Business to consumer (B2C) companies that shy away from or avoid using social media are not doing themselves any favors. There is no questioning the exponential growth of social media over the past decade: Hootsuite explains that there are 4.62 billion users worldwide, which is three times higher than 10 years ago. On top of that, social media user growth grew at a rate of 10.1% over this past year. B2C brands clearly benefit from social media because it is so interactive. It allows brands to connect, engage, and convert their audiences into long-term customers.
B2C Social Media Best Practices
To get started with best practices, you will need to develop a solid B2C social media marketing strategy, and the first step is to determine which platforms are the best fit. According to Shane Barker, there are more than 200 social media channels, but only about 12 of these are mainstream. To choose the right platforms, you need to decide which goals need to be achieved, like generating leads on search engines like Google and improving brand awareness. It is also crucial to identify your target audience and their preferred channels. Then, think about the kind of content you want to create. Video is more significant than ever, and you will also need to consider other things like photos, links in blog posts, and hashtags.
Research which channels your competitors use and think about how many platforms you can handle. There are social media tools to manage the postings, but you won’t want the same thing on each channel. Facebook consistently has the most users, followed by Instagram, but some industry experts feel this is changing. WhatsApp, TikTok, and YouTube are seeing more usage, but you should focus on the platforms your target audience uses. Hubspot shares 2022 demographics for the major platforms, and here are a few stats:
Facebook has 2 billion monthly active users worldwide, and the most significant demographic is millennials.
Instagram has more than 500 million active users every day, with a large user base of all age groups. Instagram also has advanced commerce features.
TikTok has 1 billion monthly active users, but the audience skews young, with a large Gen Z population. This platform relies heavily on short-form videos.
Using Social Media Platforms
Workspace Digital stresses the importance of making social pages unique to brands, detailing the strategies used by the top channels. They claim that Facebook is #1 for B2C and recommend posting videos, photos, links to your blog articles, and written content. With Instagram, you should focus on videos, comments, and hashtags. Twitter is all about hashtags, and trending ones can increase your brand’s awareness. Unlike other platforms, B2Cs on Twitter have to post more frequently and engage with consumers through retweeting audience comments.
YouTube is an excellent choice if you want to share longer, engaging videos with immersive content. Think about a bakery sharing a video tutorial showing how to make a delicious cherry tart with the homemade preserves that they sell. No matter which platforms you use, Khoros explains that the most important thing with any social media channel is to put the audience members first. Choose the channels they prefer, post engaging content they will want to use and share, and engage with them when they reach out.
Some Final Thoughts
Consumers expect B2C companies to be on social media, and if yours is not actively doing so, your audience might wonder where you are for a minute and then move on. To stay on their radars, keep informed about trending topics and create highly visual and engaging posts on their favorite platforms. Follow guidelines and protocols for posting on the different channels, and don’t worry if all your posts aren’t slick and polished; users can see through ones that are too sales-pitchy.
Check the feeds and posts every day and quickly respond to questions and comments. There are even social response tools for this, too. Paid social media is another option, and successful B2C companies blend this with their other social content. The right mix can lead to higher click rates and more conversions.
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