BUSINESS MANAGEMENT // BY ALEXIS MIZELL-PLEASANT, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
SOCIAL SAVVY Advice on how companies can leverage social media and why it matters in an increasingly digital world.
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ocial media has skyrocketed as one of the main ways we communicate. For businesses, social media has become an unmatched tool for connecting with clients and building brand awareness with minimal to no advertising costs. In 2019, Statista found that more than 70 percent of adults in the U.S. use at least one social media platform. As of 2021, Backlinko found that over 4.48 billion people worldwide are using social media, with the average user on 6.6 platforms monthly. The opportunity for connection between people on socials is continuing to grow as more platforms, in the form of apps, are released, adopted and used. Here’s how rental companies can make the most of it.
PICK THE RIGHT PLACES According to Backlinko, Facebook is the leading social network at 2.9 billion monthly active users. Facebook may be the most recognizable and universally adopted platform on the web today, but that doesn’t make it the most important. Trends in socials ebb and flow, and platform popularity can spike when something new comes on the market. For example, TikTok, released in 2018, has blown up as users, content creators and businesses find use amid its quick form videos and simple searching hashtags. In September of 2021, TikTok hit 1 billion in active global users. Could this be a place for your business? If you like making short form videos, it could be. For longer content like commercials and video podcasts, YouTube is your best bet. TikTok is unique in that its algorithm is hit or miss. It’s extremely possible for one video, out of hundreds you post, to gain traction and go “viral” overnight, with zero promotion. On the flipside, Facebook is often used by businesses in the same way a website is. Through the business suite, which also connects to Meta (Facebook)-owned Instagram, you can set up a full business page complete with phone numbers, web links, addresses and more. Quicker than with a website-housed blog, you can share information on closings or delays or highlight new products and company changes, all while connecting with clients through comments, likes and messages. It’s the “one-stop shop” as far as social media goes, and that’s why it’s often the
16 MAY 2023
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