Business Startup Strategies
Jumpstart Your Business with Pinterest and Instagram
It’s no secret social sharing sites are popular across the globe and the majority of internet users participate in social sharing in some way, even if it is indirect. Ten or fifteen years ago, younger age groups dominated social sharing platforms but in recent years participation among older users has grown rapidly.
For businesses, this means the marketing conversation in has shifted yet again. For years, there were many who claimed a social media presence wasn’t necessary, or even effective for business. That argument has been put to rest as the influence of social sites has grown to a level that is simply undeniable.
However, the relevant question for businesses now is how to use social sharing effectively and which platforms to use. The answer to this question has changed often over the last several years as the number of platforms available has increased and user behavior has evolved. In 2015, the recent data reveals a few trends that clearly show the way forward for social sharing will be heavily guided by visual sharing, specifically images and video.
Social Sharing Opportunities for Business
Instagram users total more than 300 million now and according to a report by Social Media Examiner, over 40% of marketers plan to use the image-sharing site in their marketing efforts. In late 2014, Facebook surpassed YouTube for most video views on desktops. If those figures don’t get your attention, Pinterest refers the second highest volume of web traffic of all social media sites. Who is number one? Facebook.
There is no shortage of data available to support the case for taking image-sharing sites seriously in your marketing efforts. In fact, many marketers are now making visual sharing a centerpiece of their marketing plans.
Perhaps you have a new or existing business and unsure how to approach using the image sharing sites. Let’s face it; it can be confusing with so many different platforms and the huge amount of data available. Well, keep reading and you will discover some easy tips on how to jumpstart your business by effectively tapping into the best social sharing sites.
Getting Started with Social Image Sharing Fast
The first task on your list should be deciding which sites your business should be using. If you are an expert marketing guru, then you might be on fifteen or twenty. However, if you are just getting started, you may want to choose between three and five sites. It’s important you don’t try to do too much and become in-consistent. You will experience much better results if you are consistently active on three sites as opposed to half-hearted inconsistent efforts on seven sites.
The Best Social Image Sharing Sites
The best social sharing website for your business will partially depend on what type of business it is and the type of customers you want to reach. You may also notice that your results fluctuate and change as other factors in the market change.
For that reason it is always a good idea to remain on several sites and track your data. You may not see much activity from a particular site for a few months, then out of nowhere it becomes one of your best sources for new leads.
Top Social Image Sharing Sites:
- Tumblr
- Snapchat
- Imgur
- Flickr
- Photobucket
- YouTube
Tips on How to Get Started Sharing
- Set up a separate email account that is only for your social media accounts. This provides extra security and makes things easier to manage.
- Take the time to set up each of your social website accounts properly. Be sure to look through all the various options and account settings so your content and information will display properly.
- Plan before you post. Don’t even think about making your first post until you have a written plan of what content you will post and how often you will post. You must have a detailed plan and stick to it.
- Interact with the site community. While it is great if people see what you are posting and automatically engage with you, it helps if you initiate interaction. Make comments on images others have posted and let people know you are interested in what they offer.
- Do not interact on social media websites with the sole intent to sell something. Success through social platforms will happen on its own once you have established a personality and awareness. If you directly solicit others, you will find people will go out of their way to avoid you and tell others about their experience.
- Use original photos, videos and content or content you have specific permission to share. If you begin sharing content owned by others, your account is likely to be banned and you could have legal problems.
- Use high-quality images, video and content. Make sure the content sends the type of message that you want associated with your business.
