As of 14 July 2021, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data, the population of Canada stands at 38,083,000. Out of that number, 25.3M people roughly use social media actively in Canada. Even if you can cast an impression on 10%, just consider how many people you are reaching.
Between five years ago and now, there has been a twofold increase in the number of active social media users. At the moment, there are roughly 4.2 million users on social media who are active for an average of 2 hours and 35 minutes every single day. Now, 155 minutes every day is an incredible opportunity for any brand to capitalize using effective social media strategy and, if lucky, turn it into sales. That, fellas, is the power of social media in current times. Everything has moved online. It’s the worldwide web where the world functions now! Period.
Best social media platforms for small business
From Facebook and Instagram to Snapchat and Pinterest, each of these platforms, if used strategically, can yield excellent results, especially for small-scale businesses. Mostly because defining a solid social media strategy won’t take much from your pockets but can help you convert exponentially. Having said that, let’s take a look at which social media platforms are the best for small-scale businesses.
Before you try to understand which social media platform is right for you, sit back and ask yourself a few questions – the first of which is, “where does my content not work.” Unless and until you identify which age group your content is popular with, you won’t be able to pick on specific social media platforms. Once you have determined the age group, try to find out where this age group is active the most. With this in mind, you will be able to find out the social media platforms that will work best for your business.
The Top 6 Social Media Platforms
As per a study conducted by the researchers at Ryerson University, “about 94% of Canadians have signed up for at least one social media platform. The top three most popular social media networks among Canadians currently are Facebook at 84%, followed by Youtube at 59% and LinkedIn at 46% in third.” The next three in the line are Twitter at 42%, Pinterest at 38%, and finally Instagram at 37%. Having said that, let’s look briefly at which of these social media platforms cater to what kind of audience.
- Facebook – Facebook is still the largest social media platform out there. However, it has seen a huge shift in the active age group from what it was before. Currently, most of the users that are active on Facebook at more than 55 plus in their ages. Whether it is paid promotions or group outreach, Facebook still remains one of the best platforms for your small business.
- Youtube – Youtube is a video-based application and it caters to a different audience. If you have a small business that actively involves podcasts and videos, what better platform than Youtube which has a growing base of young people waiting to be your potential customers.
- LinkedIn – LinkedIn is more business-oriented in comparison to other platforms. Keap.com writes, “LinkedIn is a great way to connect with other businesses and professionals. It’s an older platform that relies less on media content and more on text-based updates. While LinkedIn is a great place to form connections and find employees, it’s also perfect for B2B small businesses and niches.
- Instagram – Another social platform that is highly beneficial for small businesses is Instagram. Of late, there has been a tremendous shift towards advertising and selling on Instagram. Since Instagram is a platform where 1 billion-plus user spends an average of thirty minutes per day, it gets all the more important to have a presence over here.
- Pinterest – Pinterest is another quite popular social media platform for advertising and selling products. Since Pinterest tends towards more female users, if you are a company that has a female customer base, get on the web and make an account right now!
- Twitter – Last but not least, Twitter is another platform where you must list your small businesses. There’s just so much that Twitter offers. Even if you are unable to directory sell products, you can still create awareness around your brand, which is the first step in the sales funnel. And how can you do that? Well, by hopping on the trends and using quirky yet eye-catching social media marketing strategies.
Summing It Up
Ultimately, which social media platform is best for your small business boils down to the type of niche you are working under, the type of services you provide, and a few other important criteria. However, make a note of the fact that ramping up your social media game can help your business exponentially. If you need more information about the same, you can subscribe to the CanadianSME Small Business magazine, the perfect place to clear all your doubts!
