Successful Social Media Platform Strategy: Find Your Best Channels

Social Media Strategy: Pick the Right Platforms for Your Ideal Clients

Want to grow your business on social media without wasting time? This is the biggest question social media marketing question small business owners have at my speaking engagements and workshops.

The answer is simple, not easy. Start by focusing on the platforms where your audience spends their time. I know, I know... Here’s a quick primer on how to do it:

• Know your clients: Understand their demographics (age, gender, income) and psychographics (values, interests, motivations). Inside my membership, we also include an empathy map which helps business owners put themselves in their customer's shoes.
• Pick the right channels for your social presence: Different channels attract different users. For example:
  • Instagram: Great for visuals and shopping; popular with 18–24-year-olds; great for local businesses.
  • LinkedIn: Best for B2B and professional networking; 60% of users are 25–34.
  • TikTok: Perfect for Gen Z and quick, engaging videos.
• Tailor your content creation: Each social media channel has its own style. Short videos work on TikTok, while LinkedIn favors professional insights.
• Track results: Monitor KPIs like engagement, reach, and conversions to see what’s working. Go a little deeper with social listening tools like Mention to track brand sentiment.

Pro Tip: Create a social media marketing plan and focus on 1–2 channels and expand as you see results. Focus your energy on where it counts for better engagement and ROI.

Remember: Success isn’t about being everywhere - it’s about being where your clients are.

Step 1: Research Your Target Audience

If you want to connect with your clients, you need to know them.

When I tell business owners they need to ask their customers how they found them and the social platforms where they're active, they cringe. It may feel like an imposition, but there's no other way to know.

Why? Because successful social media management involves more than just surface-level assumptions. It's about combining hard data with a deeper dive into what motivates your customers to act.

To create a complete picture of your clients, gather both demographic data (who they are) and psychographic data (why they act). Together, these insights will help you tailor your social media strategy to meet their needs.

Demographics and Psychographics

Demographics include measurable facts like age, gender, income, location, education level, and job titles.

Psychographics, on the other hand, provide insight into the values, interests, and motivations that shape behavior.

The most effective strategies combine these two data types. Let’s say a fitness coach identifies their primary demographic as women aged 25–40 with incomes over $75,000. Psychographic data might reveal that these women value convenience and prefer at-home workout solutions. This insight suggests that channels like Instagram, which are highly visual, might be more effective than LinkedIn for reaching your people.

How to Gather Psychographic Data

Here are some proven methods to uncover psychographic insights:

• Customer interviews: Have informal conversations with customers to understand their motivations. Even something as simple as "how did you hear about us?" can be huge for your brand awareness.
• Surveys: Use short surveys (5–7 questions) to gather data on user goals, preferences, and challenges. Tools like email links or website pop-ups make this process easy (and easy it good!).
• Focus groups: Organize discussions with diverse participants to explore reactions to your offerings or new ideas.

Tools for Audience Research

Start with free tools and scale up as needed.

• Google Analytics: This tool is essential for understanding website visitor behavior. Use its demographic reports to learn about age, gender, and location, while its interests reports reveal the topics your audience cares about. Behavior flow reports can show how users navigate your website, highlighting what engages them most.
• Social media analytics: Meta's Business Suite (Facebook and Instagram Analytics) and LinkedIn Analytics provide detailed breakdowns of your followers. Even if you’re not active yet, studying competitors’ accounts can offer valuable insights.
• Survey tools: Use surveys to explore their preferences, communication habits, and preferred social media hangouts.

For more advanced insights, consider these specialized tools:

Buffer is a great starting point for small teams, offering several analytics features. SparkToro digs deeper into audience interests, revealing which websites they visit, topics they discuss, and social channels they prefer. Meanwhile, Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity complement demographic data by showing how users interact with your website through heatmaps and session recordings.

