social media platform.
Here's how to customize messages for particular social media platforms to ensure they resonate with a number of diverse audiences.
Facebook
Facebook is still the king of social media, if your target market is between the ages of 35 and 60. And it's not just for friends and family members to keep up with your life.
Facebook is a powerful tool for businesses. Today, there are around 1 billion Facebook users. With such a large following, Facebook offers businesses potential to reach new audiences and better engage with current ones through its array of marketing and advertising tools.
But Facebook has evolved over the years. It's no longer a place for status updates. Now, people use Facebook to watch quick, engaging videos; ask for recommendations; review businesses; and join groups for an endless number of things.
So how can you ensure your content is perfectly suited for Facebook? Here are a few best-practices to follow.
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Make posts for Facebook story-driven and focused on your target audience. Why should they care about your product?
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Add an image to the post that is easy to load on mobile devices. Images get more engagement than posts without images.
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Offer a link to a more in-depth version available at your website. Use a bit.ly link so you can track your Facebook traffic. You can also use a social media publishing tool, like Hootsuite.
- Even better, incorporate a video or broadcast a Facebook Live video. Facebook Live videos produce 6x as many interactions as traditional videos. Video are now the majority of the content on your News Feed, so why not take advantage of the trend to get your business more likes? You can film a quick How-To video (time lapsed content performs best). Live video is also a great way to produce easy, unedited content.
For years, people have debated when Twitter will officially close up shop. Since its creation in 2006, users have slowly been dropping off the platform. But Twitter is still alive and kicking...with the right audiences. Celebrities, politicians, and thought leaders make up the highest visited sites. As a result, you'll have to be clever to get your business seen.
You have 280 characters to get your message across with Twitter. The right tweet can drive plenty of traffic to your website, and the wrong one can be a PR nightmare. So how can you maintain balance while keeping your brand top of mind. Follow these tips.
- Share content often. It doesn't all have to be your own. Find trending articles related to your industry, and retweet them whenever possible. The more active you are, the more your posts will be seen.
- Use a variety of posts. Don't just copy and paste the same post 20 times a day. You need to make it fresh.
- When writing posts for Twitter, use questions or facts to get people's attention. This is a great tactic from a PR standpoint as well because it decreases the risk of posting something controversial.
- Include hashtags. Typically, 1-2 hashtags is the sweet spot. Be sure to research your hashtags before you post them to make sure 1) People are actually using the hashtag, and 2) they aren't associated with anything NSFW.
- Give a clear call to action. Include a link to your blog or to the article you're resharing.
- Images are great! Try to use GIFs where appropriate, as the movement captures people's attention and can ignite feelings of nostalgia.
Instagram
Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, is another social media juggernaut. As of January 2019, it had more than 1 billion active monthly accounts. With the advent of IGTV, Instagram has an entirely new following. Visitors now use IG to share snippets of their lives and to watch engaging videos of all sort.- Use Instagram for photos and videos, not a 1,000-word tirade or sales promotion. Save that for Facebook.
- Use Instagram to showcase a consistent, professional brand image, but use Instagram Stories to give a personal experience of your brand. Behind-the-scenes images and videos perform well.
- Post relevant, well-edited pictures. If you have a nice camera, use it! Otherwise, an iPhone with the right lighting can do the trick.
- Only post once or twice a day. Unlike Twitter, spamming your followers' feeds won't do you any good.
- Use your caption to be creative, cute and catchy. Including 5-6 hashtags can help your posts gain more traction. Tagging the location of a photo is also a great way to get more views, especially if you take your photos outside of the office.
Learn How To Set Up Instagram For Business
If you are a business selling to other businesses, LinkedIn is a valuable social media channel. LinkedIn's following and platform has greatly evolved over the years. It's all about business now, and many users rely on the platform to connect with potential employers or employees.
But you can still use the platform to grow your business. With these tips, you can keep your message professional and gain followers. It is a professional social media network, after all.
- Leave your personal stuff for Facebook. DON’T ABUSE THE PLATFORM.
- Post pieces related to your industry or company. This is a great place to share blog articles or relevant news.
- Join industry relevant groups and take part in conversations. People are already talking. Give them something to talk about!
- Post questions and participate in the later discussion. This is about building relationships, not just sales.
Pinterest
Pinterest is still killing it. There are 250 million Pinterests user accounts every month. While you might not think of business when you think of Pinterest, it can be an effective platform for the right company. This is especially the case if you are a retail business.- Make sure your boards have a clear purpose.
- Pin things that are relevant to your brand, not your personal life.
- When adding links from your website, make sure you always grab blog or page URL.
- Make sure you have created a Business Profile.
Whichever Platform You Choose, Make Sure You Have A Solid Foundation In Place.
As you can see, the audience and voice for each social media channel is very different and you must customize your message on each one! You can use the original post you made as a starting point. But you'll want to tweak it to fit the format of each platform.
If you have the resources, consider creating separate social media content calendar for each platform you choose. Plan content specific for that platform. Make sure your social media sizes are always correct with our free Social Media Image Size Cheat Sheet.
And finally, whatever you choose, you need to make sure you have a solid foundation in place to transform those social media leads into paying customers. The Business GrowthStack is one of the best marketing machines for this. Not only does it make your marketing strategy more effective, but it provides your sales department with the support you need to close more deals.
You can learn more about it in Steve Brown's new book, The Golden Toilet. Get it from Amazon HERE, or listen on Audible for free when you get a 30-Day Trial Membership!
