Are your customers using a preferred search engine? Are they researching on social media platforms? Do they ask their friends or online communities for recommendations?
Chances are your customers are observing, researching, and making buying decisions based on information sourced from various digital channels. Many clients ask, – where do I need to be? What digital channels will be most effective for my business?
It can be a hard question to answer at times. On the one hand, it depends on what products or services you are selling and the demographics of your target customer. On the other hand, there are several well penetrated digital channels where you need to be at a minimum, as that is where the masses are searching.
According to the Hootsuite Global Report (Q3 Update), 69% of the North American population is on Social Media. The top 5 Social Media platforms leveraged by consumers aged 16-64 are:
| Social Media Platform | Canada | US |
| YouTube | 85% | 79% |
| 79% | 74% | |
| Facebook Messenger | 62% | 55% |
| 53% | 52% | |
| 40% | 40% |
Next to visiting Social Media channels, these consumers are also leveraging internet sites on a daily basis. The following table shows the top 5 internet sites by volume for consumers aged 16-64:
| Canada (average time spent) | US (average time spent) | |
| Google.com | 12m 55s | 12m 55s |
| Youtube.com | 25m 02s | 23m 47s |
| Facebook.com | 11m 55s | 11m 29s |
| Google.ca | 7m 51s | |
| Wikipedia.com | 4m 10s | |
| Amazon.com | 8m 10s | |
| Yahoo.com | 8m 23s |
Based on the above information, it is clear where the masses are, and this is your starting point to determine where your business needs to be. And it is not just about being present, it is of utmost importance that your business is easy to find and that your presence is fresh and engaging.
Getting the right exposure to your current and target customers takes more than a simple post. It takes well-crafted content and cross-channel campaigns to drive customers through your sales funnel. Remember, your customers compare the service you provide them against every other service provider they engage with. Hence, you are competing daily in a cross-industry landscape for the support, advocacy, and share of wallet of your customers.
So, if you have been dabbling with Social Media, perhaps an employee does it now and then as a side job, then it is time to reconsider your approach to get more value from your investment. Social Media platforms undergo frequent changes by introducing new features and tweaking the analytics which determine how you show up in your target customers’ feed. In today’s marketplace, numerous social media companies with the right expertise (and niche focus) can help you gain more value for your investment.
Contact Sage & Rae Solutions for more information on how to get started today!
