Small business owners may find it difficult to direct their digital marketing efforts. Today, there are so many social media platforms, with billions of users, and it can get overwhelming identifying where to advertise. Some owners might even forego advertising online altogether, relying instead on traditional measures like word-of-mouth to grow.
However, you are missing out if you do not go online. Competing with large stores today will be easier if you have an active presence on the internet. Here is information about the top platforms you can use to get the word out about your brand to help you get started.
#1 – Facebook
With 2.6 billion monthly users worldwide, Facebook is still the most widely used social media platform. There are thousands of niches on this site, catering to nearly all interests under the sun. Facebook ads are a proven way to get more leads for a business.
You need to think of three criteria if you want to have a successful campaign on this site. The first is awareness of your reach. Another is a consideration or the type of people you are reaching. Carefully target your ads to people interested in your product; otherwise, viewers might opt to hide your ad, which drives down your reach. Finally, you must include converting copy in your ad—a line or two urging viewers to sign up, register, or otherwise opt-in.
#2 YouTube
YouTube is the largest video-sharing platform globally, and it doubles as a search engine, ranking second in worldwide use behind Google. YouTube provides both video and non-video advertisements. There are six different ad formats on the platform—TrueView, Non-Skippable, Bumper, Overlay, Display, and Cards or Sponsored Cards.
Since experts predict that video will comprise 82 percent of consumer internet traffic by 2021, YouTube advertising is a must. You can combine targeting methods and ad types to reach the audience who would respond favorably to your brand.
#3 Instagram
Instagram is the most popular photo-sharing platform on the internet, with one billion monthly users. Its video-sharing features are also becoming increasingly popular. Facebook has owned Instagram since 2012, which allows brands to run Facebook ads campaigns on both platforms.
Campaigns on Instagram are set up in the same way as ones on Facebook. Advertisements can show up on the Instagram Feed, Story, and Explore sections, and you can target posts based on age, interests, location, and gender.
#4 TikTok
A rising player today is the Chinese social platform TikTok, with 800 million monthly users. Formerly called Musical.ly, users of this app upload 15-second-long posts of trending dances, pranks, or funny videos. While 15 seconds does not seem like much, it is enough to convey a short, punchy message, making it perfect for a young demographic.
Since TikTok is still a new player in the social media space, it is uncertain how the platform will expand. Marketers should expect broader demographics, different video trends, and more diverse types of advertising to come.
Conclusion
Part of running a good business is speaking in an authentic way to your market. It means knowing where your audience is online and which social media applications they use in the internet age. If you know how to reach your target market, you will have a much easier time getting them to pay attention to your advertisements.
Reaching your audience is easier when you team up with Akby. Our digital marketing services can help you grow, no matter your business type or size. We also offer custom marketing solutions for companies that have different needs. Contact us today to learn more!
