Which Social Media Platform is Best?

Organizational leaders ask us all the time, “Which social media platform is best for our organization?” 

They want to make sure their online communications strategy is focused on the right platform - an objective that, due to the near-constant platform and algorithm changes, can sometimes feel like a moving target to even the savviest of social media professionals. 

Understanding the many social media platform differences and user demographics can help organizational leaders ensure their digital content is being published on a platform that will yield optimal results. Engagement and efficiency are the two goals that direct most client conversations regarding marketing success. 

At Becker Digital, we wish there was a simple answer to the frequently asked question, “Which social media platform is best for our organization?”, but there’s not a one size fits all solution. Every organization is different. 

While Instagram may be a worthy priority for a social entrepreneurship retail initiative whose target market s primarily Gen Zers, the same platform may be a wasteland for a financial institution looking to connect with potential retirement-age clients. Understanding the organization’s mission and community goals are essential for identifying which social media platform(s) will deliver the biggest bang for the buck. 

Five steps to identify the best social media platform for your organization:

Consider your organization's target audience/market. 

All marketing conversations should start with who the organization is trying to reach. Identifying the organization’s target audience positions the communications team for developing a customized approach that will ensure the messaging reaches the people for whom it is intended. Investing in outreach initiatives that don’t align with target audiences can be a complete waste of organizational resources. 

If you need help identifying your organization’s target audience, ask yourself or your team the following questions:

• Who currently patronizes our organization?

• What are the demographic characteristics of our current organizational patrons?

• What challenges/needs does our target audience have?

• How does our organization help our target audience?

• What factors influence their decisions to support our organization?

Once you have a clearer picture of your organization’s target audience, you can utilize this intel to help direct your quest for the best social media platform(s) for your organization. 

Review current social media platform user demographics. 

Social media user demographics change, almost as frequently as the ever-evolving platforms. 

Sometimes, the changes in-app user base happen rather fast. 

Take Facebook for example:

Facebook was started as a college student-focused platform way back in the 2000s (so much so that a .”.edu” email address was required to create an early Facebook profile). A few years later, the Facebook user demographic had drastically changed - college students were turning to trendier platforms that offered more ephemeral content, like Snapchat and Instagram. In 2016, the fastest-growing segment of Facebook users were actually senior citizens!

Reviewing social media user demographics by platform, with the assistance of credible research (like this media report from Pew Research), can help organizational leaders identifying which social media platforms their target audience frequents. Additionally, through the use of social media app insights and listening tools, brands can review follower demographics of their existing online communities for additional data to support their marketing investments. 

It’s important to reiterate that social media app demographics change all the time. When developing your organization’s digital strategy, make sure you’re basing your approach on recent (<6-12 months old) data. 

Analyze how your campaign's CTA can be displayed.

When developing a customized social media strategy, it’s important to reflect over your organization’s upcoming campaign’s desired call to action (CTA):

• Will you be promoting goods or services? 

• Are you requesting donations from individuals? 

• Is your campaign focused on event attendance, volunteer recruitment, or other in-person follow-throughs? 

The desired response to campaign messaging can influence which social media platform(s) may be best for your organization. 

All social media platforms are not equal when it comes to feature options. Some social media apps, like Facebook or Instagram, are well-positioned for live event coverage, while other platforms, like LinkedIn or Twitter, may be more suited for distributing informative articles sharing industry-specific research. Understanding the social media platform feature differences, and how they may influence your communication strategy’s CTA options can help you identify which social media platform(s) should take priority. If your goal is to encourage online donations from organizations patrons through the sharing of the annual drive URL, a platform like Snapchat or YouTube, that obscures or limits link sharing, may not be the best fit. 

Assess the content creation investment for each potential platform. 

Once you have a better idea of your organization's target audience and campaign CTAs, you are ready to assess the content creation investment for each potential social media platform. Every app is designed for specific type(s) of content. For example, YouTube was developed to showcase lengthy (>3 minutes) videos, while Pinterest is best for interactive, tutorial-like graphics. The creation of different content types requires different resources. Good graphics are often the result of professional photography, and quality videos are best produced with the assistance of video editing software. Identifying the different types of content needed for each social media platform(s) prioritized will help organizational leaders assess production expenses and determine which platforms work best for their audience, campaign, and, ultimately, their budget. 

Identify the top three social media platforms for your organization’s digital strategy.

The last step in figuring out which social media platform(s) are best for your organization is identifying the top three (or four, if you’re ambitious or well-equipped) social media platforms to prioritize in your digital outreach strategy. While being a social media all-star across all platforms would be great, it is often an unrealistic ideal for developing organizations seeking to make a splash online. Focusing your organization’s efforts on select social platforms that are projected to yield the best returns is a more efficient strategy than trying to do too much and spreading your resources thin. 

Which social media platform is best for your organization?

Recognizing that there's no one size fits all to developing an effective social media strategy can help your organization approach digital planning with research-backed information that will help maximize online efforts. Customizing social media campaigns to the organization, the audience, and available resources are essential for sustainable success. While social media apps are always changing, this evergreen approach can help your organization routinely reassess the playing field and adjust organizational outreach accordingly. 

Looking for a creative partner to assist with your organization’s social media strategy? Contact Becker Digital to schedule a discovery call to chat customized digital outreach opportunities.