The Best Social Media Platform for 2016

You are running a business. You have a million responsibilities and sometimes your to-do list can feel like it is a mile long. You want to have a healthy business and get regular clients contacting you... and everybody says social media is where it's at... 

There are Hundreds of Social Media Sites

Actually, there may be more than that. You can't possibly have time to learn and devote energy to every one of them. And, nobody has the budget to pay someone to be on all of them! So, in 2016, focusing your budget (whether it be time, energy, or money) on the RIGHT social media platform is incredibly important. 

I Have an Important Lesson For You

The social media platform that is going to have the best return on investment for your business in 2016 is... drumroll please... the platform that: 

1. Your ideal clients are on.

2. That you have a system to use regularly.

3. That you use effectively in a way that engages your ideal clients.

4. Where your content is posed to be found and shared by ideal clients.

Is this a joke? Nope. The right social media platform for a personal trainer helping moms drop the baby weight is completely different from a therapist who is helping techy, geeky guys learn how to date effectively. 

Don't Waste Your Time

A lot of business owners use the shotgun approach. They get accounts everywhere, post a lot of content initially, and then they get distracted or overwhelmed. They don't get a foothold or foundation in any of the social media platforms, and it just makes them feel like "social media doesn't work." 

How much time should it take? 

I recommend the average business owner develop a social media strategy that takes no more than 15 minutes a day on an ongoing basis. Yes, there is a learning curve and getting set-up and getting a foundation can take longer than that initially- but you shouldn't spend more than a few weeks getting things set and flowing. 

Where should I start? 

Be clear about who your ideal clients are that you want to target on social media. Ask current clients what social media they are hanging out on, google age ranges and trends for social media- and make an educated decision on where to start. Start with a 3 month commitment to market on that platform and track whether it works to bring you traffic, bring you paid clients, and/or bring you email subscribers. 

Learn that Platform

Explore it. Here are some questions you should be able to answer after your first month: 

• Why do people use this platform?

• How do people find content?

• Why do they share content?

• What type of content do they share more frequently?

• What type of media gets shared (video, audio, images, etc.)?

• Who sees the content that gets shared?

• Who do people connect with on this platform?

• What is the underlying purpose of this platform?

• Are there private groups on this platform?

• How do people search on this platform?

• What are they searching for on this platform?

• Who else has similar services on this platform?

• What is my unique space/purpose on this platform?

• How can I best serve my ideal clients on this platform?

Seem overwhelming? It is much more overwhelming to spend hours, weeks, days on social media expecting it to bring you clients to find it doesn't work. And, when you realize it didn't work for you because you were on the wrong platform, or using it ineffectively it is even MORE frustrating! 

Set the Foundation

There is no social media platform that will bring every single business owner clients efficiently in 2016. Take ownership of your time, stop listening to every blog that tells you that you MUST get on this new platform. Do your research and make strategic decisions in 2016!