Should You Use Emerging Social Media Networks For Business?

Although we like to think of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as immortal platforms, social media isn’t fixed. It’s unlikely that people will be using Instagram in 50 years.

Remember Myspace and the countless other social networks users have more or less abandoned? Over time, social networks will fall out of favor and leave room for newcomers.

There are plenty of social platforms to choose from today. That means, as a marketer, your audience is more segmented than ever. For example, everyone used to be on Facebook, but today it’s for the over-30 crowd.

Brands are trying out new channels in hopes that they’re onto the next great social network. But how do you know where to invest your time and money? How can we pick the diamonds in the rough and separate them from passing fads?

It’s hard to know for sure without a crystal ball, but choosing the right emerging social network comes down to knowing your audience — and a little luck. As a founder of a PR and social media agency, I’ve been keeping my eye on trends to make sure our clients are prepared for any shifts in ways they can reach their audience.

Should You Use Emerging Social Platforms?

If you’re already dedicating hours of your time to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and other platforms, you might wonder where your efforts are best spent. Marketers can’t pursue every social platform they come across; that would be a waste of time.

Ultimately, you have to look at an emerging platform and decide if it’s a fit for your brand. Use these two factors to determine which emerging social platform is right for you.

1. Your Goals

What results do you need to see from your social strategy? Is your goal to spread awareness, start conversations with customers or become a thought leader? Each goal requires different tactics and platforms.

For example, if you want to be a leader in the video marketing space, it makes sense to churn out videos on YouTube. You wouldn’t dedicate time to a text-based platform like Twitter. Make sure the emerging social platform matches what you’re trying to do. If it isn’t a fit, move on.

2. Your Audience

Even if a platform is perfect for your goal, that doesn’t mean you should use it. The purpose of social media in this context is to connect with your audience. But what happens if your audience isn’t using that social platform? You’ll produce great content that no one will see.

Social media marketing is about being relevant. Be more relevant by focusing on platforms that your audience already uses. If you’re targeting millennials, for example, you would focus more on Facebook instead of Gen Z darling Snapchat.

Three Ascending Social Platforms To Look Out For

Once you know what to look for, it’s a matter of finding a new platform and deciding if it’s right for you. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but these are my three picks for up-and-coming social platforms that everyone loves. These are platforms I’ve come across that I think have important qualities that marketers will want to tap into because they don’t have issues with algorithms and complexity in that regard.

1. Vero

Vero bills itself as an ad-free, algorithm-free social network. Launched in 2015, it gained popularity in the wake of the Facebook privacy scandal. If your business is having a hard time showing up on other networks because of algorithms, I believe Vero is a great option.

But just because it’s ad-free doesn’t mean it’s antibusiness. Vero allows users to make purchases within their feeds like Instagram. It’s a great option if you sell products, music or books.

2. TikTok

TikTok was a platform that I became more curious about when I saw my daughter actively using it. I began to do some research to see how brands could use this platform and what audience it would appeal to. TikTok used to be called musical.ly. It’s gained a lot of traction ever since Vine was taken down in 2017. TikTok is similar to Vine in that users upload short videos. You can add stickers and filters to the videos, too, similar to Snapchat or Instagram.

TikTok has a younger audience, with 40% of its users aged between 10 and 19. With over 500 million active monthly users, this platform has serious potential for video-focused brands.

3. Viber

Viber is a messaging app that’s similar to WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger. Like other messaging apps, you can send texts, make phone calls and start video chats. Its selling proposition is that it’s a secure messaging app, unlike other options on the market.

Viber has 260 million active monthly users, and it’s perfect for customer service. You can have one-on-one conversations with your audience, chatting about their orders or product questions.

The Bottom Line

Popular channels like Facebook are still great for brands, but that isn’t enough. It’s important to get an early presence on emerging social media platforms. This gives your team enough time to learn the platform and build an audience by the time it goes mainstream. Peek into the crystal ball to see if your future is on these emerging social platforms.

Source: forbes.com