Social Media Basics for Creatives and Small Businesses
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Pinterest, Yelp, Snapchat, Youtube, Linkedin - what are they and what do they do?
In 2019, around 70% of all Americans used social media, and with social distancing, that percentage is likely to increase. Using social media in some form can help build a customer base for most creative and small businesses, and if you are unfamiliar with the growing social media landscape, this post will provide a very high-level overview to help you understand the basics.
What is social media and who uses it?
Social media is basically any online platform that provides some degree of content sharing and user-generated content (UGC) among members. Content can be anything from a short text description of a beautiful walk, or a product review, pictures from a vacation or a meal, videos, music, and more - it’s all content, and content is the lifeblood of all social media platforms.
You’re probably familiar with the names of the big players in the U.S. - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Yelp, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, Youtube, Linkedin - but you may not know how they actually work - and whether or not they matter to you and your business.
Social media can be broken down into 5 main types (although the lines are blurring quickly with many of these platforms):
Media sharing - share videos, images and stories, mostly of a visual nature - Youtube, Instagram, Snapchat, Vimeo, Twitch, TikTok.
Social networks - connect with people (and brands) though one to one connections and groups, mostly through words but increasingly with images and videos too - Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor, LinkedIn.
Discussion - ask questions, seek out advice, research, discuss - Reddit, Quora
Consumer Reviews - review and rate businesses - Yelp, Google, TripAdvisor
Bookmarking - save and organize website and blog pages - Pinterest, Digg
In terms of popularity, Youtube is the most popular social network, used by 73% of the U.S. population, with Facebook a close second at 69%. Instagram is the third most popular platform, used by 37% of the U.S. population.
Here’s an interesting chart of the top social networks and their usage by the U.S. population as of 2019, from the Pew Research Foundation.
With social distancing, more time at home, and for virtual meetings and meet-ups, there’s a huge increase in the use of social media, and the use of live streaming is becoming more mainstream in many of the platforms.
Is social media important for you?
Yes, absolutely — especially in this era of social distancing, an online social presence represents you and your business and is often the first introduction you have with potential customers. Social media should be an important part of building connections with potential clients for solo creatives or small businesses who want to increase sales (and who doesn’t?)
What social media is best for you? The short answer: Facebook and Instagram, maybe Youtube and Pinterest, and Yelp if your are a small service-oriented business. I’ll cover this topic in more detail next week, but in the mean time - ask yourself: do you use social media in your purchasing decisions, even when you aren’t buying online directly? When you’re talking to clients, ask them the same question - you might be surprised at how frequently social media influences our choices and research.