Simply put, social media is a popular an exciting way to network. This is true for individuals as well as any business of any size. Since the social media world has blown up even larger over the years, businesses should utilize this tool for communication and appeal to larger audiences to achieve higher sales and loyal customers. However, posting whatever you can to multiple platforms will tarnish your efforts and make you seem unreliable. So if you should only use a few, what are the right platforms to help increase your traffic? Before going through the different platforms make sure you understand your business as a living brand which will make communicating the tone of your message a simpler process.

Facebook: The Conversational Brand

You might assume that since Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms that you need to be on it. However, this social media site is more beneficial to a conversational brand who can provide quality content that is also interesting. Becoming a sensation on Facebook is a challenging task and takes time to constantly provide the most appealing information that  promotes your business and is regularly displayed on timelines. That being said, a business with a more conversational brand such as clothing, magazines or  music will have a better chance at Facebook success than a company trying to promote waste disposal services.

LinkedIn: The Business Brand

This is the site where the professionals go. Typically, this was the site where people network to find their desired career but now as the site has transformed, there are more opportunities to promote your informative blogs. This site is a great platform for professionals to socialize and offer expertise information of their field. So if your a business that usually sells to other business rather than the public, this is the site for you. Be sure you take advantage of this platform by writing blogs pertinent to your business but without making it all about you. For success in writing the most effective blogs check out this article, How Do I Create A Successful Blog?

Twitter: The Witty Brand

This is a platform that if used correctly, can be utilized by almost any brand. The most important aspect to know about Twitter is that you have only 140 characters to attract and intrigue. However, that doesn't mean you can't link or #hashtag to lead people to more information. Send out your message that is creative and witty but also within the limit to capture their attention, then seal the deal with the appropriate and related information that hooks them to know more about you. Remember, one of Twitter's most unique attribute is this platform serves people looking for quick info, company news and immediate response to questions about products or services. 

Instagram: The Visual Brand

Not a lot of businesses consider Instagram as a beneficial platform. However, if your business has a visual appeal, this may be an interesting tool to display your creative images. Brands such as art, photography and traveling are ones that are  visually appealing and can catch the public's interest. There is also a section to write a brief description and link or hashtag to provide the viewer with more information.

These are just a few platforms to get you started towards successful social media marketing. There are several other platforms available such as Google+, Pinterest, Reddit and even Youtube that are useful tools. To be successful with social media marketing, try starting with one platform and focus your time and attention to provide the best quality information on that site and measure the results before adding your business presence to another.

Check out the link below to see if your marketing efforts are being successfully implemented for higher traffic and increased sales.