How to select the best Social Media Platforms for your Pet Business
You want to make sure you don’t overload yourself and try to use every platform because the sheer number of them is overwhelming. That can really hurt a business’s social media strategy. Ideally, you want to focus on at least two platforms and do them well.
Where are your customers?
Select a platform that your current customers and potential customers are already on. The best way to determine this: ASK! Include a survey in your email newsletter – you are sending those out, right? You can also include the survey at your checkout register, which can be utilized by brick & mortar stores and online stores.
How do you get them to respond? Offer an incentive, make it a giveaway for a gift basket or gift card. If the winner gets a gift card, chances are they’ll be in the store soon and that’s even more of an opportunity to sell them other items! How often do you use a gift card and buy the exact amount of the card?
Facebook is the platform that has the most users with 1.18 billion active users visiting the platform daily. This means that, generally speaking, every business should set up their Facebook Page and post to it multiple times a day. I would say at least 3 times a day.
While Facebook may seem like a no-brainer, make sure you’re using their Livestream feature, Facebook Live. As I’m sure you get tired of hearing me say, video is the present and future of the internet and it’s a must in your social media strategy!
There are currently 600 million Instagram users and over half use it every single day, myself included! Because it is owned by Facebook, expect to see even more new features roll out.
Instagram has also jumped on the livestream and video trend as well with Boomerang and Instagram Stories. Make sure you’re using these features!
I believe in 2017, Instagram will truly take off, especially in the pet industry. It will be the new go-to platform for pet parents. Instagram is a visual platform and what pet parent doesn’t love to share pictures of their pets and see fun pet pictures? It is one you should jump onto now before your left saying: if only I had joined earlier!
Other platforms?
For pet businesses, while I believe Facebook and Instagram are the two must have’s, there are other platforms you really should consider.
There are so many other platforms like YouTube, Periscope, Snapchat, Pinterest and Google+. There really is no right or wrong answer for you if your customers are on the platform and it’s working for you.
YouTube
YouTube is owned by Google! Yep, that’s right. Remember I said video was taking over the internet and you need to be creating video’s and livestreaming. When you search for something on Google, lots of times YouTube videos come up as the first 2 results, that’s because Google owns them and they want people going to YouTube!!
Don’t get too stressed out about livestreaming and video because this is my specialty! Contact me today for a FREE 15-minute consult!
Bonus Tip!
Don’t forget to use your social media platforms to build your email list. No matter how successful you are on a Social Media Platform, you don’t own it, but you do own your email list! You have that information and don’t have to depend on another third party for it.
Statistics show that 80% of sales are made between the 5th to 12th contact with someone! So, make sure you are using those email addresses you’re collecting on a consistent basis! Whether you send them on a weekly, bi-monthly or monthly basis: just do it!
Don’t get overconcerned at the open rate either. When you email your list, if they open it or not, your name is still in front of them and they may just not need it now. But when the time comes, they’ll remember you!
If you need a little help organizing your social media platforms, I’ve got a Social Media Platform Checklist that you can download for FREE, it’s over on my YouTube video! 😉
Let me know your favorite social media platform in the comments below.
Blogs on this site may contain Amazon and other affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission.
[…] mean that you need to be on every single social media platform. You need to find out where your ideal customers are at the most and go to that […]