for Holistic Businesses: Social Media and Your Holistic Business

Holistic Team -

The popularity of social media is a global fact that cannot be ignored.

Everyday millions of people share information on a wide range of social media platforms for a variety of different reasons, proving that the age of instant communication is here to stay.

This presents an incredible opportunity for a holistic business to market and advertise products and services, enhance brand recognition with a loyal customer base, and increase revenue from ongoing business growth.

If your small business is centered on specialties such as dentistry, massage therapy, acupuncture, Yoga, or chiropractic services, then you should integrate the use of social media platforms to grow your business.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Youtube, and Snapchat are platforms for go-to marketing and advertising strategies that can dramatically transform your business.

The days of advertising a business in the Yellow Pages or newspaper is no longer a viable option that will give you the results you want, just as it’s no longer possible to have daily access to a public phone on a street corner.

Social media platforms have radically disrupted traditional ways in which business is conducted and a holistic business now has unlimited opportunities to adapt to an online environment to get increased marketing exposure.

According to www.statista.com, there will be approximately 3.02 billion people actively using social media by 2021.

Depending on your goals, you can utilize social media to market your business to your target audience, or get customer feedback and share a variety of information in real time.

Sometimes making a change in how a business functions is not easy, as there’s a desire to “stick to what we know” without considering other marketing funnels that can produce better results.

One pivotal question any holistic business needs to address when initiating a marketing campaign on social media is “What goals do I want to accomplish?”

Most business social media marketing goals should fall under atleast one of the following:

Brand Awareness
Enchance Public Relations (Customer Service)
Building Comminity of Advocates
Research and Development
Driving Sales and Leads

This is critical because not all social media platforms are the same, given that each varies according to factors such as age, gender, income level, and education.

The Magnificent Seven of Social Media

Below, are seven major social media platforms that can be effective tools for growing your business.

Facebook

As of December 31st, 2018, there were over 2.32 billion active users on Facebook worldwide (Source: www.statista.com).

Who is using facebook:

51% of 13-17 year olds use Facebook.
81% of 18-29 year olds use Facebook.
78% of 30-49 year olds use Facebook.
65% of 50-64 year olds use Facebook.
41% of 65+ year olds use Facebook.

India has the largest users on facebook followed by the US then Brazil and Indonesia at 6%.

Here is a break down for US social media users:

75% of adults living in urban areas use Facebook.
67% of adults living in suburban areas use Facebook.
58% of adults living in rural areas use Facebook.

Education

60% of adults with a high school diploma or less use Facebook.
71% of adults with some college experience use Facebook.
77% of adults who graduated college use Facebook.

Income

66% of adults who make less than $30,000 use Facebook.
74% of adults who make between $30,000–$49,999 use Facebook.
70% of adults who make between $50,000–$74,999 use Facebook.
75% of adults who make over $75,000 use Facebook.

Some quick tips:

Do not use your personal profile as your facebook business page.
Add a call to action button.
Do not skimp on the about us section.
Create a facebook group.
Learn the difference between Boosting a Post and using a Ad.

Instagram

As a social media platform owned by Facebook, Instagram allows users to edit and share photos and videos. It’s projected that by 2023 there will be 2 billion active users (Source: www.digitalgyd.com/instagram-statistics) on Instagram.

Instagram is home to 35% of all US adults with 1 billion monthly active users and 500 million daily active users with most of them being in the younger crowd. This platform allows you to visually showcase your business in a creative way.

Who is using Instagram

72% of 13-17 year olds use Instagram.
64% of 18-29 year olds use Instagram.
40% of 30-49 year olds use Instagram.
21% of 50-64 year olds use Instagram.
10% of 65+ year olds use Instagram.

The photo-heavy platform is also more popular among women than men, with 39% of online women using Instagram vs. 30% of online men. Location Over 80% of Instagram’s user are outside of the US, with Brazil, India, and countries throughout Europe being among the top.

Here is a break down for US social media users:

42% of adults living in urban areas use Instagram.
34% of adults living in suburban areas use Instagram.
25% of adults living in rural areas use Instagram.

Education

29% of adults with a high school diploma or less use Instagram.
36% of adults with some college experience use Instagram.
42% of adults who graduated college use Instagram.

