It seems like retail businesses have all the luck on social media.
Platforms like Pinterest and Instagram allow retailers to showcase stunning photos of their merchandise. And this is especially effective for businesses that depend on eCommerce, such as Shopify.
Serviced-based businesses may find it challenging to develop captivating visual content. This includes:
- Attorneys
- Accountants
- Bookkeepers
- Financial advisors
So which social media platform is best for your business if you are a service provider?
The answer might not be so obvious, so let’s take a closer look.
1. Consider Geo-targeting
One unique trait of service-based businesses is that – in most cases – they tend to serve local clients. In other words, they have a traditional brick and mortar setup.
If that describes your situation, which social media platform is best for your business?
The answer is any that supports local searches. Three great examples would be:
By creating a company page on any of these platforms, you can enter the physical location of your business. In turn, customers can find you by searching for your services in their local area.
2. Consider Your Ad Budget
Virtually any social media platform that offers the ability to promote posts for a fee could work to your advantage. The key, however, is to choose a platform that allows you to target both local users and those that have an interest in the service you offer.
Some popular social networks that permit paid promotion are:
It is worth noting that Facebook and LinkedIn offer the most reliable targeting options. At the same time, Twitter and Pinterest are more cost-effective, often allowing you to buy impressions on a post for just a few cents each.
3. Consider Your Content
Regardless of what type of service-based business you run, stop to consider what you intend to share on social media.
Chances are if you are a lawyer or accountant, you won’t be snapping very many selfies to upload…
In most cases, you will be posting more detailed content – links to relevant articles, guides, tutorials, and forms, for example.
Platforms that best display rich content – optimizing what you share for the most clicks – would be:
- Google+
Sure, you can share a link on Twitter… but with 140 characters to work with, a lot can get lost in translation.
4. Consider Your Audience
Do you operate a B2B or B2C business?
If consumers are your best customers, forget about LinkedIn.
At the same time, if other businesses are your best customers, you can forget about Instagram, Pinterest, Vine, and Snapchat.
The platforms that both businesses and consumers use to gather information are typically:
- Google+
- YouTube
There are, of course, exceptions to every rule – but these are the main four to choose from.
So, Which Social Media Platform Is Best for Your Business in the End…?
If we take a quick tally of the points above, we see that Facebook appeared on all four lists, with Google+ and LinkedIn appearing three times each.
Most of the time, these three platforms will serve as your best social vehicle for attracting and engaging with clients.
Still unsure?
Iceberg Web Design can help sort out which social media platform is best for your business.
In fact, we offer a selection of different social media solutions to meet the needs of your business.
To get started, contact our Minneapolis website development and social media company online, or call 763-350-8762.
