Choosing the Right Social Media Platform For Your Business
So everyone’s always talking about social media and it’s benefits, but what you’re really wondering is:
- Is it worth the effort?
- Do smaller businesses get attention?
- How often should I be using it?
- Which social media platforms are relevant for my business?
Social media is worth the effort if it is used correctly for your intended purpose – marketing your business. If you do not effectively integrate your website and business into your social media posts, you aren’t really accomplishing much. The idea is to use social media as a tool to connect with people and direct them to your business through channels such as your company blog or website.
Whether you’re just starting out or have an established business, you can definitely gain attention by posting the right content at the right time. The frequency of your posts should vary depending on the type of social media platform and your intended audience.
To help you decide which social media platforms to use for your business, here is a breakdown of the 6 most popular ones:
Infographic Credit: Leverage New Age Media
1. Pinterest
This platform focuses on content discovery through the use of images. The 4 top categories of interest are decor, crafts/DIY, cooking, health, and fashion. Do you have a blog that discusses home décor and DIY quick fix and tips? If you are in the mortgage/real estate industry, providing free content related to home reno’s or décor is a good way to attract potential clients interested in the buying or selling of their home.
2. Twitter
The topics discussed on this platform vary and each post is limited to 140 characters. Users can attach images, GIFs, and even link to videos. Since Twitter is a micro-blogging site, approximately 5,700 tweets (posts) occur every second. To stay on top in your followers’ feeds, you should expect to post multiple times per day. It is easy to find potential clients or business partners by using ‘hashtags’ to discover relevant content and people similar to you. Try using hashtags such as #realestate or #mortgage. TIP: Hastagify is a helpful tool designed to find all relevant hashtags to your content.
3. Facebook
Facebook is the largest platform with 1+ billion users worldwide and 1 million links being shared every 20 minutes. It is known for allowing businesses to communicate with consumers in a non-obtrusive way. A Facebook business page can be used to update people on your company’s current activities and promotions, or to share industry specific news. When a fan interacts with content on your page, their friends will also be able to see your business in their news feeds. On average a Facebook user has 130 connections, so think about the potential exposure. Additionally, Facebook’s ‘Insights’ tool lets you see which of your posts are popular to help you better understand your fans.
4. Instagram
Social sharing through pictures and short 15 second videos is what Instagram is all about. Similar to Twitter, the use of hashtags is how users discover your content. Instagram’s users are primarily young adults ages 18-29, with some of the top interests including DIY/home improvements, and economy/finance. As someone in the mortgage/real estate industry, you can benefit by uploading simple DIY 15 sec video tutorials, or sharing ‘home décor’ images. Instagram is all about finding content you’re interested in, so make sure to use relevant hashtags to reach out to the right audience. If you’re a real estate agent, try uploading a short ‘walk-through’ video of the properties you have for sale.
5. Google+
If you’re planning on showing up at the top on Google’s search engine, one major reason to use Google+ is to improve your content discovery through SEO – your posts on G+ will be indexed easily. Interested in getting to know your fans/followers? G+ Hangouts provides businesses the opportunity to video chat, host virtual meetings, or broadcast live talks/conferences/webinars. Think about the benefits of hosting Q & A sessions for your customers to better understand your process for finding them a home or mortgage financing.
6. LinkedIn
Whether you own a brokerage or are new to the industry, LinkedIn is the best way to connect with industry professionals. Thinking about growing your network? LinkedIn can help you find potential new hires to expand your business, or connect with people in similar industries to collaborate and create partnerships. Are you a mortgage agent looking to gain more leads? Try connecting with real estate agents and offer to provide your mortgage services to their clients.
Before selecting which social media platforms to use, first discover your target market and their demographics, and where/when they are most active online. Next, discover what type of content your market is interested in reading and cater your strategy to reflect this. You should now have a better picture of how often you should be posting on social media and can allocate time accordingly. Remember, there are free social media management tools out there that can save you plenty of time! Try: BufferApp, Hootsuite, IFTTT
Mortgage brokering in Ontario is regulated by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) and requires a license. To obtain a license you must first pass an accredited course. The Real Estate and Mortgage Institute of Canada Inc. (REMIC) is accredited by FSCO to provide the course. For more information please visit us at www.remic.ca/getlicensed or call us at 877-447-3642
FREE WEBINARS: Topics include: commercial mortgage, mortgage investments, private mortgages, lead generation and more!
You may also be interested in our article about managing your client database: Close More Deals By Leveraging Your Client Database
Here’s how to win at your next client meeting: How to Win a Face-2-Face Client Meeting
Looking to get more referrals? Read our article: 8 Dynamite Ways to Get More Mortgage Referral Sources
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