Two decades ago, social media exploded on college campuses when Facebook made it possible for friends and alumni to connect across continents. Soon afterward, Twitter, now known as X, entered the scene, and people began posting about their lives, while Instagram made it possible to share photos.
Across all these three platforms, many businesses are already taking advantage of them to promote themselves; after all, it’s where people are, and it transcends barriers. If you ever doubted the power of using social media to promote your work or business, think again. Social media can be a much more powerful tool to promote yourself than billboard ads.
Why Should You Consider Social Media?
As opposed to traditional means of advertising, social media is cost-effective. It allows you to interact with your clients without spending too much money and breaking the bank. Most social media platforms are free; they could sometimes charge you a small fee to upgrade or boost the frequency of your posts.
Social media also drives growth; many businesses and companies have noticed a spike in the number of interactions and revenue, which extends beyond mere engagement. Because it’s global, your potential customers can learn about your brand from any spot around the world. It allows you to showcase your products, create personal brand messaging, and share your feed across the world; all this boosts brand awareness and visibility.
Another advantage of using social media is that it allows you to reach the right target audience. For example, based on the demographics of users, you can easily gauge on which platform to promote your products or services.
The Most Popular Social Media Platforms
With over 3 billion users worldwide, Facebook is one of the largest and most popular social media platforms. Facebook has many affordable options for businesses to promote themselves. You can create an official business page on Facebook and engage with clients; you can also choose to join a Facebook group page to announce offers, activities, and events related to your work. One of the best things about Facebook is that it offers analytics tools to track your performance.
Increasingly, Instagram is being utilized by businesses to promote their products and services. It has over two billion active users. One of the best features of Instagram is its reels and stories. They allow you to share real-time updates and engage with followers. You can also sign up for Instagram ads by creating a photo, video, or carousel ad collection to promote your business. Instagram also has a live broadcast option, allowing you to share your experiences live to showcase your products, and take questions from others interested in your services.
Renowned as the platform for business professionals to connect, LinkedIn boasts over a billion users worldwide and serves as a powerful tool to showcase yourself professionally. Specifically designed for business interactions, you can easily establish yourself as a thought leader and network with others who share your goals and interests.
X
Formerly known as Twitter, X allows you to share short messages, videos, or links. It can be used to promote your work and provide detailed information about your products or services.
Which Social Media Platform is Right for you?
Before you go on a whim, you need to consider the demographics of your users. For example, if your goal is to attract young clientele, a careful study of your users’ habits, preferences, and social media choices might be warranted. Younger adults typically spend most of their time on platforms like Instagram or YouTube, as opposed to Facebook, which tends to attract an older demographic.
One of the most important steps to take before promoting yourself on social media is to clearly define your business goals. If your goal is to increase brand awareness, platforms like LinkedIn may be ideal for B2B clients, as they can effectively showcase what you do. If you’re promoting yourself to consumers, Instagram offers several storytelling tools that you can utilize. Whatever you choose to do, remember that your content has to align with the platform’s strengths. It wouldn’t be wise to use LinkedIn, for example, if you plan to post visually heavy content; in this case, Pinterest or Instagram might be more suitable.
A wise move to consider before posting is to examine your resources wisely. If your company is still in its initial growth stages, it’s better to consider one or two social media platforms to promote yourself rather than trying to showcase yourself on all platforms unsuccessfully. Remember to start small and then move to bigger initiatives!
David Messiha | Staff Writer