One of the easiest and most affordable ways to market your business is by utilizing social media. The challenge is knowing which is best for you and how to best maximize it. We asked our experts to share with us which platforms they felt were the easiest to use, offered the best results, and helped them to grow their business. If you have a favorite, which one is it and why? Leave a comment below and perhaps your advice can help others.
Kathryn Kosmides
“Twitter! Everyone seems to be hating on them lately (and apparently they’d lose $2B if Donny hops off the platform) but it is truly a valuable platform IF USED CORRECTLY! Twitter isn’t about shouting into the void hoping someone might find you. It’s about engaging with well known hashtags and conversations and occasionally sliding into the DMs. Plus, everyone else’s attention is on sexier platforms so you can easily take advantage of this preconceived notion.”
Max Robinson
“If I had to rely on one social media platform for my business, it would be Reddit. Aside from being an incredible source of traffic, it’s also a great source of feedback. Reddit users are notoriously brutal in their honesty (probably due to their anonymity), therefore anything that you submit to the platform will be met with completely honest criticism or praise, which can be really helpful if you struggle to assess the effectiveness of your content. Furthermore, I love the fact that Reddit is a level playing field. It doesn’t matter what your budget is for promotion, you can get your content in front of millions (literally) of people simply by making it compelling (and without spending a penny).”
Lisa Banks
“I have been a WAH content marketer since 2003. If I had to pick just one social media platform to use, it would be LinkedIn. The platform remains focused on the professional side of things, and I learn a lot without having to filter much. The Daily Rundown gives you an overview of news in a few seconds, and I also find LinkedIn incredibly useful for networking and getting to know top thinkers and trends in my industry.”
Kelly Noel Rasmussen
“As a lifelong writer, I think Twitter is a unique platform that encourages people to be concise. It may not be as image-driven as Instagram, but it is more malleable than LinkedIn and more universal than Facebook. It’s also the social media hub for marketers and writers, so it’s a better place for me to keep up with industry news.
One tip that I have for fellow Twitter users is to incorporate images with every tweet that you can. Even if you’re focusing on the words that you’re crafting (as I often do), your engagement increases by 150% when you add images. And if you’re not going to be heavily image-focused, say something witty, unique or interesting; you’ll definitely get more likes and retweets that way. ”
Aly Jamison
“Picking one social media platform really depends on your line of work. For instance, a graphic designer would likely select Instagram because it allows them to highlight their work. As a public relations professional, I would also select Instagram because I’m a visual person. It provides me with opportunities to showcase press hits I secure for clients and behind the scenes images/videos from events. I also like the “live” feature that allows interaction in real-time.”
Sandro Galindo
“It would be twitter. It’s the most open of all the social media platforms. the advanced search is the most powerful of any of the major social media platforms so you can find people who mention an interest or news item or even a local traffic jam, all nearby or around the world. I love my friends & their marriage & baby stories, but twitter introduces me to new people I’d like to know. It’s also a great space to learn news.”
Lexi Montgomery
Darling Web Design
@MiamiDarling
Linked In would be my social media of choice! So unsaturated and ample business opportunities on there 🙂 A lot, of my international clients have come through there and it helps with maintaining a reputation. It’s the only network where most people are serious about growth and making money.
Slavik Boyechko
“In a world overrun by niche social media outlets, Facebook is the only platform that can act as a business’s website, its video channel, its customer feedback engine, and its event marketing machine. And now nonprofits can even solicit donations directly on Facebook. If social media was a game of thrones, Facebook has all the dragons.”
Brandi Jeter Riley
“If I could only use one social media platform, it’d be Facebook, hands down. My business as a family lifestyle influencer and a blogging coach rely heavily on personal relationships. Facebook allows me to connect with my audience and clients in a more in depth way than any other platform. I get to know them and their families, and they get a glimpse into my life as well. Not only can I create content like videos, stories, and status updates, but the ability to send private messages, and call via video or telephone give me the option to engage with folks in a way that is most comfortable to them.”
Kerri Moriarty
“If I could only have 1 social media platform, it would be Instagram. Right now, I think Instagram is the preferred platform for leisure time with an expectation for valuable, relevant content. Where Facebook is more like an awkward family gathering and Snapchat is more fun than serious, and Twitter is just #fakenews these days, Instagram is a nice combination of the right audience, mindset, and opportunity. Plus, it’s growing like crazy. Given that it’s owned by Facebook and has access to all the things that make Facebook great and by copying “Stories” they’ve stolen away so much market share from Snapchat, AND they are rolling out a ton of new advertising options within the organic user experience, it seems like the perfect place to be.”
Vid Lamonte’ Buggs Jr
Emma Marcotte
- Facebook reaches a wide demographic. Whether you’re 14 or 60, you’re most likely on Facebook and for large amounts of time. For a younger crowd and millennials, Instagram and snapchat are hot. However, Facebook is great for all audiences alike.
- Facebook ads are easy to implement and affordable. No training required! You are able to set a budget and target audience easier than 1,2,3. (okay, maybe a little longer).
- Ability to create highly targeted ad campaigns.. Facebook pixels allow you to follow up with who visited your website. You’re then able to create targeted offers to individuals based on specific website pages that they viewed.
“There’s a reason many businesses and marketing experts focus their time and energy mostly on Facebook. With an average of 1.32 billion daily active users, it remains the biggest social media hub in the world. Facebook enables you to write out the entirety of your message without a 140 character limit and include images, videos and links – while you need to pick and choose these features with platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. While the other platforms are definitely beneficial in their own ways, we have found that Facebook is the best platform for an overarching social media strategy.”
Notes from Leslie:
I believe that social media platforms should be chosen based on your goals and audience. If you’re looking for a work-at-home job, LinkedIn would be your best bet. LinkedIn is also great for freelancers, as is Twitter. If you want to build a community around what you do, Facebook is a great option. With that said, the most traffic WAHS gets from social media is from Pinterest, a fact that still surprises me. I’m also looking at utilizing Instagram more. However, many of the platforms are used differently and that’s what can make special media overwhelming if you plan to use many of them, which is why I asked this question to other WAH experts.
I would suggest that you first determine what your goals are (find a job, build a community, etc), and determine the best place to reach your market. If you have a gardening or home decor business, Pinterest is where I’d start. But as a freelancer or service-based business, I’d probably start with LinkedIn and maybe Twitter.
