You Don't Need to Use Every Social Media Platform

Choosing the right social media platforms for your small business isn't easy. It's important for business owners and managers to realize that they don't need to be on a social media site just because it looks like "the next big thing".

I've touched upon this subject in a Social Media Misconceptions post, but now I'm going to cover it in a bit more detail. When planning a marketing campaign, business owners often want to get on as many platforms as possible. It might be great to be on a ton of social media platforms if you had unlimited time, resources, and content, but let's face it - you don't.

When it comes to social media, you will only get slowed down if you get stuck in an all-or-nothing mindset. Instead of trying to get on every new site you see, you should pick the ones which best fit your strategy.

Don't get me wrong - a new platform might actually be a great fit for your business. For example, if you have tons of great pictures to share, it might be a good idea to get on Pinterest or Instagram. If you have time to make fun, short videos, Vine might be perfect for you.

But don't feel the need to use a new platform just because everyone is talking about it. Craft your strategy around the sites that are right for you - not just the ones that are popular in the news.

If you're having a hard time deciding whether or not you should use a platform here are some things you should ask yourself:

• Can you come up with content that fits the platform? Think about it - if you want to use a photo-based platform, you need to have access to pictures relevant to your business, or you won't have anything to post.
  
  
• Do you have time to manage another account? Setting up and managing a new platform can take a lot of time - make sure you have enough or else your account will get neglected.
  
  
• Is your target market on that platform? If enough potential customers aren't on the site, it might not be worth your time.
  
  
• Are your competitors there? If none of your competition is on a platform, and you see a way to use it, you can beat them to the punch.
  
  
• Are your competitors using it successfully? If your competitors are on the platform, how are they doing? If none of them are making it work, you might not be able to either. Then again, if you think of a better way to use it, you can gain an edge.
  
  
• Do you really need to use it? This is probably the most important thing you can ask yourself. If you don't foresee this new platform actually resulting in a favorable ROI, you might be better off without it.