5 Social Media Platforms to Be On (that Aren’t Facebook or Twitter!) by @BBorowicz

by Brittney Borowicz | Featured Contributor

Social media has become a huge player in business promotion and engagement over recent years. With so many different social media platforms to choose from, many businesses don’t know where to start and therefore start EVERYWHERE.

The truth is, not every social media platform is right for your business or consumers. Rather than be on every social site, it is important to choose only a few platforms to focus your efforts on so that you can generate the most consumer engagement, and ultimately, sales for your business.

So which social media platform is right for your business? Here is a quick snapshot of five of the top social media platforms to be on that aren’t Facebook or Twitter. (Although I happen to love both of those as well.)

LinkedIn

Best business uses: Networking to reach potential clients.

How to maximize your reach: 

• Join LinkedIn groups that relate to your business or industry. Once you’ve established yourself in a group, work to answer questions and foster conversations, which will boost your reputation as an expert and help others get to know your company.
• Engage with others in your network. This is the best way to network with people both in and outside of your industry and the best way to find new, potential clients.

How not to use it: 

• Don’t spend too much time pitching your products or services. Instead, promote news and information about the industry your business is in.
• Don’t mistake it for Facebook. Funny memes and games may be appropriate on Facebook, but they can come off as unprofessional on LinkedIn.

Google+

Best business use: Promoting your brand with Google integration – which carries significant weight in terms of SEO and organic search visibility… to put it simply, Google <3s Google.

How to maximize your reach: 

• Google+ has a large variety of communities to choose from (similar to LinkedIn) that you can get involved with in order to network with people in your industry.
• Google+ Hangouts is a great, free alternative to other webinar services. You can only have 10 participants actively on video but you can stream the video to an unlimited number of viewers using YouTube.

How not to use it: 

• Posting only about your product. Google+ encourages engagement with your customers. Only about 20% of your posts should be about your product/service while the other 80% about your customers and their lifestyles.
• Ignoring “Circles.” Google+ Circles allow you to segment and target specific messages and posts to specific people (Ex: Customers vs. prospects vs. industry professionals vs. partners.)

YouTube

Best business use: Building credibility by showcasing your knowledge and skills.

How to maximize your reach: 

• Make a list of the 10 most frequently asked questions about your industry and film yourself answering them. Think of the kind of queries that people sit down to Google. Next, think of the top 10 questions your potential clients SHOULD be asking you but aren’t. Film yourself answering those questions too. This provides you with easy-to-make and valuable content for your viewers.
• Because YouTube videos show up in Google search results, make sure to optimize the videos with as many keywords as possible.

How not to use it: 

• Don’t post longer than necessary videos — keep them under a minute and a half. Focus on one question or issue per video to keep your message on track otherwise your viewers may quickly lose interest.

Pinterest

Best business use: Promoting your brand to a female-skewed audience, specifically mothers. (Although, men are increasingly beginning to use Pinterest.)

How to maximize your reach: 

• Use good SEO practices when titling your boards and filling out Pins and descriptions. It’s important to name your boards with phrases people will search for.
• Check Google Trends. If people are searching for something related to your business or industry, create a board or Pins around the topic. For example, if your business helps people monitor their indoor air quality and a common Google search is “yoga,” make a board highlighting how indoor air quality affects your breathing when doing yoga.
• Read “7 Quick Tips for Starting Your Business on Pinterest.”

How not to use it: 

• Keep personal Pins highlighting your favorite books, fashion and travel photos separate from those linking to your company’s URL. You can “hide” your personal boards or keep them on a separate Pinterest profile.
• Never use copyrighted pictures to create Pins.

Instagram

Best business use: Promoting your brand via stylized images to a largely twenty-something audience.

How to maximize your reach: 

• The revenue generated by an Instagram follower is 10 times greater than that generated by a Twitter follower, according to data analytics firm, SumAll. Take pictures of what makes your business unique or helpful to its consumers. Take pictures of both products and especially of people using your products.
• Instagram allows you to connect to Facebook or Twitter so that you can cross-post your pictures.
• Use hashtags to help your customers find your products and services across all three platforms.

How not to use it: 

• Don’t let your account go dormant. Update it with new pictures at least every other week to keep people interested.

—————————————————————–

Brittney Borowicz is an integrated marketing professional with a strong communications background specializing in journalism, public relations and social media. Originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Brittney has spent the past few years working with entrepreneurs and start-ups in the Chicagoland area to enhance their marketing and social media efforts.

Prior to her current role as the Marketing Manager for an embedded networking company, Brittney realized her affinity for all things media and marketing while working in radio and television and as a professional presenter. Later, she began working at a couple of small marketing agencies in Chicago as a Public Relations and Sales Director and Account Manager, which required her to be well-versed in coordinating specialized public and media relations strategies, creative marketing initiatives and cohesive sales process implementations.

As a strong believer in intimate consumer/brand involvement, Brittney helps her clients create content that engages and educates brand audiences while establishing each individual or company as a thought leader in their industry.

Twitter – LinkedIn – Personal Website

Brittney Borowicz

Brittney Borowicz is an integrated marketing professional with a strong communications background specializing in journalism, public relations and social media. Originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Brittney has spent the past few years working with entrepreneurs and start-ups in the Chicagoland area to enhance their marketing and social media efforts.

Prior to her current role as the Marketing Manager for an embedded networking company, Brittney realized her affinity for all things media and marketing while working in radio and television and as a professional presenter. Later, she began working at a couple of small marketing agencies in Chicago as a Public Relations and Sales Director and Account Manager, which required her to be well-versed in coordinating specialized public and media relations strategies, creative marketing initiatives and cohesive sales process implementations.

As a strong believer in intimate consumer/brand involvement, Brittney helps her clients create content that engages and educates brand audiences while establishing each individual or company as a thought leader in their industry.