There are so many social media platforms out here that it can hard to keep up. If you’re using social media as a marketing tool for business, the pros and cons of each platform matter.

I found this ah-mazing infographic that pinpoints the social media pros and cons of major platforms. And it is extremely accurate, in my humble opinion. Take a look and tell me what you think!

Social Media Pros and Cons

Given all these pros and cons, what’s an entrepreneur to do?

As you can see, each platform has its own rules, purpose and culture. So many businesses try to cover all the social media sites. They set up profiles on each site, and post here and there. But the inconsistent posting really makes the effort a wasted endeavor.

Simply setting up a profile and posting a couple times doesn’t help your business at all.

When it comes to social media, the name of the game is consistency and engagement. If you’re not going to post consistently on a platform, AND engage with the audience, you’re wasting your time.

I’ll let you in on a rarely talked about secret: Most entrepreneurs can really only effectively manage 3 platforms doing it solo.

Of course, if you’ve hired a Social Media Manager to handle this part of your content marketing, you can spread your wings across multiple channels.

However, if you’re doing it all solo, you have less time to spare. As a result, your social media efforts have to be far more efficient and productive.

As a rule of thumb, here’s what I recommend to most entrepreneurs doing their own social media marketing:

Step 1: Research

Figure out where your desired audience goes to look for the products and services you offer. Then the question becomes, how in the world are you supposed to figure this out?!

Here are three questions to ask yourself/investigate to help you figure this out:

1. Where are you getting the most traction online now?
2. Where are your competitors spending the most time?
3. Where are your competitors getting the most engagement?

To aid in your research, you can search hashtags, and drill down to your geographic region if your business relies on local traffic.

Step 2: Execute

When you figure out the best social media platform for your business, use it! Go create a dynamic presence there, with curated posts that are helpful, insightful and visually stunning.

Engage your audience and build a loyal following. Reach out to key influencers and drive traffic to your website. Master that one platform!

Step 3: Rinse and Repeat

Then, after mastering that channel, choose another one that prospects are using. Rinse and repeat the same formula.

Ciao,
Miss Kemya

How do you manage your time spent on social media? Are you productive or spinning your wheels?