Every social media platform has a language, identity, image, audience, and spirit. While visuality stands out in some social media platforms, ideas make a name for themselves in others. While social media maintains its dynamic structure at the center of life, businesses must adapt to these platforms.

The ability of businesses to say “I am here too!” in the digital world, whether selling products or services, is actually dependent on their existence struggle and social media marketing strategies on social media platforms. Likewise, in a recent international public opinion poll, it was stated that 90% of internet users’ first contact with businesses is through social media posts or advertisements. In the face of such a high rate, businesses should first determine their target audience. Determining which social platform the audience predominantly uses provides a strong position in the digital world.

Target Audience Identification

The target audience identification process for businesses is a litmus function that has the potential to determine success rates. Businesses that choose their audience correctly can maximize their profit with the right marketing and have the chance to see their business grow.

Search volumes in search engines, published commercial statistics, analysis of competitors who offer similar products and/or services or those on the market, and supply and demand curves are utilized to identify the target audience.

Assume you are a business selling wooden toy products and looking for ways to increase sales. The first steps you need to follow undoubtedly will be to identify the search volumes of all related keywords such as “wooden toy”, “wooden baby”, “wooden car”, to analyze all factors such as websites of actors in this market, published statistics, brands, interactions, and so on.

As a result of your research and analysis, you may find that schools that provide education with the Montessori model use wooden toys. These schools state that wooden toys are healthier than plastic toys. Therefore, you can understand that a large part of your target audience is these schools, their students, or their parents.

Once the audience is determined, you can make your campaigns and shares suitable for the audience and achieve high sales. In summary, identifying your target audience correctly will make you forget about ads that did not receive interaction. It will also open the door to a business model where you influence your customers and turn their interactions into sales.

Correct Social Media Selection

In addition to identifying the right target audience, you should also determine the social media platform that this audience uses intensively. Running your campaigns on a platform that suits its structure and purpose will be your golden key to success.

If you are selling a product where visual aesthetics are important, you should choose social media platforms that highlight visuals, such as Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok. If your product is more focused on words, ideas, and information, then platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook would be more suitable. If age is a key factor for your business, you should classify it into age groups like 18-24, 25-35, and choose the platform used by your target audience.

Instead of being present on all social media platforms, being present on a niche social platform where you can get maximum efficiency from your ads or shares, although advantageous, you can also try to reach all potential customers on platforms where your target audience is less present, in addition to focusing on the platform where your target audience is more present. However, the most efficient option is to choose the right social media platform and invest in it.

Profitable Example: Pinterest and Etsy

You will see in your research that wooden toy products, which we gave as an example, are mostly sold on the Etsy platform. A large portion of sales made on Etsy are to Pinterest users, and it is stated that 55% of people who pin a product shared on Pinterest follow the link and make a purchase on Etsy. Facebook and Instagram follow this ratio, respectively. If you are selling wooden toys, the platforms you need to share your products on may be Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram.

By using these strategies based on the products your business offers, you can determine your target customers and choose the right social media platform, minimizing your costs and maximizing your profits.