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Taking the Social Media Plunge: What’s Best for Your Business?

With so many social media options out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Have you ever been talking to someone and they nonchalantly say, “Are you on [enter brand new riveting, life-changing, addictive social media site]?” You think to yourself, “Is it possible I have to join yet ANOTHER social media site?” The answer is, well, yes.

There’s some good news, though. Not all social media avenues are a must for your business. Sure, it’d be nice to be everywhere, but sometimes it’s just not realistic. After all, you’re a busy guy (or gal). Let’s address the heavy hitters, shall we?

FACEBOOK

The King of Social Media

  • Average cost-per-click: $0.82
  • Average click-through-rate: .04%
  • Conversion rate: 5%

To put it lightly, if you’re not on Facebook, well – WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! Over 1.6 BILLION people are on Facebook, and if you’re not tapping into that sweet source of engagement, you’re seriously missing out. Smarter Searches suggests a fully optimized Facebook page with snazzy cover photos and profile pictures in addition to highly interactive posts. If you’re the type of business that offers services, e-commerce goods, or entertainment, we would also recommend throwing in some paid Facebook advertisements. The Facebook platform is easy to navigate, understand, and drill down to target your ideal audience.

TWITTER

Let’s chat, shall we?

  • Average cost-per-”engagement”: $1.50
  • “Engagement” rate: 2.65%
  • Conversion rate: 4%

Twitter is the second best option for engagement. If you’re looking to start dialog with your customers, maintain relationships, and get topics related to your business trending, hop on Twitter. However, don’t look to Twitter for concrete leads or conversions – it can be tricky. It’s best to treat Twitter like a microphone where your ideas can take the stage and come to life. If you’re looking to brand your business and give it some personality, Twitter is where it’s at.

LINKEDIN

Where businesses become buddies

  • Average cost-per-click: $2.00
  • Click-through-rate: .025%
  • Conversion rate: 6%

LinkedIn is the cream of the crop if you’re looking to engage with high-value, premium, business-minded users. It’s not suited for everyone, mainly because it serves B2B companies best. It’s also one of the least user-friendly platforms, even if you’re familiar with managing social media campaigns. Cost-per-clicks also tend to be higher on LinkedIn because you’re engaging with a high quality audience. Unless you fall into the B2B category, we’d suggest Facebook advertising instead.

YOUTUBE

Bringing your business to life

  • Average cost-per-click: $.04
  • Click-through-rate: .48%
  • Conversion rate: 3.58%

If you’ve got video content, it should be on YouTube, plain and simple. YouTube campaigns are ran through Google Adwords, giving the platform a familiar feel. However, building an actual YouTube campaign can be a little tricky – unique targeting, bidding, and set-up come into play. Our thoughts are if you have the content, take the time to put it up on YouTube – the payoff is worth it.

So there you have it, the social media breakdown. If you take away anything from our talk, take this: don’t ignore social media just because it changes every day! Pick a platform and start a conversation.