When people talk about social networking, they usually refer to Facebook and Twitter. Both these sites went main stream a long time ago, making businesses pursue their marketing efforts to increase visibility and presence. However, times move fast, and Facebook and Twitter are no longer sufficient for a social media marketing campaign.
Newer social networks such as Instagram, Pinterest and even Google + are very crucial right now. Many businesses have already realized the importance of new social media channels. For example, digital marketing agency MediaWhiz is on Pinterest, fashion brand Kate Spade New York is as well. Likewise, many other businesses from different fields are utilizing Pinterest and other new social media channels.
Here are few reasons why new social media channels are important for any business:
1. They’ll be used by the next-generation
Newer social media channels are going to appeal to the next-generation, who will matter for businesses in the future. They are going to find sites like Pinterest more appealing due to the visual appeal and the ability to use sharing tools in a different way. New social media sites will keep on experimenting to gain interests and attract new followers.
2. Referral traffic is on the rise
Studies, reports and case studies from bloggers, marketers and online entrepreneurs have revealed Pinterest and Google+ are sending more referral traffic to their blogs and websites. TechCruch reported last year that Pinterest became the 4th largest traffic driver in the world, surpassing the organic traffic sent by the search engine Yahoo.
3. Importance given by search engines
While Facebook and Twitter are still important as search engines use social media signals to rank different websites, the importance of pins from Pinterest and +1’s from Google Plus can’t be neglected. In fact, Google + may be the most important social media channel today to increase search engine visibility, as posts shared on Google + are being indexed in search engines and as it’s owned by Google, the number 1 search engine company, its importance will continue to grow with time.
4. Appeal to different niches
Businesses need to market themselves beyond Facebook and Twitter to appeal to different niches. For example, a company that develops apps for the android mobile platform can’t forgo Google +, as a lot of android device users use Google Plus to search for information about android apps, games etc. The company may not be able to find success on Facebook and Twitter when the community who they want to carter resides in a different social media channel.
5. Connections
Newer social media channels provide networking opportunities for businesses. For example, LinkedIn is being used by business professionals, employers and other individuals to connect with each other. Similarly, Pinterest, Google + and Instagram are being used to share content that gets discovered, allowing users with similar interest to connect with each other.
Conclusion
It’s important for businesses to branch out and market themselves on social media channels that are on the rise. They can continue using Facebook and Twitter, but also jump on other social opportunities. Those who make marketing efforts on new rising channels will have an edge in the future.