Social media has become an indispensable tool for businesses to engage with customers, increase brand visibility, and boost sales. 92% of consumers trust social media and word of mouth over any other form of advertising, making it an essential platform for industries aiming to grow and thrive. Although nearly all industries can utilize the power of social media, some have used it in particular ways that have proven very effective.
Industries That Benefit Most from Social Media
Following are the industries that have learned how to capitalize on the power of social media:
1. Entertainment
The entertainment sector owes its existence to social media, spreading content incredibly fast with millions within minutes. Social media’s visual and interactive nature is perfectly suited to entertainment, from movies and TV shows to music and gaming.
Key insights:
– Content engagement: According to a study conducted in 2015, the entertainment industry dominated social media with 63.2% of posts across major platforms, far surpassing industries like retail (12.4%).
– Content type: Interestingly, although photos and images are almost the main modes in other fields, the entertainment industry mainly used the main mode, containing as much as 79.3% of posts. This indicates that written material and links remain extremely powerful for attracting attention, even in a visual environment.
Best practices:
Entertainment brands leverage social media to generate anticipation around releases, interact with audiences in real-time through live streams, and curate exclusive content that motivates sharing by users. They also use social media sites such as YouTube and Instagram to market visually oriented content, i.e., trailers, clips, and so on.
2. Real estate
Social media has become a versatile weapon for real estate agents to promote properties, contact their prospects, and build up a credible online presence.
Key insights:
– Social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram) gives real estate agents, brokers, and developers the tools to advertise the available properties, run advertising that is targeted to specific groups of consumers, and even conduct virtual tours.
– Targeted advertising: Specifically, Facebook is a very effective marketing tool for real estate, as it allows the realtor to reach possible buyers thanks to their geolocalization, interests, and so on.
Best practices:
Real estate agents can produce very good posts with images, videos, and virtual tours of real estate properties. When actively engaging followers with the user-generated content, or when requesting users to share the listings among their network of contacts, the scope of the listings also increases.
3. Retail
Retailers are among the largest social media users, making use of social media tools to phenotype products, announce sales, and so on, and communicate with customers on the go.
Key insights:
– Brand engagement: Giant businesses such as Target or Costco use social networks to communicate with customers, while small shops allow them to receive direct feedback regarding new products.
– Customer loyalty: Social media allows retailers to build a loyal following by providing customer support, responding to inquiries, and offering personalized recommendations.
Best practices:
Retailers can leverage social media to promote sales, post-consumer content, and conduct flash sales. Businesses, on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, can publish targeted ads that bring traffic to their e-commerce stores.
4. Education
Social media has been an irreplaceable means for student recruitment, education, and alumni relations in the education sector.
Key insights:
– Universities and colleges have become masters of social media and use social media as tools for a variety of recruitment, event promotion, and fundraising purposes.
– Fundraising: A recent study revealed that 57% of colleges use social media as a key component of their fundraising efforts, showing how schools are leveraging platforms to stay connected with alumni and donors.
Best practices:
This includes campaigns to increase applications, more effectively promote campus events, and communicate directly with students. Social media can be also used as one effective means to attract the student body through the use of targeted ads that are based on their interests and location.
5. Healthcare
In addition to the industries mentioned above, social media strategy for healthcare has proven to be an essential tool. Healthcare organizations have used social media to promote wellness campaigns, engage with patients, and share medical breakthroughs. By utilizing social media platforms, healthcare providers can reach a wider audience and foster better communication with patients, leading to improved patient care and trust.
Key insights:
- Patient engagement: Healthcare providers can connect with patients, share educational content, and answer questions, which helps in improving overall patient satisfaction.
- Brand trust: Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn allow healthcare professionals to build trust by sharing accurate health information and personal success stories.
Best practices: Healthcare organizations can use social media to post informative content, including health tips, patient testimonials, and health-related news. Engaging patients in conversations and responding to inquiries helps in building a loyal and trusting online community.
Selecting the right social media platform for your industry
Each industry benefits from different social media platforms, depending on the nature of the content and the target audience. Here’s a platform selection guide for your business:
Step-by-Step Guide:
Identify your target audience: Understand where your audience spends their time. Is it Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn?
Match content with platforms: If you think about visuals, Instagram and YouTube are good options. For professional content, LinkedIn might be a better fit.
Analyze competitors: Examine what platforms your competition is using and evaluate their effectiveness. This can be useful to gain an in-depth understanding of which platforms are useful in your field.
Test and refine your strategy: Don’t be afraid to experiment. Keep an eye on the effectiveness of your social media outreach and adjust these as needed.
Platform deep dive
Facebook: Universal and versatile, Facebook is beneficial across many industries. It provides the ability to advertise and interact with audiences in a way they can respond to (i.e., comments, shares, and likes).
LinkedIn: Best for B2B companies and their professionals, LinkedIn not only facilitates valuable business relationships, industry-relevant content sharing, and professional network interactions.
Instagram: Instagram is a visual knockout and is perfect for businesses such as fashion, beauty, food, and travel. Featuring Stories, Reels, and Shopping, it provides a community for both commercial and e-commerce marketing.
When following Instagram best practices, businesses can maximize engagement and brand visibility by creating visually appealing content, leveraging hashtags, and posting consistently. These strategies help businesses build a loyal audience and strengthen their digital presence on the platform.
Twitter: A medium for real-time communication, Twitter plays a particularly important role in such industries as journalism, media, and customer service. It’s the platform of first choice, for rapid content, engagement with customers, and virality.
Conclusion
Social media’s impact on industries is undeniable. From entertainment and fashion to education and real estate, firms that learn to leverage these platforms effectively are at a clear advantage. Using the proper platform, creating interesting content, and maintaining communication with your industry can all keep your industry thriving during the digital era. Social media is not a game of likes and shares, but also a tool for building real connections that lead, in turn, to real business growth.
