Which Social Media Platform is Best for My Business?

The same image of a woman in sunglasses smiling in the sun on a rooftop in a Facebook post, Pinterest post and Instagram post

In today’s super-connected world, social media is a necessary part of any good marketing plan. However, trying to maintain a presence on all of the available platforms is a recipe for failure. Not only is this sure to leave you feeling overwhelmed, but if you spread yourself too thin, you’ll miss the opportunity to make true connections with your followers.

Instead of trying to be everywhere at once, it pays to be strategic with your social media strategy. To get the best results, it’s important to understand where your target audience spends their time and make sure you have a presence there.

Ideally, you’ll want to choose one or two platforms and commit to going all-in on them. The right social media platforms for your business will depend on a number of factors, including the type of content you produce and the demographics of your ideal audience. Here’s a closer look at the pros and cons of some of the most popular social media platforms!


Facebook

As the largest and most popular social media platform in the world, Facebook currently has more than 2.85 billion monthly active users. Not only does this platform have a huge following, but their audience is also very active. In fact, 66% of users log in at least once a day.

Due to the amount of traffic alone, being active on Facebook is a good idea for most businesses. It will allow you to connect with a diverse audience and interact with your followers in a way that builds trust.

Even if you choose to spend the bulk of your time on another platform, you’ll want to ensure you have a fully completed Facebook profile.

The About Me section of Create & Cultivate's Facebook Page

When vetting companies, users often turn to Facebook after Google, so it’s important to make sure your “about” section is completed and your contact information and business hours are accurate.

Also be sure to respond to reviews (both positive and negative), as this is an indication of how your company interacts with its customers.

Facebook is also an excellent platform for paid advertising. The ability to target a super-specific audience allows you to optimize your advertising dollars. Many companies also take advantage of Facebook Messenger, as this allows for easy, private communication with followers and potential customers.

Despite the many benefits, however, there are some potential drawbacks. For example, Facebook has strict advertising rules and uses algorithms to flag posts and ads that may be in violation. This can result in you having your account temporarily suspended or shut down – even if you haven’t done anything wrong.  

In addition, Facebook’s algorithm changes have made it very difficult to reach new followers organically. This means you’ll need to be willing to commit at least a portion of your budget to paid ads if you want to grow your audience here.

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Instagram

With over 1.2 billion active users, Instagram is another popular social media platform for business owners.

This platform is a great option for those looking to reach a younger demographic. More than half of Instagram users around the globe are age 34 or younger.

It’s also the third most popular platform among teens – after Snapchat and TikTok.

Instagram users are quite active, with 62% logging on daily. Commercial posts are common on this platform and users often use Instagram to follow companies they love or find new products and services.

a screenshot of Create and Cultivate's Instagram profile

Instagram is an excellent option for businesses that are comfortable telling their stories on a visual platform and those who want to appeal to a young, “hip” crowd. If your target audience is older, this might not be the right platform for you. Only 14% of Instagram’s users are over the age of 45, and 14% of U.S. adults say they have never heard of it.

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Pinterest

Part social media platform and part search engine, Pinterest has over 478 million actively monthly users.

This platform is often used by those who are looking for ideas and inspiration.

Pinterest users used to be predominately female. However, today, it’s about a 60/40 split. User demographics are also getting younger.

Currently, 35% of users are millennials while 40% fall into the Gen Z age range. In addition, 45% of people in the United States with a household income of over $100k are Pinterest users.

A screenshot of Create & Cultivate's Pinterest profile

If this fits your target demographic, creating a presence on this platform may be well worth your time. A third of users on Pinterest say they follow companies on the platform and 77% of users have used the platform to discover new products.

To be successful on Pinterest, you’ll need to consistently create content that is both visually appealing and highly sharable. Some of the most popular things to pin include how-to tutorials, inspirational quotes, recipes, and similar content. If you’re in an industry like fitness, travel, design, or photography, you’ll want to consider including Pinterest in your marketing strategy.


Twitter

Known for content that’s short and to the point, Twitter is popular among younger adults.

Approximately 38% of users are between the ages of 18 and 29 and another 26% are in the 30 to 49 age range. This platform has 340 million users worldwide and 186 million daily active users.

Affluent individuals tend to be attracted to this platform – 77% of Americans who earn $75k or more per year are active Twitter users.  

Some business owners prefer this platform because they don’t have to spend a lot of time creating visually appealing graphics.

Instead, you can focus on crafting sharp, concise messages that get your point across in an interesting way. However, studies also show that Twitter users get 10-times more engagement on Tweets that include video.

In addition, Tweets with GIFs get 55% more engagement than those without.  

A screenshot of Create & Cultivate's Twitter profile

If you’re going to have a presence on Twitter, it’s critical to remain active and respond quickly. Since 85% of small and medium-sized businesses use Twitter to provide customer service, it’s common for users to take to the platform to vent about poor user experiences. Statistics also show that Twitter users are 38% more likely to share their opinions about products and brands than other social media users.


