At this stage in the game, if you’re not already on social media, you’re lightyears behind in the marketing game. 

Social media has become an industry standard. If you’re going the DIY route, this is a low-cost method for advertising and marketing your business. We believe social media will become your favorite marketing venue, once you’ve become accustomed to all the tools and possibilities offered to you from the top social media sites for business. 

Social media is powerful if you’re on the right platforms, and using them consistently. Which platforms you choose are critical to ensure you’re engaging with the right people and creating the most opportunities for your business.

Not every social media network is fit for your business, so weigh your options carefully. Most companies choose between 2-6 networks depending on their size, resources, and expertise. Ultimately, it depends on the type of content you’d like to create, and if the network is relevant to your business and demographics.

Today, we’re going to touch on the top 8 social media marketing networks for business, that way you can choose the bricks you lay on your path to marketing success!

Top Social Media Networks for Business

8. Yelp

Everyone talks about getting more Yelp reviews, particularly if you’re a restaurant or other kind of brick-and-mortar business that offers a service. This is one such network that offers word-of-mouth advertising, paid advertising, and a suite of tools for business owners to jump into action if needed.

As marketers, we also understand that bad reviews happen. There isn’t a single business out there that is immune to a bad review, so it’s ideal to be present on this platform to nip troublemakers in the bud!

As soon as a bad review comes in, most users simply want to see that you’re acting upon them. This helps encourage positivity in your presence, and builds a sense of trust in prospective customers.

This social media network is ideal for:

• Retail
• Restaurants
• Services

7. LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the largest network of its kind, with 303 million monthly active users. This business networking platform also includes paid advertising, which can help you reach business professionals with detailed demographics.

This network is ideal if you’re a B2B business, looking to gain credibility in the marketing space, and connect with the right decision makers.

6. Twitter

Twitter is among the oldest social media platforms, and still packs heat with several demographics. Their suite of advertising tools has become more and more sophisticated as time goes on. 

This is a flexible network that can apply to just about any business! This platform does require more attention, however, in the form of engagement and thought out content that has the potential for others to want to share. 

This platform is best for active outreach! Much like with Instagram, you can search hashtags or mentions of keywords relevant to your business, and engage with users in unique ways, which are custom tailored for them.

5. YouTube

YouTube has hit so many buttons, it’s unreal! This isn’t quite the network for a casual or new marketer. This requires well planned and produced content to ensure success. If your company can create brilliant content that’s worth sharing with 30+ million daily active users, then you need to get on this train! 

Moreover, YouTube is part of Google, giving you access to Google’s advertising network to boot. Not only that, but with Video SEO, you can create a heavier impact with your content. 

This isn’t usually an ideal network for small businesses, unless your business is online. If you can create content that is relevant to your business, or helps you build credibility as an authority in your niche, then it might be worth the time spent to create excellent content. 

4. Snapchat

If your business thrives on a younger demographic, Snapchat may be one network to consider! The disappearing photo/video platform has become a hot spot for Generation Z and younger Millennials, where they can share and exchange content from one user to another, or via public stories.

Building this network takes quite a bit of work. We don’t usually recommend it for small businesses, but for large hip brands that want to engage with the right population.

3. Pinterest

If your business is more in the creative realm, many businesses have turned Pinterest into a huge funnel for excellent leads and quality traffic! While it didn’t start as a business-friendly platform, they have incorporated a suite of tools that can guide you with analytics and targeting. 

With the right keywords and the right content, you can help users fuel their buying decisions. If you have any creative business that focuses on lifestyle, food, recipes, crafts and more, you certainly want to be on this platform, and utilize their built-in tools for your success.

2. Instagram

Instagram has experienced a boom, and it’s one of the best platforms for expanding reach locally, regionally, or even nationally. There are a variety of ways to expand reach by simply utilizing all the basic functions of a post, along with well-researched hashtags.

Since becoming acquired by Facebook, Instagram’s advertising tools have expanded far beyond the network’s original setup. With Instagram, you have the ability to advertise within the platform, and on Facebook. Using this network along with a Facebook business page goes hand-in-hand, and supercharges your advertising potential.

This is a boon for small businesses to get noticed locally, plus it’s easy to create engagement with a targeted audience. Mostly, this platform is excellent for organic growth, making it perfect to cut advertising costs while expanding reach in other ways unique to this platform.

1. Facebook

Arguably the king of social networks, Facebook has wide demographics, ultra refined advertising techniques, and an extensive network that surpasses numbers of most other platforms. You can even use Facebook in tandem with additional marketing programs you may already have in place (such as programmatic ads) and it integrates with just about every piece of technology in your suite of tools.

The powerful advertising platform alone provides you with options for advertising, that can grant you more opportunities for converted business. You can target people by age, search behavior, employment, interests, and so much more. This is by far the most sophisticated platform of its kind, for that reason alone.

While Facebook growth thrives upon paid advertising, there are few methods for building an audience organically. That being said, this network is ideal for those among us that have an advertising budget to play with, to create huge communities that are all interested in what you have to offer and what you have to say.

Regardless, you want to make sure that your business has a Facebook page to complete a well-rounded social media presence. 

In conclusion…

These are the most frequently utilized social media networks for business. Social media advertising can be an overwhelming venture, but it can also be quite rewarding. 

If you’re suffering from a lack of know-how, you might want to consider contacting us for a consultation, so we can point you in the right direction!