Should your business be on Snapchat if your customers are primarily 50 years old or older? Is Facebook a good way for your think tank to promote its research to academics? Does your business need an e-newsletter?
Potential clients often contact us because they want to be more strategic with their digital presence. They wonder if social media is worth the investment of time and money when they can’t always see a return on those investments.
At ECPR, we work with clients to make sure their digital presence supports their business objectives. We begin by determining a brand’s key audiences in order to focus on digital channels that connect with those audiences and further the client’s business goals.
For example, consider:
- Facebook is the best place to reach Millennials and Generation X.
- YouTube reaches more people between the ages of 18 and 49 than any cable network in the United States.
- Approximately 90% of Instagram users are younger than 35 years old.
- Particularly heavy users of Twitter are media outlets, journalists and people in public relations.
- About 80% of the users on Pinterest are female.
- More than 85% of Reddit users are under 35 years old.
Clients who are preparing for a traditional media campaign are often served best by making sure they have a robust Twitter presence. Clients trying to reach younger audiences need to consider how to effectively incorporate Reddit and Snapchat into their digital strategy. Clients focused on reaching older audiences are likely to be more successful in the digital realm by focusing on Facebook.
Sometimes, believe it or not, there are clients who are better off without a social media presence. This recommendation might be based on the client’s industry, staffing capabilities, goals and/or timing. In those instances, we can help the client focus on other aspects of building a digital presence to further their goals, including a website and/or e-newsletter.
The bottom line is that, if a company or organization is interested in using digital to build their business and tell their story, they need to engage with their target audiences on the platforms those audiences use. So, if you find yourself wondering about the point of your organization’s social media presence or why you aren’t seeing the returns you would like, it may be time to take a comprehensive look at your digital strategy.
At ECPR, we have a thorough approach to working with clients to help them assess the current state of their digital presence and develop a strategic plan that will ensure their digital presence supports and impacts their business objectives. So contact us — we can help.
— Cynthia Martinez is ECPR’s digital strategist.
