{"id":34205,"date":"2020-10-20T12:45:19","date_gmt":"2020-10-20T11:45:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ratedpeople.com\/blog\/?p=34205"},"modified":"2021-04-27T13:26:52","modified_gmt":"2021-04-27T12:26:52","slug":"which-social-media-is-right-for-your-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ratedpeople.com\/blog\/which-social-media-is-right-for-your-business","title":{"rendered":"Which social media is right for your business?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Social media can be a great way to connect to local customers and boost your business. Plus, 1 in 4 millennials \u2013 who spend more than the national average on hiring tradespeople annually \u2013 say that they wouldn’t hire a tradesperson that doesn’t have social media accounts!<\/a>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps you\u2019re already using Facebook or Twitter personally, but below is a brief roundup of how each platform can be used by businesses, including the pros and cons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How should you use social media?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Do you like to, or would it be helpful, to take lots of photos of your work? Maybe choose an image-based platform such as Instagram. Perhaps you prefer the short character limits of giving updates in text on Twitter or being able to get creative with video on Youtube. It\u2019s better to use one platform really well – posting regular, engaging content and being able to respond to customers – than spread yourself too thinly across multiple platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One type of content that you can share easily is the reviews of your work that you get on Rated People. When a homeowner leaves you a rating, you can share it straight to social media. It\u2019s a fast and effective way for your followers and potential customers to see the great job you\u2019ve done! Find out how our social sharing feature works.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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YouTube<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Pros:<\/strong> Great for sharing video content, such as \u2018how to\u2019 tutorials and behind the scenes on jobs. People care much less about slick videos these days – if you have a smartphone and something to say, you\u2019re nearly there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cons: <\/strong>Video content needs some planning and production time that not all tradespeople will want to invest in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Facebook<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pros: <\/strong>Probably the most popular social media platform for businesses and customers alike. Lots of customers may expect you to have a Facebook business page. You can post all kinds of content – from polls, to videos and images. If you have a Facebook account already, you\u2019ll be familiar with the platform and how it works. So, it should be an easy platform to start with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cons: <\/strong>Some businesses have found that Facebook has reduced \u2018engagement\u2019 levels, forcing them to pay to promote posts (pay for advertising) so more people see them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Twitter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Pros:<\/strong> A Twitter account is one of the simplest social media platforms to set up and maintain. Twitter is also great for all types of businesses. It\u2019s quick to \u2018retweet\u2019 stories, updates or useful advice to your followers, and to reply to questions or comments from both your followers or the wider Twitter community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cons:<\/strong> The short character count may be restrictive for some tradespeople wanting to share more details about their jobs or business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Instagram<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Pros: <\/strong>Popular for all kinds of businesses that want to post photo or video content. The content doesn\u2019t need to be made with a professional camera. A smartphone camera will do, as long as the photos are eye-catching, inspiring or useful. There are lots of homeowners and other businesses using Instagram to document home improvements and home makeovers, so it\u2019s a good community to become a part of for all kinds of trades. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cons: <\/strong>Owned by Facebook, so you\u2019ll also need a Facebook account to set up a business profile and create adverts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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LinkedIn<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Pros: <\/strong>LinkedIn is a professional social platform, which is better for business to business networking and hiring new employees. It\u2019s also a good platform for learning and reading about trade and business tips. Could be a good secondary platform to use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cons: <\/strong>Harder to reach homeowners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pinterest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Pros: <\/strong>Lots of homeowners use Pinterest for home improvement ideas and interior inspiration. If you have a blog with beautiful photos of your finished work, you can \u2018pin\u2019 your photos to Pinterest \u2018boards\u2019 which homeowners can view and \u2018save\u2019 to their own boards. Pinned photos act as a link to drive traffic to your site. If used well, Pinterest can be very influential and one of the best platforms to drive traffic to your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cons:<\/strong> You need to post consistently beautiful photo content. So, it’s probably only useful for certain tradespeople, such as interior specialists or landscape gardeners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Social media tips and best practice<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What do you need to get started with social media?<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n