Does your brand really need to be on every Social Media platform?
I know I'm repeating myself, but if we accept that the point of our brand's presence on Social Media is to 'exceed customer expectations', then we have to get granular about where we are 'exceeding customer expectations'. Just because a new Social Media platform exists, doesn't mean you have to have a presence there. Or does it...?
Here's the most up-to-date list of Social Media platforms out there, in order of popularity (figures are measured in millions of users, source link here):
What are some takeaways from this chart?
Facebook is without a doubt the category king with 2.7 BILLION users and counting
A second way Facebook is dominating is by the fact that they own 4 out of the top 5 Social Media platforms on that list (Facebook, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram)
Twitter is almost nothing compared to the dominant platforms, yet they seem to get a significant amount of attention regarding what 'people are saying on Twitter'
For crying out loud, even Pinterest is larger than Twitter by active users
YouTube is considered a Social Media platform, even though it's predominantly a content consumption platform for most of its users
TikTok seemingly came out of nowhere and doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon
All this is to say...does your brand really need to have a presence on each and every one of these platforms? I think the obvious answer is 'No'. But why, or why not?
Well, it all starts with your audience. Who is the your audience for your brand? Where does their relationship with your brand begin and continue to develop? Let's say your company is a law firm that specifically practices business law - does your audience (sophisticated businesses) really want to see you goofing around on TikTok? Probably not. In fact, it's doubtful they want to see their legal representation dancing like a teenager on their phones. Do they want to read an article they retweeted on Twitter that explains the complexity of a case they find interesting? Well...actually...that's pretty interesting, so maybe their expectations are being exceeded by seeing that article because they know that you are genuinely interested in the nuances of your work. Do they want to see you on YouTube? Well...actually...if done the right way, yes. I find this attorney's (link below) content to be very interesting and entertaining at the same time. He is simultaneously exceeding customer expectations and making the law relatable to the average person.
Our advice is to think carefully about your Social presence and stick with the platforms where your audience is located. Not only is there no point to marketing on platforms where you audience isn't, it's also somewhat embarrassing to see a brand 'trying too hard' to fit in. You will end up showing the world that you don't understand both the platform or your audience. If your audience is predominantly on LinkedIn, then create content that appeals to them on LinkedIn and don't pretend like you also need to share things on Pinterest simply because it exists.
Always remember that you are trying to 'exceed customer expectations' on Social Media, not 'be a part of every Social network you can because if I'm not a part of the newest one then we're falling behind and will appear outdated to everyone'. Be intentional, think about your audience, then create and distribute content that supports your positioning/strategy aimed at them on the platforms where your brand belongs.
