One of the most important skills you can develop as a business owner is knowing when you’re not welcome. Sounds harsh but bear with us.
If you’re a menswear brand catering for distinguished gentlemen of 60+, you aren’t going to find him (albeit with very few exceptions!) on TikTok.
And if you’re a nail salon, chances are Linkedin isn’t going to fill your bookings calendar. (Launching a new training programme for aspiring nail techs? YES, go ahead and post in-depth think pieces on Linkedin.)
The point is, sometimes you just ain’t invited to the party. Being a savvy marketer means knowing where your ideal customer lives and meeting them there. Not every platform suits every brand. Today’s audiences are incredibly sophisticated. They engage differently depending on where they are and what they’re looking for. Not only are you wasting time by trying to stay across every platform, it can actually weaken your brand.
Getting to know your audience – where they hang out, what they want, where they find it, and the problems they need to solve – is essential. Once you know who you’re talking to, you can tailor your content for the platforms that actually matter. (Need a hand with this? Our in-depth diagnostics reports show which platforms to prioritise, and which to leave behind.) [LINK]
How to know when it’s time to leave
Here are a few telltale signs your brand’s hanging out in the wrong corner of the internet:
You’re posting but no one’s responding
If your insights are flatlining, the algorithm might not be the problem – your audience may simply not be there. Side note: we’re assuming that your content is top notch and designed for how users engage with that platform. If not, that could be your real issue but first things first, confirm your audience actually uses it.
You’re speaking the wrong language
Your captions are full of industry jargon on a platform that thrives on relatability. Or you’re being overly casual on LinkedIn. Either way, it’s not landing. Today’s social media consumer is way more fluent than even 5 years ago. Think about how you engage with Linkedin and why you’d visit. It’s not to scroll away 10 minutes looking at dog videos. You’re there to network, look for work, find opinions from experts in your sector. Similarly, if you’re looking for advice on the best local attractions to take the family over a Bank Holiday weekend, you’d probably start by checking out a Facebook group. Different platforms serve different needs.
You’re spending time and budget trying to rework content to fit multiple formats
Spoiler: not all platforms are worth it. Sometimes, doubling down on one or two is smarter than stretching your budget across five. As we’ve tried to drum into you, it’s likely your audience isn’t across all platforms. Focus on who your customer is and what makes them tick, then put all your effort into the platforms they actually use.
You’re chasing vanity metrics over meaningful results
10K views on a platform your ideal client doesn’t use? Great for the ego. But does it drive revenue? Probably not. In fact, we’d argue that vanity metrics are never the goal; instead, guess what? Speak to your target audience! Appeal to them, be relevant to them, and you don’t need to go viral or have thousands of views. Conversions will take care of themselves.
So, what to do when you know you’re at the wrong party but you don’t know where to go instead
A great place to start is with a thorough look at where you are. Our Social Media Insights diagnostic gives you exactly that. A deep dive into your current performance, first impressions and content. We’ll tell you what’s working and where you can improve. And most importantly? We’ll tell you where your audience actually is. That way you can stop guessing and start showing up where it matters.