Income

30% of adults who make less than $30,000 use Instagram.
42% of adults who make between $30,000–$49,999 use Instagram.
32% of adults who make between $50,000–$74,999 use Instagram.
42% of adults who make over $75,000 use Instagram.

Quick Tips:

Be Creative
Take your users behind the scenes.
Talk with your followers, not at them.
Be sure to make use to relevant hastags.
Collaborate influencers and @ mentions others.

Twitter

In 2019, Twitter’s audience size is projected to reach 275 million monthly active users worldwide (Source: www.statista.com).

Twitter is incredibly popular among its user base, and it has also become an exceptional platform for brands to use for social customer service.

As one of the last remaining social networks with a chronological feed, Twitter has stayed a favorite for many of its users.

Most popular with people in their 20s, the micro-blogging platform caters to the younger demographic ranges.

Who is using Twitter

32% of 13-17 year olds use Twitter.
40% of 18-29 year olds use Twitter.
27% of 30-49 year olds use Twitter.
19% of 50-64 year olds use Twitter.
8% of 65+ year olds use Twitter.

The spread of women vs. men on the platform is nearly even. 24% of online women use Twitter. 23% of online men use Twitter.

Location

Over 79% of Twitter’s user base resides outside of the US.

Here is a break down for US social media users:
29% of adults living in urban areas use Twitter.
23% of adults living in suburban areas use Twitter.
17% of adults living in rural areas use Twitter.

Education

18% of adults with a high school diploma or less use Twitter.
25% of adults with some college experience use Twitter.
32% of adults who graduated college use Twitter.

Income

20% of adults who make less than $30,000 use Twitter.
21% of adults who make between $30,000–$49,999 use Twitter.
26% of adults who make between $50,000–$74,999 use Twitter.
32% of adults who make over $75,000 use Twitter.

Quick Tips

Twitter only allows have up to 280 charectors (move up from 140) per tweet. So make every tweet count.
Twitter is real time so it’s a great platform to use for customer service. With that being said make sure you reply to inquires in a timely manner.
Make use of #hashtags but not to many optimal number of #hashtages per tweet is 2.
Avoid automated post
Be remember to use visuals

Pinterest is a visual search engine that has revolutionized online shopping on their platform. As of September of 2018, there were 250 million monthly active users on Pinterest (Source: www.statista.com).

This platform allows you to share ideas, pictures, drawings, and internet links through user categories called “boards” and “pins.” You can use these categories to advertise and promote your business (product/ services) to potential customers.

In fact, 61% of pinners have made a purchase after seeing a product on Pinterest.

Who is using Pinterest

Although more popular with younger users, Pinterest still has a steady user base across demographics ranges.

34% of 18-29 year olds use Pinterest.
34% of 30-49 year olds use Pinterest.
26% of 50-64 year olds use Pinterest.
16% of 65+ year olds use Pinterest.

Although a higher percentage of online women use the platform, 50% of all new signups are men. 41% of online women use Pinterest. 16% of online men use Pinterest.

Location

More than 50% of Pinterest users live outside of the US.

Here is a break down for US social media users:

29% of adults living in urban areas use Pinterest.

31% of adults living in suburban areas use Pinterest.

28% of adults living in rural areas use Pinterest.

Education

18% of adults with a high school diploma or less use Pinterest.
32% of adults with some college experience use Pinterest.
40% of adults who graduated college use Pinterest.

Income

20% of adults who make less than $30,000 use Pinterest.
32% of adults who make between $30,000–$49,999 use Pinterest.
34% of adults who make between $50,000–$74,999 use Pinterest.
39% of adults who make over $75,000 use Pinterest.

Quick Tips

Focus on great visuals.
Pinterest users are looking for inspiration (so they more than likley going too take action)
Don’t forget to use the description field.
Repin others people content (but dont get carried away)

Snapchat

Snapchat is a photo and video sharing app and according to www.statista.com, there were 186 million active users worldwide during the fourth quarter of 2018.

A key feature of Snapchat is that it allows you to build brand awareness for your business, where you can share selfies, short videos and have your own “Snapchat Snapcode.”

