Marketing has always been a cross-channel activity. Now the need for integrating channels and campaigns is greater than ever, as consumers become more fickle and less loyal. The best way to keep up with this reality is by using social media in your marketing strategy. Social Media Marketing (SMM) can be used on its own or as part of a multi-channel campaign to improve engagement rates and achieve increased conversions on your website!
Now, why should you use social media as the centre of cross-media marketing strategy for your business?
The answer is pretty simple – your customers are already there. Social Media platforms can deliver your message to an enormous audience. Facebook had 2.9 billion monthly active users in October 2021, according to its investor earnings report for 3Q 2021. That is a huge potential market that you can tap into!
In order to make the most of social media in cross-channel marketing, you need to use the right platforms.
The following are examples of some of the most popular platforms for any business:
Facebook: the most popular social media platform for businesses. Over 60% of small businesses use Facebook to market their products and services. The main reason for this is that it is easy to use and has a wide range of features, such as groups, pages and ads.
Youtube: the second most popular social media platform for businesses. It is perfect for promoting visual content, such as product videos. Over 50% of small businesses use Youtube to market their products and services.
Twitter: used by over 30% of small businesses and is a great platform for promoting your brand and products. It has a fast-paced environment that can be used to create engaging content.
Instagram: a close third social media platform for businesses, with over 50% of small businesses using it to market their products and services. It is perfect for visual brands as it is a photo and video sharing platform.
Tiktok: relatively new social media platform, growing fast in popularity. Over 60% of businesses on TikTok are small businesses. It is perfect for promoting short videos as it is a video-sharing app.
These are some of the most popular social media platforms for businesses, but don’t forget that there are many other social media platforms out there that you can use to reach your customers! Just make sure that you tailor your content to fit each platform. For example, Twitter is great for short, snappy content, while Instagram is perfect for visual brands.
Which social media platforms are the best for your cross-channel marketing strategy?
Hootsuite’s Digital 2021 Executive Summary Report points that the title of the world’s most used social media platform goes to Facebook (no surprise, right?), and YouTube ranks second.
In the UK the situation is somewhat reversed: with YT video-sharing platform winning with Zuckerberg’s creation.
However, Facebook is still the most probable way for your customers to reach out and interact with your brand. Plus, it gives you tools to build a great connection with your audience. You can share numerous pieces of content like text, graphics and video (aka 2022 must-have in your social channels!). The platform also allows you to send messages via Messenger or interact with clients in comments, send messages via Messenger or, as we mentioned above, target your services to the specific and carefully selected audience.
YouTube is your biggest ally if your brand’s content strategy calls for instructional or educational uploads. Dominated by influencers, YT still gives brands and individuals alike great opportunities to build audiences with content marketing.
Instagram, for instance, is a perfect place to promote aesthetically pleasing content. The platform ranked at 3rd place in our ranking suits all artistic and creative brands.
If you do utilize social media in your cross-channel marketing, answer us this: Which SM platform do you feel is the most effective? If you don’t, it’s about time.