Setting Research Goals

Step one: define your objectives. Are you trying to identify where to prioritize your time, improve your social media content calendar, or validate your audience for a new product? Clear goals will help you choose the right tools and methods.

Research needs to be ongoing. In my experience, not only do your clients change, but your business evolves, too. Make it a habit to review and update your insights regularly. As your ideal clients grow, so will their social preferences, and staying on top of these changes, guide you toward effective social media channels.

Step 2: Find the Right Social Media Platform to Reach Your Clients

Once you’ve identified your audience, the next logical move is figuring out where they spend their time online. Each social channel attracts different demographics and serves unique purposes. By aligning your client insights with your social media presence, you can significantly improve engagement and build a thriving community.

Overview of Major Platforms

We've long been a fan of Pew Research Center's Social Media report for demographics and social media use:

There's never been a more difficult time to develop a successful social media strategy. Why? Because social media has become increasingly volatile and pay-to-play, making if difficult for small businesses to increase brand awareness organically.

Add to that the recent scuttling of third party moderation on X and Meta, and many brands are refining their overall marketing goals to respond to an evolving social media landscape (e.g., fears their brands could sit along hate speech). Add to that abysmal organic reach, and many marketers are looking to email marketing as a safer bet.

Source: Pew Research Center

New Platforms and Niche Communities

Besides established networks, newer platforms (e.g., Bluesky, BeReal, Threads) and niche communities (like our Strategic Marketing Membership) are gaining traction. Social media is shifting toward smaller, more intimate spaces, as many users feel disconnected from the broader platforms.

Smaller communities allow businesses to create deeper, more meaningful connections, even if the overall reach is smaller.

The secret to choosing platforms isn’t about chasing trends, it’s about finding where your audience is most active and how they prefer to engage.

Start small with one or two platforms that align closely with your values and clientele, and expand gradually as you analyze results and resources.

Step 3: Create Content for Each Platform

When creating content for social media, remember that every social platform has its own vibe, preferred formats, and expectations. What works on LinkedIn might flop on TikTok, and Instagram's strengths won't necessarily translate to Facebook. To get the best engagement, tailor your content to suit each channel’s unique style.

Social Media Strategies: Content Types by Platform

Different platforms reward specific types of content. Here's a breakdown of what works best:

Keeping Your Brand Voice Consistent

Adapting to each platform’s style doesn’t mean losing your brand’s identity. Your brand’s voice should stay recognizable no matter the platform. While the tone might shift - more casual on TikTok, more formal on LinkedIn - the core personality remains the same.

Start by defining your brand’s personality traits. Are you approachable and educational? Bold and edgy? Or perhaps professional yet friendly? Once you’ve nailed this down, create guidelines for how your voice translates across different platforms. Here's a few examples to help you adapt for each profile:

• Facebook: Warm, conversational posts that encourage community interaction
• LinkedIn: Professional insights that address business challenges
• TikTok: Energetic, relatable videos that simplify complex ideas
• Instagram: Bright, engaging visuals paired with friendly, helpful captions

Document these guidelines in a style guide. The thing about social marketing is it's intended to be ... social, so please maintain a flexible style.

Step 4: Track Performance and Make Improvements

Creating content is the starting line. The game begins when you track how your followers react. Think of tracking as your social media compass. It helps you steer your strategy, avoid guesswork, and uncover ways to connect better with your followers while driving business growth.

Our marketing strategies tie social media campaigns to business goals, which is critical for internal buy-in**.**

Once your content is live, tracking its performance is the critical final step to round out your social strategy.

Metrics to Track

Effective tracking means focusing on social media KPIs that align with your business objectives. Skip the vanity numbers and zero in on key performance indicators (KPIs) that reflect your goals (never forget revenue is the biggest goal for a business owner).

