In Search of ‘Sue Perfect Client’ – Tips on choosing which social media site to use
A question I hear frequently is, ”Which social media site should I concentrate on?” My answer, “It depends.” It’s really not a simple question to answer. Before you make the decision, you have to do some internal investigation. Here are some questions to help you decide.
Where does your target audience “hang out?”
I hear you saying, “Facebook! That’s where I like to connect.” I’m using Facebook for this example but you can substitute your preferred platform whether it be Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or another site.
But now, I want you to stop and think how do you know your target audience is on Facebook? I’m not talking about your family and friends. We want to know where your target client spends his/her time on social media. Not so sure?
Let’s step back and take a look at some actual stats and research to see clearly where you should concentrate your social media marketing efforts. Pull out your content marketing plan and take a look at your ideal client persona. Did you skip that step? Return to GO, do not collect a new client. Okay, all is not lost. Here are some great resources that will walk you through the process of creating ‘Sue Perfect Client.’
Why You Need to Know Who Your Client Is
How to Create Easy, Yet Actionable, Content Marketing Personas
Now, let’s take a look at where ‘Sue Perfect Client’ hangs out. If you know where to look, it’s not hard to find out. There are many places to find demographic stats on social media usage. This article on the Hootsuite Blog breaks it down in manageable bites thus make it easier to avoid getting lost.
Study these demographics for at least the top three to five platforms. As you scrutinize, envision where ‘Sue Perfect Client’ would fit in. In her persona, you should have listed demographics such as location, gender, age range, and average earnings and other relevant data. After you’ve found Sue’s most probable fav place on the net, it’s time to check your stats on your preferred network. Is Sue there? Or is she on one of the other platforms?
If you don’t know where to find this information, here is a link for the top social media platforms.
Facebook Insights
Twitter Analytics
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
Okay, Karen, I’ve looked at all these stats and the numbers are starting to all mush together in my brain! It will be okay. If you look at the different numbers for each platform with the idea of finding ‘Sue Perfect Client’ you can check some off your list. You may find that it’s a draw between two of them. If you do, you now turn to yourself and decide which platform you are most comfortable in. Is there one you have already established a presence or set up a business page? Start there. Then laser focus your posts by writing them as if you were talking directly to Sue. If you have the time or budget, add another platform. After a few months, compare the two and see where you are getting the best results.
When you have narrowed this down, you will know exactly where your Sue(s) ‘hangs out’ on the web and begin to establish a relationship with her. After you build the relationship, Sue will become interested in your product or service.
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