Should you diversify your social media presence?

But with so many eyeballs on so many channels, is it worth having accounts on all social platforms?

Aruga’s social experts answer this question with a firm thumbs-up.

A social media presence is increasingly imperative for a business’s survival – a website alone won’t cut it anymore.

With 70 per cent of people checking social media at least once a day, according to a Pew Research Center report, it is important that your business is active on a few channels to leverage this engagement.

But before you go and jump onto every possible social platform, it’s a good idea to pick and choose the ones that are relevant to your brand and target audiences.

The Aruga team shares its insights on the benefits of diversifying your social media presence and offers a few tips on choosing the right platforms.

Different strokes for different folks – using a variety of social media channels allows you to reach a range of audiences. Because let’s be real here, not everyone uses every social media platform. The average 50-year-old executive doesn’t disappear for hours on end into TikTok’s deep abyss, just like a 13-year-old doesn’t build their “professional network” by connecting with individuals on LinkedIn.

With so many social media channels available at our fingertips, diversifying your social media presence will give your brand exposure to more people. Provided you focus on the right platforms that align with your target audiences, but more on that later…

Social media is fast-paced and can often be unpredictable. You never know when Instagram will tweak its algorithm, a tech billionaire will make you pay to tweet or your mum’s beloved Facebook is embroiled in another Cambridge Analytica-style data scandal. Your grandparents had it right when they warned you not to keep all your eggs in one basket; don’t invest all your marketing efforts into just one channel.

Social media trends change fast and unpredictably. Like fashion, what’s in or out can often change from one day to the next, whether that’s how we use a particular platform – photos to videos, posts to stories, PCs to phones – or specific trends that gain traction on that platform. It makes good business sense to stay across these changes as much as possible and to do that, you must engage across multiple channels.

Different platforms offer different engagement features. Working across multiple social media channels offers options for your followers to engage with your content.

Take advantage of tools that send notifications directly to your audience in real time. Instagram, Facebook and TikTok all offer the “Live” function, where users can broadcast a live video to their followers and beyond. This feature is a great way to show off a new product or service or to announce the winners of a competition by notifying audiences as soon as the live video begins.

Engagement on social media platforms creates authentic connections – simple as that. Social media gives businesses the ability to respond to customers quickly, which demonstrates that your business cares about its customers and their opinions. Take this opportunity to introduce the company, its purpose, its people and its customers because authenticity builds trust. And trust, in turn, can create brand loyalty.

Now that you have a good understanding of why you should diversify your social media presence, you might be thinking: “great, but HOW do I choose which platforms to engage with?” Lucky for you we have some insider tips from our Aruga marketing experts to help answer this question.

First, develop a clear strategy before diving headfirst into uncharted waters.

“Before engaging with another platform, you want to make sure it’s right for your brand and audience. Ask yourself: ‘Is this platform relevant to my brand? Would my target audience be utilising this platform? Are my competitors engaging on this platform?’” Aruga Marketing Director Nicole says.

Once you know if your customers or target markets are using the platform regularly, you should feel confident about establishing your presence.

“Next, create your plan of attack. Identify a clear set of goals and objectives you wish to achieve from engaging with a platform,”  Aruga Marketing Account Executive Rylee says.

These goals should outline how you would like to engage with your audience, what outcomes or actions you hope to achieve and the type of content you wish to create and share on the platform.

If the task of researching and identifying the right platforms to engage with seems a bit daunting, Aruga’s social media experts can help your business navigate the digital world to ensure you reach your customers where they post and scroll.