Welcome to our Learn Something New Series, where you can submit a question of the week and the DBC team gets to answer it. So our question of the week comes from Jennifer Linton, the Executive Director of the WEDC Foundation. You can follow the WEDC Foundation on Facebook @WEDCFoundationInc or check out their website wedcfoundation.org.
Her question of the week is - What are the newest social media mediums of value for non-profits and businesses?
Social media trends rarely stay the same from year-to-year. So, rethinking what “success” looks like for social media marketing has to be re-evaluated based on your business. So we have to ask the right questions to understand which social media worked for you before adding new platforms.
Measuring success depending on who and what your audience needs. After all your providing a solution to their problem. Before you add new platforms understanding the best method to reach your audience has to be audited.
So don’t just jump ship to start a new platform, master the ones that give you the best results in the end.
Although most businesses start with the standard branding social media marketing such as Facebook, Instagram, Linked In & Google. There are a few new and not so new platforms that are creating noise in marketing.
First, let’s discuss the not so new but maybe new to you. But you add these platforms, make sure you can create and strategize enough content before jumping on these platforms.
1. Youtube - It has over 2 billion users - you may not think of it as a social media platform but it is one of the largest user-generated content that can be embedded on your website.
2. Pinterest - 400 Million Monthly users - This platform has been around for a long time and the cost of running ads is cheaper than on Facebook. This platform allows you to add photos, videos with titles, descriptions, and links to your website so you build your brand.
3. Snapchat & Tiktok - Because of the demographics such as your younger age group or targeted college student, I’ll review these two together. - Snapchat - is for real-time updates and promoting events and after it published the content disappears after 24 hours - This is ideal for businesses looking to promote a timely event, such as a product launch or conference. Tiktok - 689 million monthly users =vs 238 million users on Snapchat - You can use Tiktok to create short bursts of videos for users to see a peek behind scenes of the business or virtual trends. You can create fun tutorials, fun dances, or comedy skits on the app. Businesses can use advertising to expand their reach.
So let’s discuss some new platforms that are creating a buzz in marketing.
Nextdoor, this platform target local communities and you have the capability to claim a local business. This is an interactive program that targets neighborhoods in your local areas and offers advertising opportunities.
But the buzzword on the street is Clubhouse. This app was launched in March 2020 with only 1500 users. It’s an invite-only audio chat app. Users can listen to interviews, discussions, and conversations between interesting people. It’s like listening to a podcast but executive. This means you have to be invited by a Clubhouse member so you can’t just download the app and create an account. And the kicker is those members are restricted to only send two invites in the beginning. What made this program so popular was recently when Elon Musk hosted auto chat that max out the chat rooms and live-streamed on Youtube. So everyone was scrambling for invites and it’s popular because it makes you focus one topic at a time.
There are many other social media platforms that we didn’t get to review but as a business owner, you need to know what is important and which marketing platform is the best benefit for your business. Driving traffic, closing sales, and creating leads should always be your focus so pick the platforms that give you the biggest bang for your buck.
So that is our question of the week here on the Learn Something New Series. Don’t forget to Like, follow, and support our local businesses because, without them, we are not successful. See you next time!
Frustrated with your marketing? Feeling stuck? Our team at Designedbycarla can help you achieve your goals and take your business to the next level with our expertise. If you're ready to begin, reach out to our team today. We're excited to help!