So we’ve learned this week that Twitter is set to launch a “super follow” feature that will allow users to charge followers for access to content. And it’s working on “Twitter Spaces” – which will compete with Clubhouse by providing private audio chats. Choosing your marketing channels just got a teeny bit more complex.
When clients ask us if they should be on TikTok, Instagram, Medium or Clubhouse – or whatever else the new social media channel is – we usually advise taking a couple of steps back and having a good think. Because the reality is that there will always be new channels – and having a good approach to social media marketing doesn’t mean you have to be on all of them.
They’re just channels
A channel is simple any means of getting your product in front of someone. Direct mail is a channel. A magazine can be a channel, if you contribute to it or advertise in it. A flyer under a car windscreen is a channel. Facebook is a channel – and now, so is Clubhouse. Each social media platform or offline communication is a channel to a market.
There’s always hype surrounding the launch of a new social media channel. And it’s fun and interesting. But the way to think about channels is in terms of the opportunities they could open up for your organisation. They’re there to be understood and evaluated – and rejected if they’re not going to work for you.
They are not mythical arenas that you need to show up in. They’re tools which might be right for your company – or not.
Use channels strategically
Particularly in smaller companies, it can feel like there’s a pressure to “be on” all social media channels – and this can induce a bit of a panic when a new channel emerges. Even in larger organisations, if a senior enough manager expresses an interest in a particular channel (perhaps because they use it in their personal lives) there can be pressure to get the company on it. This is why there are so many neglected Twitter, Instagram and Facebook accounts knocking around.
Success with any kind of marketing is not to start with the channel. You start with your audiences. Who are they? What will attract them to you? And where are they? If they’re on social media – what are they using, when and how? It’s pointless going anywhere near a channel that your customers either aren’t on – or aren’t using to find out about your products.
Know where your customers hang out
If you’re a shipping software start-up and you need to reach people working in logistics and ports – are they hanging out on TikTok? And if they are, are they there for work purposes? The answer is probably “no”. So keep an eye on TikTok – but don’t invest any marketing spend on it.
But how about Medium? Are your potential customers into long reads? Are you able to generate (or pay for) regular, wide-reaching magazine-style content that will bring new audiences to you? If you’re a Dorset-based campervan conversion company, then it may not be worth the hassle. Regular posts on Facebook and Instagram could be right for you. However, if the same campervan company has an online offer – like downloadable conversion guides – then Medium may become a more viable channel, and a way to reach potential customers across the world.
If you don’t already have a feel for where your customers are hanging out, ask them. Select a group and send them a survey or a personal email. Just say hi, you’re checking in – and you wondered which social media – and other – channels they find most useful.
You may find out that your customers read a particular magazine – and so your time would be better spent taking a PR approach and writing for the magazine, rather than throwing content at Medium.
Think specifically
Channels can have broad appeal – but they can be highly effective when they’re targeted at segments too. Imagine a B2B manufacturer or service provider. Its clients are mostly on LinkedIn and Twitter. But its potential graduate intake might be on Facebook or student forums. So it makes sense for the company to have a Facebook presence that caters specifically to potential candidates.
Understand your company’s limitations
Some social media platforms are more visual than others. Some lend themselves to long-form reading. Others are purely audio. If your organisation deals in the tangible and visible, then platforms like Instagram and Pinterest could be perfect. You’ll still need beautiful product shots and videos – and you’ll need to factor in time and budget to source these. But it’s a channel that’s made for you.
But what about a law firm? Or a consultancy? Professional services tend to be less about the tangible and visible – and more about strategy and process. Is it worth the effort of creating regular, interesting imagery for these organisations? Or is it a better use of their resources to stick with LinkedIn?
Understand the competencies you’ll need
Clubhouse is great. But if you’ve never organised a webinar or a podcast, you may want to start there first before you go into a live on-air discussion. And to do this, you’ll need to generate interesting ideas, source good speakers and have confident technical skills, as well as software, platforms and physical equipment to make the magic happen.
Stay aware
You’re a marketer, so you need to know which channels exist. Keep your ear to the ground, sign up, try things out. Then you’ll know – at least at top level – what the merits of each might be for your organisation. Critically, having a little wander through a new channel will begin to give you an idea of how much effort – and therefore cost – might be involved in creating or repurposing content for it. You’ll also get a feel for who is using it and how it’s being used.
And if you ever want to chat about which channels will give you most bang for your buck – then you know where we are.
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