Although your videos will disappear after being viewed, you can promote your Snapchat account on other platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, create product teasers, or give away discount product promo codes to help grow your business.

Who is using Snap Chat

Snapchat age & gender demographics Snapchat’s strength is in its appeal to younger audiences, and many of its users visit the platform multiple times a day.

69% of 13-17 year olds use Snapchat.
68% of 18-29 year olds use Snapchat.
26% of 30-49 year olds use Snapchat.
10% of 50-64 year olds use Snapchat.
3% of 65+ year olds use Snapchat.

More women than men use the messaging platform.

31% of online women use Snapchat.
23% of online men use Snapchat.

Location

Here is a break down for US social media users:
32% of adults living in urban areas use Snapchat.
26% of adults living in suburban areas use Snapchat.
18% of adults living in rural areas use Snapchat.

Education

24% of adults with a high school diploma or less use Snapchat.
31% of adults with some college experience use Snapchat.
26% of adults who graduated college use Snapchat.

Income

23% of adults who make less than $30,000 use Snapchat.
33% of adults who make between $30,000–$49,999 use Snapchat.
26% of adults who make between $50,000–$74,999 use Snapchat.
30% of adults who make over $75,000 use Snapchat.

Quick Tips

Be authenic, do not post the same content on Snap chat as your other social profiles.
Be spontanious and its ok for your snaps to not to be perfect, users perfer real and raw content here.
Like all other platforms be sure to interact with your followers.
Make it fun and utilize the filters, gifs, stickers and lenses provided in snap chat.

TikTok

TikTok, much like Snapchat, also has a considerable appeal among the younger audiences. Its unique short-video format has created a massive wave of creativity and engagement.

72% of 13-17 year olds use TikTok.
70% of 18-29 year olds use TikTok.
30% of 30-49 year olds use TikTok.
12% of 50-64 year olds use TikTok.
4% of 65+ year olds use TikTok.

Gender distribution on TikTok is quite balanced, but slightly leans toward female users.

34% of online women use TikTok.
29% of online men use TikTok.

Location

Here is a breakdown for US social media users:

35% of adults living in urban areas use TikTok.
28% of adults living in suburban areas use TikTok.
20% of adults living in rural areas use TikTok.

Education

27% of adults with a high school diploma or less use TikTok.
34% of adults with some college experience use TikTok.
29% of adults who graduated college use TikTok.

Income

25% of adults who make less than $30,000 use TikTok.
35% of adults who make between $30,000–$49,999 use TikTok.
28% of adults who make between $50,000–$74,999 use TikTok.
32% of adults who make over $75,000 use TikTok.

Quick Tips

Be genuine and original, as TikTok values creativity and individuality.

Engage with your followers by responding to comments and participating in trends or challenges.

Utilize the editing tools and effects provided by TikTok to make your content stand out.

Consider the best times to post and align your content with your audience's active hours.

Don't shy away from sharing behind-the-scenes content, as TikTok users appreciate authenticity.

LinkedIn

As the largest social network for working professionals, LinkedIn is a platform for both networking and building your business.

As of January of 2019, LinkedIn had 150 million users in the United States (Source: www.statista.com).

If your focus is to get leads and sales, then creating a profile on LinkedIn is a great resource to market your business.

You can also connect with people in your industry or local market, and enhance your exposure of why your business is unique.

Who is using LinkedIn

29% of 18-29 year olds use LinkedIn.
33% of 30-49 year olds use LinkedIn.
24% of 50-64 year olds use LinkedIn. 9% of 65+ year olds use LinkedIn.

The percentage of online women and men on the social media platform is equal. 25% of online women use LinkedIn. 25% of online men use LinkedIn.

Location

Over 70% of LinkedIn members reside outside of the US.

Here is a break down for US social media users:

30% of adults living in urban areas use LinkedIn.
27% of adults living in suburban areas use LinkedIn.
13% of adults living in rural areas use LinkedIn.

Education

Considering LinkedIn is catered towards networking for professionals and business owners, it’s no surprise that the majority of its users have graduated from college.

9% of adults with a high school diploma or less use LinkedIn.
22% of adults with some college experience use LinkedIn.
50% of adults who graduated college use LinkedIn.

