Which Social Networks Are Right for You?
How to determine which social networks to use
Not all social networks are created equal. Each network has its own audience and users and just because it’s there doesn’t mean your company should use it. Your time is precious so we want to help you determine how to find which social networks will give your company the best return on investment. The three networks we’ll be looking at are Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. There are hundreds of other social networks, but these are the big three that most companies use.
Audience
Before publishing any content, consider who you want to target. Your audience for Instagram may be different than your target audience for Facebook or Twitter. Consider the following questions:
- Who are you trying to connect with? Millennials, Baby Boomers, Single Parents?
- What stage of life are they in? Student, Parent, Retiree?
- What do they do in their spare time? Crafting, Collecting, Reselling
A few other factors you may consider are:
- gender
- occupation
- income
- household size
- education
- lifestyle
- location
Now that you have a better understanding of your audience, it’s time to consider who is on each social platform.
There are over 120 million Instagram users in the US. Approximately 75% of US businesses are on Instagram.
As you may have guessed, Instagram is most popular with younger users. A whopping 56.8% of 18 to 34-year-olds in the United States use this social platform, most of those being females. The next largest group is 35 to 44-year-olds, with about 18.9% of US users. About 20.4% of 45 to 65+-year-olds currently use this platform.
Don’t let these numbers scare you. For many estate sale companies, the bulk of their buyers are likely older than 40 years old. However, younger buyers are starting to get the secondhand bug, which is a great place to target them.
The younger generations are known for being tight with their money. Not only are they tight with their money, but they’re also concerned about the environment. These two things alone make estate sales the perfect fit for them. It’s our job to help them realize that. We can do just that through the use of a social media platform that they’re already using.
Instagram is all about sharing beautiful photos and videos with users. Estate sale companies are surrounded by gorgeous items which gives them the ability to have a content factory. It’s as simple as pulling out a few interesting things from each sale, taking a good photo, and sharing it with your audience—but don’t forget the hashtags!
Facebook year over year is the largest social media platform in the world with over two billion active users each month. In small businesses, it’s almost become a requirement to have a professional Facebook business page. It serves as a directory for companies and an extension of a company’s website. For many users, the presence of a Facebook business page legitimizes the company. It allows the audience to take a peek into how a company interacts with its customers.
That being said, I firmly believe each estate sale company should have a Facebook business page. I’ve created a checklist your company can use to ensure your business profile contains all the information needed to leave a lasting impression on any user that visits your page.
Below are a few statistics about US Facebook users to determine if this platform is a good fit for your business.
There are more than 220 million Facebook users in the United States.
- 27.1% are between the ages of 25 and 34 years old
- 18.9% are between the ages of 35 and 44 years old
- 14.6% are between the ages of 45 and 46 years old
- 11.6% are between the ages of 55 and 64 years old
- 11% are 65 years or older
Men and women users are nearly equal for each age group, with 54% of users being female and 46% being male, according to Omnicore Agency. The average Facebook user has 130 friends or so, which could translate into more followers for you.
Facebook allows more creative freedom in the content that can be shared with followers, which makes it an excellent option for any small business.
Twitter is a social platform that connects people and allows them to share their thoughts with others. It provides companies with access to over 40 million monthly users in the United States. Businesses with a Twitter presence can interact and hold conversations in ways that aren’t available on Facebook and Instagram. It’s an excellent way to engage with customers. In fact, many companies choose to use Twitter as a customer support platform. Estate sale companies may want to share their sale ads and tweet about interesting items. In some ways, this social channel is very different from Facebook and Instagram because it’s truly about sharing thoughts and ideas versus enticing followers with photos (Instagram) and sharing business information (Facebook).
- 38% are between the ages of 18 and 29
- 26% are between the ages of 30 and 49
- 17% are between the ages of 50 and 64
- 7% are 65+
Each social media platform allows businesses to interact and engage with customers outside of sales. It’s a great opportunity for your business to grow and find new audiences to connect with. However, it’s essential to consider which social networks will work best for you.