How To: Choose the Right Social Network for Your Company

Social media is everywhere these days and if you don't get it right, your business could suffer. The world of social media has many pit-falls and if you utilize the wrong resources then you could be advertising to the entirely wrong audience.

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So let's start 2016 off on the right foot and here's what you need to know about social media and your business.

Facebook

Facebook is a good network to use for most businesses and it's a good place to start if you're trying to drum up interest. With the ability to choose who sees what posts and the option to allow followers, you can get your posts across to more people then ever before without them having to be friends with you. On top of that you can advertise your company or even boost your posts in pages so more and more people can see them across Facebook.

If you're just starting off with your business and want to easily share what's going on, events and short bursts of live video, then Facebook is definitely where to turn.

Twitter

Twitter is another go-to social media site for many businesses and that's because not only is it good for networking but it's simple to use and can be used as a springboard for other sites. You post something on your company's website or blog that you want to share? There's often quick links that allow you to embed the link in a tweet. It's pretty useful if you're worried about fitting it all into 140 characters.

The character limit can surprisingly be helpful. It means anything you tweet will need to be short and this forces you to get your point across in a clear and concise way. Plus if there are any work events or shows you attend that you want people to know where you are, you can live tweet and let everyone know what's going on when and tie all together with a #hashtag that you can use as a sort of call to arms.

Instagram

Instagram isn't the sort of social network you'd usually expect businesses to use as a platform but certain industries such as fashion, design or anything that ends up with a finished product in hand can make use of it.

Instagram is proof that a picture really is worth a thousand words and not only does it give you the chance to put your products in the spotlight but also your working environment. If you're looking for a tech-savvy workforce then showing possible customers and recruits what a positive working environment you have and then interacting with them through comments could really help.

Which Network Will You Choose? | Daily Genius

YouTube

Another of the more visual social networks, YouTube is a great place for advertisement. Using YouTube you can post any videos you made so if you don't have the money to pay out for an expensive advert then you can make your own and upload it. From YouTube you can then post it onto other sites to get it as widespread as you can.

You could also release how to videos, product reveals, Q&A's and so on, but remember to have an engaging member of staff in front of the camera. You want to make your work force seem interesting and even fun. The videos however do have to have a point, so YouTube is a network you have to have a clear plan for.

Tumblr

For those of you who haven't heard of Tumblr it's a blogging site that is slowly being used more and more by businesses. It's not one you'd commonly expect to search for a business on but the followings tend to be huge. If you're in a creative industry then this network might be a good idea for you. If you're not in a creative industry then Tumblr is now selling ad space that Asda have recently used so you could too.

The difference between Tumblr and other social networks however is reblogging. It is like retweeting only you'll be encouraged to reblog images and posts by other people so they will show up on your company's page. So you need to find out what tags are used and what companies similar to you are also on there to make the most out of it. 

Phones make social networking easier | growingsocialmedia

Other Options

They were some of the bigger social networks that you can choose from. They all work differently but most could help out a company in similar ways. Fortunately most can be tailored to suit any business, it's just how you would prefer to get your company's message and skills across.

However there are a few other choices that are either too similar or are a little too niche to have it's own section.

• Google Plus - Anyone with an Android device is made to create a Google account these days and they're also often connected to Youtube. But Google Plus is very similar to Facebook and not used as often.
• Pinterest - If you're willing to share inspiration and the build-up as well as pictures of your finished products then this quick to use site might be ideal. However it is probably best for people in fashion and design industries.
• LinkedIn - The business centric social network but it wasn't mentioned as it's used more for networking than anything else.

Rosina Brooker

Rosina is a Songbird rookie with a degree in Creative Writing. She's trying to focus on her novel on the side but is hoping that Content Writing will turn out to be a good career choice in the mean time! Follow her @RosinaAtSMF

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