Income

13% of adults who make less than $30,000 use LinkedIn.
20% of adults who make between $30,000–$49,999 use LinkedIn.
24% of adults who make between $50,000–$74,999 use LinkedIn.
45% of adults who make over $75,000 use LinkedIn.

Quick Tips

Make a company page along with your own linkedin profile
Create and share relevant content for your company page such as company news, career info and professional or industry content
Get invovle in Linkedin groups
Tag your connections in post
Consider sponsoring your best content
Have your employees connect with your company page

Youtube

Google is the parent company of Youtube, which is the largest video platform in the world. Currently, there are 1.5 billion users worldwide that watch over an hour of content on Youtube per day.

This figure is projected to grow to 1.86 billion in 2021 (Source: www.statista.com), which means your target audience and potential customers are actively looking for content that reflects their interests.

Over 300 hours of youtube are uploaded everyminute, so this platform appeals to a wide variety for people.

With that being said we set up the data a little differently than the platforms mentioned above.

Average viewing sessions is 40 minutes
Over 50% of users are female
More likely to have a degree
And more likley to have kids
9% are small business
35+ and 55+ age groups are the fastest growing group on youtube
37% of the 18 - 34 binge watch
Males are primaly watching soccer or strategy games
Females primary watching beauty videos

Top viewed categories on Youtube

Product review videos
How to videos
Vlogs
Gaming Videos
Comedy/Skit
Haul Videos
Mems/Tags
Favorites/Best Of
Educational
Unboxing
Q&A
Collections
Pranks

Quick Tips:

Start posting Label your video files properly
Make full use of the decrisption field and use keywords (Youtube is the second largest search engine in the world)
Include calls to actin Post your videos on your other social media content
Your first video will not be perfect, but you will find your style after a while.
Ignore the trolls.

Source for all location, education & income data: https://sproutsocial.com/insights/new-social-media-demographics/

How often should you post

You will find tons of information online specifing how often your should and time of day you should post. This can serve as a good guide however at the end rememeber quality will win over quantity.

Post a ton of useless information just to say you did it will cause you to loose fans, follwers like etcc.. Defeating the purpose of using social media marketing.

Choosing your Target Audience

The social media platforms outlined above offer a wide range of features for growing your business. However, knowing how to connect with your target audience can feel overwhelming.

It’s important to know exactly what you want to accomplish so that you are specific in the type of audience you want to attract to your business.

Here are five key questions that can help you determine how to build rapport with your target audience:

Does my business need to have a presence on all social media platforms?
What social media platforms are best for small businesses?
What effective strategies can I use to convert social media followers to new customers?
What compelling “voice” or message identifies the unique nature of my business?
What methods can I use to measure the success of my social media campaign?

While there may be other questions to consider when initiating a social media campaign, the questions listed above should give you a sense of how important it is to use social media that is both efficient and productive in supporting your business goals.

After choosing the platforms you believe relate to what you want to accomplish with your audience, it could be advantageous to use a social media management tool that keeps all aspects of your content organized.

Social Media Management Tools

Besides managing the day-to-day operations of your business, managing the content of your social media platforms can be a time-consuming endeavor.

Investing in a social media management tool could be the answer to not only saving you valuable time, but also ensure that you are up to date in all aspects of your social media platforms.

Doing a simple Google search will bring up sites that specialize in social media management, where you can access your platforms in one place.

If you want to measure the impact of your social media campaigns, especially if it pertains to conversion rates of new customers to your business, then you should consider using a social media management tool to help grow your business.

Moving Forward with Social Media

The future of social media is like a rising “wave” that businesses should start riding, given the fact that consumers are increasingly relying on online platforms to search for products and services, give feedback on businesses they connect with, and are influencing how content is shared and used.

This offers a unique opportunity to create ways of interacting with your potential customers, and using social media is a path of engagement that can contribute to the success of your business.

With all that being said REMEMBER.... Don't forget about your website!

With so many free social platforms to choose from it is easy to skip having or updating your own website. And as great as social media is at the end of the day you do not own or control the environment. One change in a social media algorithm can affect the way you interact with your audience.

Your website serves as the foundation resource that draws customers to your growing business, and one of the best ways to do this is through setting up accounts on social media platforms.