• Engagement: How well your content resonates with your audience. Monitor likes, shares, comments, and your engagement rate.
• Awareness: These measure how many people see your content. Track reach (unique viewers), impressions (total views), and video views for video content.
• Conversion: Actions that matter: clicks, website visits, newsletter sign-ups, or purchases. They directly link your social media efforts to business outcomes.
• G****rowth: How quickly your community is expanding. Monitor follower growth rate.
• Customer satisfaction: If you're using social media for customer care, track response times, satisfaction scores, and sentiment.

If you're running paid campaigns, monitor cost per click (CPC), return on ad spend (ROAS), and web conversions to ensure your budget is working hard for you.

These metrics offer the foundation for smarter decision-making and experimentation.

Testing and Improving Your Results

Once you’ve identified the right KPIs, it’s time to refine your strategy through testing. A/B testing is a powerful way to make data-backed decisions.

Start by testing a single variable at a time - headlines, images, posting times, or calls-to-action. Keep your tests simple by changing only one element at a time. Testing too many variables at once makes it nearly impossible to pinpoint what caused a performance shift.

Audience feedback is another goldmine for improvement. Pay attention to comments, direct messages, and mentions - they often reveal what’s resonating and what’s falling flat.

Review your performance once a month so you can make minor tweaks. Whenever your business goals shift, revisit your benchmarks to ensure they still align with goals.

Stay proactive by refreshing your content based on your findings.

The best brands treat social media optimization as an ongoing process. As your follower's preferences shift, your strategy should evolve right alongside them. Your social media marketing strategies are like other areas of digital marketing — it's never done!

Conclusion: Build a Plan That Works for Your Business

Social media, success isn’t about being everywhere... it’s about being in the right places with the right message. By focusing on your audience, choosing the platforms that align with your goals, creating tailored content, and tracking performance, you can build a strategy that delivers real results.

If you're marketing on a shoestring budget in an AI world, authentic engagement, written by you will be your superpower. Don't use AI comments, and be sure to edit AI posts. This will be two differentiators.

Begin with one or two platforms that align with your audience and business goals.

As you refine your strategy, stay flexible. Your audience’s habits and preferences will evolve, and your approach should adapt alongside them.

Your plan doesn’t need to feel overwhelming. Focus on channels that highlight your strengths, create content that showcases your value, and track the benchmarks that matter most to your business.

Social Profiles: FAQs

How do I figure out which social media platforms my audience uses most?

To figure out which social media channels resonate most with your audience, start by diving into their demographics and online behavior. Look at factors like their age, location, and interests, as well as how they engage with content. For instance, Instagram and TikTok are popular among younger users, while LinkedIn or Facebook might attract older professionals.

Another helpful step is leveraging social media analytics tools. These tools can reveal where your audience interacts most with your content. By focusing on the social profiles they prefer, you can align your marketing strategy to better connect with them.

How can I gather meaningful insights about my audience's interests and behaviors?

To get a clearer picture of their interests, values, and habits, consider these approaches:

• Surveys: Create focused surveys that explore your audience's preferences, daily routines, and motivations. Use straightforward and concise questions to make it easy for people to respond.
• Customer Interviews: Engage in casual, one-on-one chats to dig into the emotional and psychological factors that shape their choices.
• Market Research: Tap into industry reports and studies to spot trends and patterns that align with their mindset.

Using these methods, you can build a stronger connection with your audience, making your social strategy feel more relatable and impactful.

How can I update my social media content strategy if my audience starts using channels?

If you notice your audience gravitating toward new channels, start by digging into the data. Use surveys, platform analytics, and engagement to figure out where they're spending most of their time. This will help you zero in on the channels that deserve your attention.

Once you've identified these places, tailor your content to match their unique style and features. For instance, if your ideal clients are flocking to video-centric spaces like YouTube Shorts or Instagram Reels, focus on crafting short, attention-grabbing videos that align with what they enjoy.

Monitor how your content performs and don’t be afraid to try new formats. By staying adaptable and tracking trends, you can ensure your strategy stays in sync with your target market's shifting preferences.

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