Does your social media platform work for you and your business? Choosing your social media platform has a lot to do with your demographic and what your business is focused on. A business that has more interaction with a younger population would benefit from a different social media strategy than a business who has an older population. A business with a young population would benefit from using Instagram or Twitter, while a business that interacts with an older population would benefit more from using Facebook. If you own a business that attracts a wide variety of clients, it can be beneficial to use more than one platform. One plus to this is that you can link your Instagram and Facebook accounts together, simultaneously uploading content to both. Studies show that Instagram is most often used by people between the ages of 18 to 24. 90% of Instagram users are younger than 30 and Facebook users are typically 30 and older. 65% of users on Facebook are 50 to 64 years of age. No matter what platform you use, you must pay close attention to your followers and keep them interested in what you are posting. With all platforms there are pros and cons, but the positive always outweighs the negative.

INSTAGRAM

While much of the younger population uses Instagram, many are using it just to post pictures with friends and showcase the events they attend. Most are not particularly interested in the ads shown for business purposes and will just swipe past them unless it is something that really catches their eye. Instagram is a successful social media platform because posting pictures and videos is worth a thousand words – though you don’t have much room to explain the context of what you have posted. Although some pictures don’t need explanation, most will, so that people are able to fully understand the content. You can use Instagram to start your portfolio and continuously build it, so others can see how your business has grown over the years. Many clients like to view your work prior to scheduling an appointment and using Instagram as your platform can showcase your talents in a simple post that is accessible at the click of a button.

FACEBOOK

A good thing about using Facebook is that you can post content to your page, such as a link to your own website, products, services, and treatments. You can boost your post so that it shows on your followers’ timelines longer, ensuring that they will notice. Your clients can share your post so that their friends can also see it, increasing your likes and follows through word-of-mouth advertising. It may be a little more challenging to use Facebook because interacting with people who don’t like to comment on a post can create a roadblock. Also, for people to see what you have posted, they must like or follow your page. Consumers also have the option to hide your posts so that they do not see anything from your page on their timeline.

TWITTER

Twitter is a great choice customer service-wise. This gives people access to reach out to you by way of a quick tweet or through a private message to ask about treatments and prices and to compliment or complain about your business. You can also reply to what people have tweeted to you, and they can respond to what you post about your business. Another good thing about Twitter is that you can post pictures and commentary together or separately. A lot can be happening on Twitter that can make your tweets go unseen by many, which can be a downfall for businesses. If you are a business using Twitter, you must determine when the right time for you to post is. The best way for you to figure out the ideal time is to keep track of the time that people are tweeting you and when they are favoriting your posts the most.

Social media has become a huge platform for businesses. The good thing about using social media for businesses is that it is free, as those who are just starting a business typically don’t have much revenue for the first few years. Other forms of advertising, such as television commercials, newspaper ads, and radio commercials, can be expensive for a new business. To pick what works best for you and your business, ask yourself who is your demographic. Is your following more into knowing the facts about services and treatments or are they happier seeing small videos or pictures to view hands-on demonstrations of a service that you offer? If your business serves a wide range of ages, make sure you are utilizing many different social media platforms so that you can interact equally with all clients. Properly utilizing social media by posting daily and interacting with clients can help boost and build your business and clientele for years to come.

Jakira Epperson is a licensed aesthetician. She has worked in an advanced spa setting dealing with cryotherapy. She currently works at the Aesthetic Science Institute.