When it comes to developing an effective social media presence, I have one piece of advice to rule them all:

Social Media Land is controlled by the whims of algorithmic overlords, and as anyone who watched “Game of Thrones” knows, you can really only serve one master if you wish to gain favor — maybe two if you’re crafty. So please, for the safety of your brand, stop trying to appease every platform! Instagram isn’t right for all B2B brands, just like LinkedIn isn’t the place to shill consumer products. An underperforming Facebook page isn’t doing you any favors. And though this might be hard for some of you to hear, not every business needs a TikTok. I mean it. If you’re selling software, I really don’t need to see your interpretation of “My Money Don’t Jiggle.” 

Good content marketing isn’t just about providing your audience with information they find useful, entertaining, or relevant, it’s also about delivering that information in a way that’s palatable and logical. When you start trying to manipulate content to appease every social platform out there, you run the risk of muddying your message and diluting your audience. But if you can identify the primary platform right for your brand, and produce quality content designed to perform well there, you’ll concentrate your efforts and make a bigger impact. 

Picking the right social media platform 

Picking the right social media platform for your business boils down to three basic questions:

• What are you offering?

• Who is your target audience?

• Where is your audience most active on social media?

So, let’s say you’re selling bucket hats. The good news is you’ve recently learned Gen Z loves bucket hats! Bad news, you better start limbering up because the teens are on TikTok eagerly awaiting your hat choreo. The same process can be applied to any number of businesses. Marketing the latest productivity app to overtaxed professionals? Skip the youthful gimmicks on TikTok and go straight to LinkedIn. Selling birdbaths from your brick-and-mortar to retirees in Burlington? Better stick to Facebook. 

This might seem like a simple progression to make a significant marketing decision, but it’s one we use all the time when helping clients determine the most suitable primary platform for their business. 

Don’t believe me? Let’s take a closer look at primary platform recommendations in action.

The best social media platforms for different industries

To better illustrate the intersection of intent and audience when it comes to picking the right primary platform(s), here are some of the industries we’ve worked with and the platforms we recommended:

None of these recommendations should surprise you. Pinterest users want to look at food pics and house porn. People on LinkedIn are searching for business services. If you know your audience — and what they want — it’s just a matter of delivering it in the right package.

Optimizing your primary social media platform

Speaking of the right package, once you’ve determined the primary platform, it’s time to optimize your content to perform well in the chosen environment. But unless you’re a social media professional, this process takes time. There are no shortcuts to research, exploration, and experimentation. And as anyone who’s spent time on Instagram knows, the needs of the algorithm are often fluid. Therefore, it is essential to keep a pulse on the primary platform even after you think you have mastered it. It’s a significant investment of attention, but far more productive than keeping up with four or more under-performing platforms. 
Don’t have the time or patience for any of this? I don’t blame you! But that’s why agencies like ours exist. Whether you need help determining the right primary platform for your business, or creating content that will perform, we’re happy to ally with you in the quest to curry social favor.