Why being everywhere isn't always better.

In my opinion, having a multi-platform presence only works when you can be present everywhere, too.

Do I need to be on every social media platform?

How long is a piece of string?

It can be hard to know, can’t it?

How many platforms do you need to be posting to actually to be of real tangible benefit to your business?

It’s not just you.

Nearly every client I work with has to consider where they’re putting their paid resources in terms of their organic content. Whether that's what tasks their content team is working on or whether they are outsourcing their content creation to us.

Many brands wonder if they need to be EVERYWHERE online- tempted to try to get a presence everywhere. I mean, the more exposure, the better, right?

Well, it's not so clear-cut, and for those brands with the resources, there is still a caveat.

In my opinion, having a multi-platform presence only works when you can be present everywhere, too.

If you don’t have time to run engagement strategy alongside your platform posting, you’re probably stretched a bit thin. If you’re not present, you’re not able to give a good level of customer service, and that isn’t going to help your brand at all.

And at the end of the day, you don't have to be on every platform to succeed.

You do not need to be everywhere.

If you’re feeling the pull for your brand to be everywhere, it’s worth noting that doing that can sometimes mean:

• Content quality going down
• Inconsistent brand messaging
• Exhausted resources, both people and financial
• Reduced engagement

Not the goal of your content, right?

So, how do you choose the right platforms for your brand?

Know your audience

Understanding where your audience spends their time is crucial. Consider these factors:

• Demographics: Use tools like Google Analytics and social media insights to gather data.
• Behaviour patterns: How do they use different platforms? For chatting, browsing, or networking
• Competitor analysis: Tools like Sprout Social can help you see where your competitors are most active.

(If knowing your audience inside out is still a task for you or your team, then this free resource might help you: https://www.sheldon.social/ica?utm_source=LinkedIn&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=Organic)

Align with your brand

Not all platforms will suit your brand's image and content strategy. If we have done our branding work, there are going to be platforms that suit you more than others.

• Does the platform support the content format of your audience most appropriately?
• Can you build a community there? Is there room for conversation?
• Does the platform align with your brand values? For example, if you hate what Elon Musk stands for, you may decide that X isn’t the best platform to start out on.

(As a side note, you might get to a point when your brand is ready to add more platforms and you end up on platforms which you first discount at this stage. That’s ok. Your brand will evolve, and once you really have mastered a few platforms, it might be the right time to reassess and add platforms to your strategy. You know me, nothing is set in stone!)

Use platform-specific features

Each social media platform offers unique features despite their tendency to copy each other as soon as one is successful! How can use these to your advantage?

• Instagram: Visual storytelling and the opportunities for behind-the-scenes content on stories.
• LinkedIn: Professional networking, less scrolling, but potential for thought leadership.
• Threads: Real-time engagement.
• X: PR and customer service.

Listen to your audience

Direct insights from your audience are essential; how else can you tailor your strategy as you go, and how can you know how to help them best?

You can consider:

• Running surveys, using tools like SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, or JotForm.
• Using social media polls.
• Monitoring conversations about your brand with social listening tools, like BrandWatch or BuzzSumo.

Just a note about surveys: they’ll usually only pick up the viewpoints of those most vocal in your audience and don’t count those who don’t want to answer, so it is something to be mindful of. We shouldn’t ever discount our quiet followers.

Focus, focus, focus

A bit like a laser cutter, by concentrating on fewer, more relevant platforms, you can:

• Create an environment for higher-quality, hyper relevant content.
• Build stronger communities, where you can be an active presence.
• Allocate resources more effectively, whether that’s in-house or outsourcing.
• Measure and improve performance more easily.

As Gary Vaynerchuk says, "It's not about being everywhere; it's about being where your audience is."

(And I’ll add, it’s being where your audience are using the platform in a way that matched up with your brand.)

Ready to take action?

I know what I have written feels like a LOT of work, but breaking it down into steps, it is managble.

To start refining your strategy:

1. Audit your current social media presence.
2. Identify the platforms that align best with your audience and brand.
3. Develop a focused content strategy for these platforms.
4. Start creating and measuring results, and if you’re doing it all alone and are short on time, create less but keep measuring… this is an important step.
5. Be prepared to adjust based on performance data; we are content scientists, after all.

At the end of the day, success isn't about being everywhere, at least not for the majority of brands – it's about being impactful where it matters most to your audience and your brand.

Had time to read this but not actually do any of it? No problem! We should chat and see how I can support you.

https://www.sheldon.social/contact