Last week, I shared some guidelines for determining which of the “Big 3” social media channels – Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter – are best for meeting your business goals. Today I want to explain a few of the popular supplemental media and how they can be useful to your social media game plan. Major supplemental media include YouTube, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Here are some details about each:
YouTube
- Videos establish credibility by allowing people to get to know you before they’ve met you
- Largest age segment is 18-34-year-olds, followed by 35-49-year-olds
- Useful for relaying tips, how-to videos, answering FAQ’s, and showcasing your speaking clips
Other factors to consider: Video is very powerful. YouTube has over 800 million monthly users and over 100 million people who share the videos they watch. It’s inexpensive to get started (all you need is a flip cam, Smartphone, or laptop with video capability) and it’s a great way to help your small business brand itself and stand out from the competition.
Google+
- Google+ integrates with Gmail and has an interface similar to Facebook (one difference is that you can use circles rather than lists for organizing your community)
- Largest age segment is 25-34-year-olds, followed by 18-24-year-olds
- Higher usage among men (69%) than women (31%)
- Primarily made up of marketing professionals, engineers, software developers, web designers and students
Other factors to consider: Because Google+ is owned by Google, it does play a heavy role in search engine optimization (SEO). Using Google+ local created just this past week is particularly helpful for SEO. The video-capability of Google+ “hangouts” is very popular because it allows multiple people to interact on a video chat session.
- Pinterest is an online pin board allowing users to share photos and videos. It integrates with Facebook and Twitter for ease of community-building and sharing.
- Primarily used by 25-54 year-olds
- 80% of Pinterest users are woman; 50% of all Pinterest users have children
Other factors to consider: Pinterest, which has 20 million monthly active users, is also known as a source of ideas and inspiration. The following tend to do well on the channel: DIY project instructions, trendy apparel, recipes, decorating ideas, anything wedding-related, motivational fitness tips, animals, and ideas for children.
- Instagram is another photo sharing site, which integrates with Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr (allowing users to simultaneously post to multiple networks)
- A popular feature if Instagram’s capability to easily apply visual effects that give an artistic touch to regular, everyday photos
- Primarily used by African Americans, Latinos and urban residents between the ages of 18-29 years of age
- At 90 million users, it far surpasses the popularity of Pinterest
Other factors to consider: While Instagram provides the capability to include caption with photos, the text isn’t the prominent feature of the post. Users need to think outside the box to find ways not only pique the audience’s interests, but to communicate who you are and what you stand for through visual messaging.
If you’re new to social media, I highly suggest using at least a few of the “Big 3” – Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn – as your starting point for establishing a successful social media presence.
Once you’re established, don’t be afraid to add one of these “supplemental” social media channels to further enhance your presence.
Need help deciding which channel is best for your business? Want in-depth information on each channel? Be sure to check out the Social Media Jump Start Kit releasing March 18th!
