For many business owners it’s hard to keep up with the demand of existing and new social networks. This is especially true when each network offers different features, functionality, constant upgrades to their system and audience bases. The process is overwhelming for many small business owners and seems to become a never ending game of cat and mouse. What social networks does your business need to focus on? Is it just FB, Twitter or is there a specific niche network out there that can provide direct communication to your demographics?

For clarity, this article will only focus on social marketing best practices and ignore the many SEO benefits of having your business on all or many of the social networks.

My advice to you is first start small. Here’s how you can get moving forward, in a hopefully easy and not so frustrating way:Focus is Key The old aged saying in business is you have to have a focus on your product or service. The same is true when determining which social network is right for your business. You can’t hit them all at once and you also don’t want to. It’s too time consuming and, again, can be very overwhelming when you realize you have a lot to learn!

I suggest focusing on up to 3 social networks and learning one at a time. Once you’ve chosen your social network, don’t worry about anything else except that one network. Learn the ins and outs of the features and the benefits it offers. Do a quick search on Google for “how to” benefit your business on that particular network for little tips and tricks. Begin experiencing and taking part in the conversations that are happening in these networks about your industry, service or product.

Once you’re familiar with the features and functionality your network has to offer, the next step is to really determine is it right for your business.

Choosing The Right Social Network Unfortunately I just can’t go through every social network out there! But I can help you figure out which social network is right for your business.

If you’re in a specialty industry it’s recommend to see if there are any networks out there that are specifically geared towards your industry. If there are networks out there like this, then this really makes it easy for you because you know your audience, or potential audience, is there waiting for you to share your ideas and offering.

If your industry doesn’t have a niche network, then that’s fine too. You can always find and engage your demographics through other networks that don’t necessarily align with your industry.

The issue is finding out if your audience is there and do they have a need for your company’s content or information. It’s important to analyze each social network and ask these questions:

1.) In general, why are users on this network? What is their primary reason for being there?

2.) Is your demographic or target audience on this network?

3.) If yes, to #2, then do some research and ask yourself this question: What information does my audience require that is lacking currently (possibly from your competitors) or what information would they be interested in that is unique and beneficial to them?

Once you’ve answered these questions, it’s all about your social media marketing plan which we’ll cover in another article in the future. In the mean time, if you’re interested in learning about the four major social networks, we’ve written an article about the Big 4 social networks here.

Of course Innate Media Group can help your business with all of the above. Contact us for a free inbound marketing consultation on how to grow and engage your company.