We recently wrote a blog post that covered how you can manage your business social media accounts efficiently. In it we cover why your business should be using social media, what it takes to manage those accounts, and some tools that would help you in your efforts. We also very briefly touched on the best social networks for your business but never dove into which specific industry’s should be using which social networks. That’s what we want to cover in this post.

Do ALL industries need to be on ALL social platforms? No, not at all. Are some industries fit for every social platform? Sure, sometimes. We’re here to identify which social networks your business should be active on based on the industry that you are in.

Where to start when choosing a social network for your business

First and foremost there are social media sites that EVERY business should be on regardless of your industry. And those are Facebook and, while technically not a social network, Google My Business.

Let’s get Google My Business (or Google Local) out of the way first. If you own a business you should be taking advantage of your Google Business listing. Think of it as an aggregator for all things related to your business. It’s where your potential customers will find things like you website, phone number, reviews from around the web, directions and more. And it’s where you can post photos of your work and display recent happenings within your business. The first thing you should do once you start a business is make sure your Google listing is all squared away and claimed.

Moving on to Facebook. You’ve all likely heard of Facebook. You know, the social network with over 2 billion (that’s 2,000,000,000 folks) users to date and growing. This, if for no other reason, is the main reason you should take advantage Facebook of regardless of your industry. There are of course other reasons that you should be using Facebook in all industry’s but those are for another time.

With that being said, I’m not going to list Facebook and Google below but you can just assume that all of these industries need Facebook and Google. You can read why here.

So, now that some bases have been covered let’s get into the reason you’re probably here.

What is the best social network for each industry?

Retail Industries (Department Stores, Supermarkets, Specialty Stores, Boutiques, etc.)

Customers in the retail industry are looking for quality, consistency, appearance and how to purchase your product.

Instagram – Because of the visual and product oriented nature of retail outlets Instagram is a match made in heaven. It’s a great place to be able to show of your products to the masses. It makes it easy for users to browse through your feed and check out inventory or new products and styles. Especially useful for the fashion and lifestyle industries.

Pinterest – Another visual first social network. Pinterest is primarily women based, 81%. So it would behoove a retailer who is also primarily women focused to spend some time and effort on Pinterest. Pinterest is even more useful for e-commerce retailers. This is because they offer tools for e-commerce websites that keeps your inventory always up-to-date with pricing, stock and even the ability to purchase directly from Pinterest.

Hospitality Industries (Restaurants, Caterers, Travel or Tourism, etc.)

Customers are typically looking for great customer experience. They want to know what they can expect and if your business is worth their money.

Instagram – A perfect platform for promoting new menu items, happy hours, events, travel photography and more. Let’s say you’re promoting a hot travel deal to Iceland for example. There’s no better way to get someone interested than to show them. New menu item? Promote it on Instagram and hashtag that baby #foodporn to reach even more people. It’s the perfect medium to show off what you have to offer.

Twitter – The quick hit style of Twitter is great for quick updates about your business. You can post a lot of the same things that you would on Instagram but instead with a text first focused strategy. Posting often is key here to be effective.

Service Industries (Contractors, HVAC, Doctors, Lawyers, etc.)

Customers really want to credibility when it comes to industries like these. They are usually, but not always, B2B companies.

LinkedIn – LinkedIn is an outstanding tool for businesses to attract other businesses. Because LinkedIn is a professional networking social network where else better would your business fare as well in? It’s important to show credibility to your clientele. Using LinkedIn to become and industry thought leader can do wonders for your business.

Anything else my business should focus on?

There are other “social networks” that rely solely on reviews. Most businesses dismiss these because they feel there isn’t anything they can do on these sites. Yelp, TripAdvisor and Angie’s List are just a few review social networks that give the customer a voice. You can read more about the Importance of Review Websites in a previous post we wrote. TL;DR – they’re vitally important.

To sum up. Every industry can be effective on social media. It’s just a matter of finding where your time should be spent for the best ROI.

Of course, knowing where you should be posting is just half the battle. That’s where we come in. Our full service Social Media Marketing services take on the hard part and help take your business social media presence to all new heights.

For more info on these devices you visit our Social Media Management Page to read more about how we can help your business succeed in line—regardless of your industry.
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