Everything you need to know about each social network to succeed

Social media has become one of the most useful tools for any type of business. These platforms offer a direct channel for making themselves known and connecting with customers. They also provide a space for promoting products and services and driving buyers to the website or physical store, which, in the long run, boosts sales. According to Laura Vázquez, director of the Community Management Master's program at the IEBS business school, social media has democratized the marketing By creating unique spaces to connect with the public and making it easier for them to purchase products and services. Its management is also accessible to all types of businesses, even the smallest ones. It also caters to the smallest budgets.
The reach of social media is very broad. According to the report Social Media Study 2022, published by the world association of communication, advertising and marketing digital IAB Spain, there are more than 28 million users in Spain. The document Digital 2022 Spain, A study published by the social media management company Hootsuite and the creative agency We Are Social adds that users spend an average of two hours a day browsing apps to connect with family and friends, entertain themselves, get information, or search for products and services. In fact, almost half of users use these platforms to research brands and items before purchasing. With this data, a universe of opportunities opens up for companies to expand their businesses if they are clear about what they want to do. social networks must be present.
Miguel Román, digital communication specialist at the consulting firm RocaSalvatella, who will lead the webinar Keys to managing social media for small and medium-sized businesses: Should I use TikTok or other social media platforms?, organized through Banco Sabadell's HUB Empresa, believes that, to begin with, it's not necessary to be on all social networks. The strategy of a small business with limited resources should focus on strengthening its presence on one and then working on others. Having several inactive profiles is counterproductive to the brand's image.
Keys to managing social media for small and medium-sized businesses: Should I use TikTok or other social media platforms?, with Miguel Román, senior communications consultant at RocaSalvatella. Organized through Banco Sabadell's HUB Empresa. When: January 17, at 4:00 p.m.
The most used social networks in Spain are WhatsApp, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter, according to the Hootsuite report. This gives entrepreneurs a clue as to where to start. Not all of them will be equally useful for all businesses: YouTube will be convenient for those looking to show how the products or services they sell work; Instagram will be attractive for businesses where image plays a prominent role, such as a restaurant looking to impress with its dishes or a fashion brand; and Facebook will be useful for a company looking to build a community.
The choice between one or the other will depend on the type of business, the products and services sold, and the entrepreneur's goal, whether it's to retain customers, gain prestige, or simply increase sales. Facebook and Instagram, for example, already allow you to display a catalog of the items you sell. Therefore, Román asserts, it's important to understand how each one works to achieve this goal.
Below, experts review the features of Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn, the social networks The most established and popular apps in Spain, and how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can take advantage of them. This time, WhatsApp is not included, since, although it is the most widely used app among citizens, its primary function is instant messaging.
The veteran Facebook remains the most popular social network in the world. Although it's a mature app in Europe and the United States, its growth has slowed, it's still gaining followers in markets like Asia. This platform allows for reaching a wider audience, says Vázquez, who is also director of digital strategy at the consulting firm Torres y Carrera. And it's available across all ages, even the oldest. In fact, 115 million users are over 65, according to Digital 2022.
It's also one of the most versatile: it allows for the publication of texts, because users are open to spending time reading, but also videos, photographs, surveys, and links to other pages. Vázquez suggests that short videos, shot vertically with a phone and featuring humorous content, typical of Instagram and TikTok, also work well on Facebook. This network offers the opportunity to build a community through groups, which bring together users interested in a topic. SMEs can promote their own to keep their followers informed and learn about their preferences.
Facebook also offers the option to sell directly from the app. To do this, the business owner must create a catalog of their products and can choose whether to complete the transaction in the online store or through other services. e-commerce compatible with Shopify. The sales system in this app can be managed alongside Instagram's, as both companies are owned by Meta.
YouTube It's the second most widespread social network in the world. On it, Vázquez explains, users search for entertainment content, such as music or humorous videos, and educational content, such as documentaries or explanatory videos. The latter, known as tutorials, are especially useful for SMEs to demonstrate how their products and services work. A personal trainer can suggest exercise routines, and a dentist can suggest techniques for maintaining proper dental hygiene.
This platform has joined the fashion of reels (which means reel or bovine, in Spanish), Short vertical videos that work on Instagram and can be used to offer advice to users. Another successful format among users is YouTubers It is the streaming, that is, live broadcasts in which they comment on their video game gameplay. A phenomenon that has spread to another platform specializing in this field: Twitch. Román asserts that this platform requires a lot of resources to generate content, so he doesn't recommend its use for SMEs beyond collaboration and sponsorship with users.
Instagram, the social network owned by Meta, Facebook's parent company, is still booming despite its nearly 15 years of existence. Image is king in this app, especially through stories and reels, vertical videos of less than 90 seconds, linked to humor, social trends, and fashion. Naturalness is increasingly being rewarded: unfiltered images, that is, those without digital modifications to make them more attractive, receive 21% more interactions than those with filters, according to data from Metricool, a social media management tool. The format that generates the most interactions is the carousel, which consists of a gallery of up to 10 images or videos.
The Instagram Shopping feature allows retailers to tag items in their images, both in Stories and on their feeds. Instagram Shops offers the opportunity to display a personalized catalog of products. Both features redirect users to the e-commerce website to complete the purchase.
Twitter has become a space for brands to communicate with users through messages of up to 280 characters, according to Vázquez. "Internet users go to a brand's profile when they have a question or a problem with the brand, which is why many companies have turned this network into an extension of their customer service," he explains. Experts recommend always responding to all messages, both positive and negative. Responding to the latter by showing interest in the problem and a desire to find a solution has a positive impact on the customer and is an opportunity to leave a good impression on other users. If the situation requires further explanation, it's best to move the conversation to the privacy of direct messages.
The company itself assures that people who send negative messages prefer the company to address their concerns, which, in turn, will encourage them to trust the business again and make purchases. Maintaining this service requires time and effort, so it's best, in the case of an SME, to assign this task to the same person who handles complaints from other channels, such as the physical store.
LinkedIn is the most popular professional networking site on the Internet. Therefore, companies must have a profile where they can publish articles, videos, photographs, and links. Román recommends, however, that business owners focus their efforts on their professional profile. "It's very useful to give visibility to the faces behind the company," he adds. This platform, Vázquez asserts, is losing its more corporatist nature in favor of a more human one. LinkedIn rewards content that reflects on the world of work, that shows the behind-the-scenes of the company: who works there and what their day-to-day work is like. Even how they deal with problems generates a positive impact on users.
Source of figures: 'Digital 2022' report.
Companies have at their disposal the Digital Kit Program to acquire digital tools to boost their businesses' visibility, sell online, and optimize their production processes. This initiative, part of the Spanish Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan (PRTR) and funded by the European Next Generation EU fund, delivers digital bonds, between 2,000 and 12,000 euros, which small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can use with technology companies accredited by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation, known as digitalization agents.
Among these grants is one worth €2,500 for establishing a social media strategy. This grant can be processed through the Acelera Pyme website. Before applying for any aid, it's helpful to seek the advice of a specialist, such as a bank manager, who will answer any questions business leaders may have and help them successfully complete the process.