LinkedIn

Long known as the platform for professionals, LinkedIn has 310 million monthly active users and over 171 million users in the United States. While this is a significantly smaller platform, some businesses find that this is an advantage. Since there’s not as much competition, it’s easier to have your content show up in newsfeeds without having to invest in paid ads.

Most of the users on this platform are focused on business and employment. This makes LinkedIn a good option for users who want to connect with decision-makers in the B2B space. While it’s rarely used for online shopping or entertainment, if you’re looking for a platform to network or connect with potential business partners, then LinkedIn could be a good option for you.


YouTube

YouTube has 2 billion monthly active users and 30 million daily active users. A whopping 73% of adults in the United States use this platform and 62% of businesses have a presence here. It’s also the second-most visited site, behind Google, and is the world’s second-largest search engine.

Maintaining a YouTube presence will allow you to reach a large and broad audience. Since video is the preferred format for most online users, you may feel like this platform is a necessity for your business.

However, it’s important to note that while being on YouTube can bring many benefits, consistently creating high-quality videos requires both financial and time commitments.

A screenshot of Create & Cultivate's Youtube video

Snapchat

Popular among the younger crowd, Snapchat reaches 75% of the millennial and Gen Z population in the United States. It’s also the second most popular mobile app, and users typically open it 30 times or more each day.

Businesses can advertise on Snapchat in several ways, including traditional ads, geotags, and branded lenses or filters. Before you invest any time or money into this platform, though, you’ll want to make sure it’s right for your target audience. Approximately 48% of users are between the ages of 15 and 25, 30% are between 26 and 35, and only 18% are between 36 and 45. If you’re focusing on an older demographic, this likely won’t be the right platform for you. 


TikTok

One of the newest players in the field, TikTok has approximately 80 million monthly active users in the United States. Of them, 60% are between the ages of 16 and 24 and 26% are between 25 and 44.

If this is your target demographic and you’re interested in creating fun and unique video content, you may want to experiment with this platform. For the right business, TikTok can be an excellent way to increase engagement, grow your audience, and drive traffic to your site.

Creating videos on TikTok allows you to represent your brand in an authentic, hip, and creative way. However, it’s easy to go too far. Remember that it only takes one small misstep to damage your brand’s reputation, so keep this in mind as you brainstorm your content.


Simplify Your Social Media

Using the information above, you should be able to choose one or two primary platforms for your business. Once you’ve made your decision, spend some time getting to know your audience and crafting a message that truly speaks to them.

Then, begin planning and scheduling your posts in blocks, so you’re always at least a few days ahead. Not only will this help ensure you’re posting consistently, but it will also save you time so you can focus on engaging with your followers.

Are you ready to simplify your social media marketing? Let us show you all the ways  Tailwind can help! 

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10 Reasons Your Content Marketing Plan Isn’t Working

An image of a team strategizing around a wood table with written and digital charts over a green background.

Content marketing has earned a reputation as one of the most effective and least expensive ways to grow your business. Done correctly, a content marketing plan can improve your SEO rankings, establish industry authority, and help you attract new customers. However, if you’re spending countless hours on content marketing and aren’t seeing results, you’re not alone

While most experts will tell you how important this is for your business, there’s often a disconnect between what marketers are doing and what actually works. The good news is, once you understand what you’re doing wrong, it’s fairly easy to fix.

Before you give up, make sure you’re not making one of these critical content marketing mistakes!

1. You Don’t Have a Content Calendar

Are you the type of blogger who fires off a post whenever the mood strikes? While there’s nothing wrong with writing the occasional inspired blog post, not having a solid plan for what you’re writing and why will almost always lead to sub-par performance.

Creating a content calendar will help you clarify your overall brand message. It will also allow you to think through the topics you want to cover, so you can make sure they’re both valuable and relevant to your target audience. 

Planning out your calendar at least three months at a time will prevent you from scrambling for an idea at the last minute and makes it less likely you’ll skip a post just because you’re short on time.

It will also allow you to use your blog posts to support upcoming launches and promotions, so you can make the most out of your traffic and engagement.

Plus, when you get your content calendar under control, you can also get your social media marketing strategy under control at the same time. You can schedule Instagram posts, Pinterest Pins, or Facebook Stories to support your content or an upcoming promotion in advance. And it’s easier than ever with Tailwind, where you can create unique social media designs personalized to your brand in one click – and schedule to your accounts in one more!

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2. You’re Not Taking Action

Having a content plan is important, but if you’re not following through, you’re missing the boat. Maybe you’ve found that you simply don’t have time to keep up with the plan you’ve designed.

Or, maybe you’re not quite confident in your writing or designing skills. This can cause you to have a mini panic attack every time you get ready to hit that “publish” button.

Once you’ve figured out what’s keeping you from taking action, you’re one step closer to fixing it. Sometimes, it’s as easy as setting aside a specific time each week to work on your content or finding the right program to help you streamline your process.

If this doesn’t help, you may want to consider hiring a professional to take care of your content creation for you! 

3. You’re Not Being Consistent

A lack of consistency is another common problem among content creators. If you put out content sporadically, you’ll have a hard time building a loyal audience. Even if they love what you’re creating, if you frequently disappear, there’s a good chance they won’t be there waiting when you return.

