If The Social Media Platform Fits….

I once over heard an 8-year-old boy shopping for shoes with his mom.  When the salesman came out with a bright blue pair of running shoes in his size, he looked up at him and asked, “are they fast?”

Choosing the social media platform that’s best for you is almost like deciding on a pair of athletic shoes. Before making a purchase we have to decide whether they’ll be used for walking, running, or maybe they’re for a particular sport or activity like tennis or hiking.  If we’re trying a new sport, we might get the most basic sneaker, but as we get better and more competitive we know it’s time to look for something that will take us to the next level.

But no matter what we decide the no name brand or the top of the line, it isn’t so much the shoes that our feet in but what we do with them once we’re wearing them. 

In the fifth annual Social Media Marketing Industry Report from Michael Stelzner and Social Media Examiner, more than 3000 marketers reveal where they focus their social media activities, how much time they invest, what the rewards are and where they’ll plan their future efforts.

What social tactics are most effective?

Of all the questions answered by this report, identifying the most effective social media marketing tactics was the most important to respondents. In fact 90% of respondents wanted to know the top platforms used by marketers.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogging and YouTube were the top 5 platforms used by marketers in the survey.

When answering this very important and popular question, there are a few important considerations.

Don’t fall for a simple list of the most popular social media platforms since what works for another company or brand may not work for yours. At the same time, don’t think that you have to conduct an exhaustive research project into which social platforms your customers are on before making any kind of social media marketing commitment.

The following three steps will get you started:

• Make sure you’ve clearly identified business goals and outcomes you can measure as a result of a successful social media effort.
• Think about your customers’ goals and how a social presence for your brand will help make them happen.
• Make sure you have a hub, whether it’s a blog or a social aggregator for your brand.

Your actual social media mix should be driven by what kind of social content and experiences will connect customers with your brand.

You can cross post content from your blog and any other relevant content on the web to the top 4-5 social networks: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn and either Pinterest or YouTube. 

This strategy works regardless if you’re B2B (Business To Business) or B2C (Business To Customer).

The most important thing is that you lace up your running shoes and enter the race!