Current research indicates that 72 percent of online adults use social network sites. The number of Twitter users has doubled in the last two years. With so many people now Tweeting, pinning and Facebooking, it’s important to be smart about how you use your marketing resources. Not everyone is using every platform. And not everyone who uses a specific platform has the same interests.
To communicate with your target customers, you first have to find them. There is no use creating a Twitter campaign if your target customers aren’t there. Before you launch into social media, it’s essential to identify the right platform(s). This is where segmenting comes into play.
Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn allow you to meet your customers where they spend much of their online time. Staying focused will enable you to discover their likes, dislikes and understand what information they are seeking within specific product categories. Your customers probably also cross different age ranges or occupations. Based on your research, you may want to use a slightly different message or angle for each platforms. A one-size-fits-all message rarely resonates across the board.
For example, Pinterest’s audience is primarily women who are interested in recipes, fashion and gift ideas. If this fits your target customer profile, then participating in this platform using messages that speak to these women would be a great idea.
Facebook on the other hand has two primary audiences: Millennials and parents. Millennials are uploading videos and photos, and inviting each other to social events. Parents are checking on their children, and possibly viewing photos posted by old high school friends. To gain the attention of these two groups, you’ll need to speak their languages, and tailor your messaging to their needs.
With new social media platforms popping up all the time, it’s crucial to understand which ones are attracting the most people, and who those people are. If you are not communicating with your customers and prospects in the right places, then you could be letting your competition own that space.
To start communicating with your customers and prospects through segmented social media marketing, please contact Heather Champine at 952-697-5269.
