It’s not really a secret that social media networking is becoming an essential marketing strategy for your business. If you’re not on a social network, there’s a lot to miss out on: word-of-mouth marketing, increased consumer trust, brand building, and real communication between you and your customers.

While it can be tempting to quickly sign up for the all the social networking sites you hear about, it would be much more valuable to concentrate your efforts on a select few. This way, you can provide quality content and be able to have a more meaningful connection with your followers.

Here’s our guide to help you choose which social media networks are right for you:

facebook-logo

Good Ol’ Zuckerberg has done well for himself, as Facebook is currently the most prominent social media network on the web.

Why you should join: 

  • It has an estimated active user base of over a billion people: needless to say, Facebook is popular. You won’t get lonely.
  • Facebook offers great ways to connect with your followers, as they can comment on your posts, post up a review of your business, and “Like” your content.
  • The “Word of mouth” marketing potential is sky high, as you and your content can be shared, posted on other Facebook sites, tagged, etc.

Why you should pass:

  • A Facebook business page will take a lot of upkeep. Be prepared to post content often and reply to your followers. It really is a “social” networking site.
  • Also, be prepared to adapt to the constant website changes, as the Facebook functions, features and policies are updated quite often.

twitter-logo

Can you say something interesting in 140 characters or less? If the answer is yes, this mini-blogging site is perfect for you.

Why you should join:

  • Your posts can easily be “retweeted” to spread the word about your business.
  • The “hashtags” are a great way to keep up with popular trends and topics (believe it or not: “hashtags” are NOT doing great on Facebook. So, keep it on Twitter. Check out this article).

Why you should pass:

  • Like with Facebook, if you’re not ready to communicate with your followers, Twitter is not the best platform for you.
  • Make sure you’ll be able to come up with compelling posts on a regular basis.

google-plus-logoWhile you might not know it, Google+ is quickly rising in popularity.

Why you should join:

  • Three letters: SEO. Google+ is, obviously, owned by Google, and this can mean AMAZING search engine results for your business. It might be worth your while to join the network for this advantage alone.
  • You can easily provide contact information for your local customers.
  • Being able to link you business to Google Maps will let your visitors find you easily.

Why you should pass:

  • It’s debatable how “active” the Google+ network currently is, and how often users actually use the network to share information and communicate. Many users join just to boost their SEO rather than to really connect with others. However, there are many predictions that activity levels will soon rise and surpass that of Facebook because of the many advantages of Google+ (e.g. support of animated GIF images) and its increased ease of use.

linkedin-logoLinkedIn is the social networking site wearing the suit and tie. It’s the largest social media network for business professionals, and is currently becoming more popular for business pages.

Why you should join:

  • The “LinkedIn” group is a way for professionals to connect and discuss industry topics.
  • This is a great way to establish yourself as an expert.

Why you should pass:

  • Be prepared to take on a more professional tone with this one. Note that most people using this network are business people and professionals. While LinkedIn is a great place to find professional connections, it won’t give you an audience that’s as varied as you might like.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of our social media series, where we’ll highlight pros and cons for more image/media-centric social media networks, such as YouTube, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram! Any thoughts? Leave us a comment!

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