Unraveling Social Channels: New Ways to Connect and Market
Unraveling Social Channels: New Ways to Connect and Market
In Issuu’s Year in Review, we identified 10 Content Marketing and Publishing Trends of 2021 that would be integral to marketers in the coming year. Coming up at #9 is “More Social Channels = New Ways to Connect and Market”.
Updating Your Social Channel Strategy
The internet continues to expand as more and more social channels are developed that give people new ways to connect and trade ideas. It’s easy to be overwhelmed with the amount coming out, but it’s important to remember that not every social channel is for everyone. Each one is going to have different content for different demographics, it’s about finding the right one for you. Let’s talk primary vs secondary social channels, examples of both, and expand on what are some new channels that have potential for future growth and opportunities.
Primary vs Secondary Channels
In terms of strategy, you need to distinguish between what are your primary and secondary channels. Where are you putting most of your focus and where are you making room for experimentation. Where are you investing your time and resources for the goals you have set? It’s important for allocating those resources to distinguish between primary and secondary social media channels.
Common Primary Social Channels
Youtube
Most brands focus on building their presence on primary channels like these. They’re the cultural touchstones that don’t require a marketing degree to recognize, everyone’s parent and child has some understanding of Twitter and Facebook, so they’re the best for reaching out for mainstream appeal. They also have the most resources for tracking your goals and measuring success. Remember though that you don’t have to put all your time and effort into building on all of these platforms. Most companies prioritize 2-3, and again, that depends on your audience and goals.
Quick Tip: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself for Choosing Your Primary Social Channel
Where is your target buyer?
Where is your competition?
Is there an untapped opportunity?
How many channels can you do well, consistently?
Are there geographic differences you need to take into consideration? Channels, competitors, etc.
Secondary Channels and How to Integrate Them Into Your Strategy
You don’t have to be everywhere at once to have a successful social strategy, but you should have your ear on the ground as to what are the newest channels that could fit your current goals. The best practice for experimentation is the 80/20 strategy. 80% of your focus and budget on maintaining and growing your primary channels, with 20% going to secondary channels in search of possible opportunities for growth. Remember as well that if a channel doesnt end up working out for you, that’s not a failure, it was a test and you found the results. Now let’s talk some newer social channels that might give you a new way to connec and market.
Newer Social Channels
TikTok: This channel blew up in 2020 and it’s only going to get bigger in 2021, so the time to hop on is now. More than 40% of TikTok's 800 million users are age 16–24. With a plethora of influencers to connect with, as well as tons of creative opportunities to create challenges or behind the scenes videos for your company, TikTok is a prime opportunity for updating your social strategy. Try and research accounts from brands that are similar to yours to see how they approached it. Check out how Chipotle created a challenge to promote their clothing line!
Clubhouse: Different from traditional social channels, Clubhouse is a live streaming, audio only platform. Similar to a podcast, but one where the audience can interact and ask questions, creating more of a conversation. On the platform you’ll find discussions on business trends, celebrity gossip, comedy clubs, and so much more. Very true to its name, Clubhouse is somewhat exclusive in that you need an invite from someone already using it to get access, or join the waitlist. If you can get access though, you can get a headstart on a new platform that’s already creating a lot of buzz.
Twitch: A platform that’s been around for a couple years, but really gained traction last year. Even politicians like Alexandria Osario Cortez have been on gaming Twitch streams to promote voting and discuss current political issues. With literally billions of hours being watched on the platform, and tons of opportunities for advertising, Twitch is a great platform for being seen by a younger crowd.
Nextdoor: If you’re looking to target an audience based on geographic location, Nextdoor is where you want to go. With 260,00 defined neighborhoods, Nextdoor is one of the top social media sites for hyperlocal engagement. Users can tag businesses in posts, comment on their pages and send personal messages as well. If you’re going looking to build on local SEO, this is the platform to invest in.
Quick Tip: 5 Questions to Update your Current Strategy
Are our primary channels vital to hitting our primary goals?
How will we grow our reach and audience on these channels?
Which channels should we keep on our radar to grow into next?
Which features will we employ regularly to maximize our impact?
How will we measure and ensure we’re reaching the right audience?
Get Started
We hope this unraveling of social channels and the difference between primary and secondary helps you in your strategy! If you’re looking for more advice on growing specific platforms, look through our blog, where we have posts like Growing Your Audience on Facebook with Issuu. Check out our webinars as well to learn how you can optimize your content with Issuu, and share on all of your platforms in the simplest of ways.