The ideal number of times you should publish content each month depends on a number of factors. However, the most important thing you can do is stick to a schedule. Choose a frequency you’re comfortable with and commit to it. You can always adjust your frequency after a few months of figuring out whether it works for you!

4. You Haven’t Connected with Your Audience

If you’re consistently putting out great articles but you’re still not getting results, you may not be connecting with your audience. No matter how good your content is, if the audience doesn’t care, you’re just wasting your time.

There’s a good chance you’ve spent some time learning about basic demographics for your target audience. You may have even created a buyer persona. However, this isn’t quite enough. To truly connect with your audience, you’ll need to get inside their heads.

Consider sending out surveys and conducting interviews over the phone and in person. You can also use social media platforms to learn more about your audiences’ personal challenges and the problems they face. Once you have this information, begin crafting your content around providing solutions to these problems. This is the key to creating content that’s both valuable and sharable.

5. You’re Not Promoting Your Content

Many content creators forget that their job isn’t done after they click “publish.” If you’re not already spending the bulk of your time promoting the content you create, this could be the most effective change you make.

As a general rule, you should be spending about 20% of your time creating content and 80% promoting it. After all, it’s called content marketing, not content creating.

You can easily increase your audience by sending your content out to your email marketing list. Find creative ways to share your content multiple times on your social media platforms and consider reaching out to industry influencers who may be willing to share your content with their audiences as well.

Repurposing your content will save time and help you create more engagement. For example, you may be able to turn a podcast into a blog post, then break up the blog into multiple social media posts, infographics, and short video clips. Once you’ve done this, you can give your podcast new life by marketing each of the new pieces of content you’ve created!

6. You’ve Neglected Your SEO

Nobody likes content that’s awkwardly stuffed with keywords. However, if you’re not paying attention to SEO at all, there’s a good chance nobody will ever see your content.

Spend some time doing keyword research and use SEO best practices to help your content organically rank on search engines and algorithms. Not only does SEO help you get discovered on internet search engines like Google, but Pinterest SEO can help your content get discovered on Pinterest! Likewise, relevant hashtags on Instagram help you get your content seen by new audiences interested in seeing more!

7. Your Posts are Too Pushy

Nobody likes a hard sell! Make sure your content isn’t too pushy or you’ll turn your followers off.

Instead of worrying about over-selling your products or services, focus on creating content that will help people solve problems or enrich their lives. This is the best way to build trust and credibility while also ensuring your audience will keep coming back for more.

8. You’re Not Asking for What You Want

While you definitely don’t want to be too pushy, if you’re not asking for what you want, you’ll never get it. Valuable content goes a long way toward establishing trust and credibility. Adding a call-to-action (CTA) gives you a chance to give yourself a plug without the hard sale.

After consuming a piece of content, readers want to know what they should do next. If you don’t tell them, they’ll just click away and move on to the next site. These lost opportunities can turn a great content plan into a complete waste of time.

9. You’re Up Against a Huge Competitor

Depending on your industry, you may have entered an extremely competitive landscape. It’s not easy for a fairly new content creator to go up against a huge company with a major marketing budget. However, it’s not impossible.

One of the worst things you can do is give up just because you’re facing a challenge. Instead, keep producing content and focus your attention on building a small but loyal fan base. When it comes to your audience, size doesn’t always matter! It’s often better to have an engaged and devoted group of followers than a large audience that doesn’t really care. Keep cultivating your true fans, and you’ll start to see results.

You can also spend some time carefully examining your competitors’ content. The purpose here is not to copy them, but to find some gaps in what they’re providing. Look for any forms of content that are missing or topics they’re not covering well. You can then use these gaps as opportunities to make your own content shine.

10. Your Expectations are Too High

If you’re just getting started with your content marketing efforts, you may be expecting too much, too soon. Remember, content marketing isn’t a “get-rich-quick” scheme. Instead, it’s a long-term investment. It generally takes a minimum of three to six months before a content strategy starts to get traction. You can’t expect to put out a few pieces and suddenly see a huge increase in the number of subscribers and conversions.

When measuring the return-on-investment for your content strategy, it’s important not to expect overnight success. Instead, pay attention to gradual improvements that will continue to add up over time.

Step Up Your Content Marketing Today!

If your content marketing isn’t giving you the results you’re looking for, don’t give up! There are many reasons you could be having problems. However, paying attention to the ten critical mistakes listed above will significantly increase your chances of success.

Begin by making sure you have a solid plan, connecting with your audience, and staying consistent. Once you’ve got that down, make sure you’re marketing your content like crazy, paying attention to SEO, and providing clear calls-to-action. As long as you’re producing valuable content that your audience craves, your efforts will soon pay off.

And Tailwind can help! You can start from almost done with social media designs, selecting from hundreds of unique designs for your favorite platforms personalized to your brand with one click of a button. You can then schedule your social media designs, adding thoughtful captions, CTAs, hashtags and even links to your content. Finally, schedule your posts to go out at the best time on your chosen dates. It’s even easier than it sounds – try it out today!

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