Which Platforms partner best with your Brand.inyourpocketconsult ing.com /whatplatf ormstouse/

Now that you’ve figured out how to be yourself on social media, you’re going to need to set yourself up for success.Interacting with your audience is going to be extremely important, and you’re going to need a series of platforms tomake that happen.

So, where should you start?

Since the list of social media platforms and the variety of advantages to using them can be overwhelming, I’ve decidedto list a few that I believe are likely going to be the key to your success.

Blogs – This is your home base; the place in which you’re going to add personality to your site and influence youraudience’s perception of you. Your blog will also allow you to educate others through the demonstration of yourknowledge, setting you up as the go to expert in your field. A blog will also create an emotional investment in yourcompany and assist in building brand awareness. Remember that your blog needs to be as real to your reader as youshould be to your customers – so don’t try to fake it. Make a conscientious effort to always come from a place ofintegrity and to be consistent.

Facebook – This is definitely the second most used social media platform after blogging. Facebook can give youincredible visibility, as it allows your audience to easily share news about your business with their own network. Peoplewho become your fans are frequently reminded of your presence by status updates, news, images, and interactions withYOU. Think of Facebook as a storybook; this is your opportunity to share your insights, experiences, and expertise.

Twit ter – What I love most about Twitter, and why I believe it to be an effective tool, is speed. It’s a real- time, instantcommunication channel that gets your message across with minimal words and quick responses. It’s basically likehaving a conversation in person, only you have a 140 character limit with each tweet. You can monitor what people aresaying about your brand and even pick up on some tidbits regarding your competitors, as well. Twitter, if used properlycan very well make your brand viral. One solid tweet might deliver tons of views, retweets, and attention.

LinkedIn – Keeping up with your connections, both business and personal, is so important. Yet I believe it is even moredifficult to accomplish these days. So why LinkedIn? It’s basically your online resume, a platform where you can connectwith other professional individuals, and potentially land your next big client. If you’re a business owner, you need to behere. This is your chance to meet, connect, and stay in touch with people that can really help your business or yourcareer.

Pinterest – I love pictures! I could seriously pin, pin, pin all day. Thanks to Pinterest, their platform is a fantastic way to

Pinterest – I love pictures! I could seriously pin, pin, pin all day. Thanks to Pinterest, their platform is a fantastic way toshowcase your goods through sharing images on boards that you create. What’s great about Pinterest is whensomeone re-pins your content or product (similar to a re- tweet via Twitter) all their followers get to see it, too. You canalso link your pins to your website or create custom keywords so that your products are easily found – a great way togain exposure for your company and your brand. Keep in mind that Pinterest also requires more than just a flow of yourcompany’s content. You still need to interact with other pinners and monitor what people are saying about you in order tosucceed on this platform.

Instagram – Do you have a product that you can be displayed in a visually dynamic way? Or maybe you have aservice that can be highlighted with some great, emotionally charged photos? If so, Instagram is your key tool. Thereason being is that pictures are the BEST way to interact with your audience. Pictures offer a behind- the-scenes lookbetween your work and those you are offering it to, which audiences love! Pictures also encourage participation, as youraudience now has the ability to share photos of them using your product or service, if appropriate. Not to mention thatyou can build a personality for your business, this is vital to your success. Much like Twitter, Instagram also holds theappeal of allowing your brand to go viral, as it only takes one picture shared with thousands of people to build a namefor your business.

Google + – Though Google+ is new to the social media scene, it’s already making waves. It’s very similar toFacebook in that you have a profile that then controls your business page. However, the most notable feature might beGoogle Authorship. It allows you to display your name and image next to any of your content, which then shows up onGoogle’s search engine results. Ah-Maz ing! Your content will stand out and is more likely to show up on page one ofresults. I’d say that’s something to be happy about, as being seen is so important in today’s competitive online market.

My Advice: Setting yourself up for online success isn’t difficult; it’s just a matter of picking the right social mediaplatforms for your business and your audience. Luckily, you have plenty of channels to choose from that will allow you toshare, connect, and interest new users on a daily basis. From blogging to Instagram, Google+ to LinkedIn, thepossibilities are endless. It’s up to you to pick your social media weapon of choice; but once you do, there won’t be anystopping you or your business.