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TikTok Text Posts
Summary
Social media has become an integral part of marketing strategies for small businesses. With numerous platforms available, each catering to different audiences and content types, choosing the right one can be daunting. In this blog, we will compare the pros and cons of three evolving platforms for small business owners: Twitter, Instagram Threads, and TikTok text posts.
Pros
Wide Reach and Engagement
Twitter boasts a large user base, allowing small businesses to connect with a vast audience. Its real-time nature enables immediate engagement with customers, fostering quick communication.
Hashtags and Trends
Using hashtags effectively can help businesses reach a broader audience and tap into trending topics, increasing visibility and engagement.
Networking and Brand Building
Twitter is excellent for networking with potential partners, influencers, and industry leaders. It also helps build brand identity through regular interactions.
Customer Support
Businesses can provide prompt customer support and address queries and concerns directly on the platform, enhancing customer satisfaction.
Twitter has been one of the most widely used social media platforms of the last 15 or so years.
Cons
Character Limitation
Twitter's character limit of 280 characters can be challenging when conveying detailed messages or information about products and services.
Fast-paced Environment
The fast-paced nature of Twitter means tweets can get buried quickly, reducing the longevity of the content.
Negative Feedback
Negative feedback or criticism can be amplified on Twitter, potentially harming a business's reputation if not handled carefully.
However, since Elon Musk took over in late 2022, it's diminished in popularity and is now expected to be worth just one-third of what he purchased it for.
The lack of enthusiasm could be attributed to putting some features behind a paywall, such as the ability to view unlimited tweets and become verified. The number of changes being made to the platform are seen by some as a desperate clutching of straws to stay relevant, such as rebranding as X.
Instagram Threads
Pros
Engaged Community
Instagram's user base is highly engaged, with users actively interacting with content through likes, comments, and shares.
Influencer Marketing
Collaborating with influencers on Instagram can significantly boost brand awareness and reach new audiences.
Integration
Meta's ownership of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp allows for seamless cross-platform integration. Small business owners can leverage their presence on these platforms and extend their reach to Threads effortlessly. Businesses can maximise their visibility and impact by connecting with their existing followers while attracting new ones, and amplifying their marketing efforts for optimal results.
Meta (owners of Facebook and WhatsApp) launched Threads on 5th July 2023.
Cons
Algorithmic Feed
Instagram's algorithmic feed can make it challenging for businesses to ensure their posts reach their entire audience.
Limited Opportunities
Instagram's restrictions on linking in posts can hinder driving traffic directly to a website or specific landing pages.
Threads can currently only be used on mobile, not desktop, making it harder to organise and visualise posts before you submit them.
Restricted Advertising Options
While Threads offers opportunities for organic content promotion, it does not currently provide a platform for paid ads. However, Meta has claimed they will be looking into this in the future.
Threads saw a colossal 100 million sign-ups in 5 days, taking the crown from ChatGPT for the most rapidly downloaded app ever. However, interest has waned since its initial success and has seen a 70% decline in daily active users since its peak.
Threads looked to pose a threat to Twitter, but has failed to hit the mark.
TikTok Text Posts
Pros
Simplicity
TikTok's text posts offer a simple and straightforward way to share content without the need for elaborate visuals or video production.
Explore Page Exposure
Engaging text posts have the potential to appear on TikTok's Explore page, exposing the content to a broader audience.
Authenticity and Creativity
The platform encourages creativity and authenticity, allowing small businesses to connect with younger, Gen Z audiences.
Viral Potential
TikTok's algorithm can quickly propel text posts into virality, generating significant brand exposure.
TikTok has been around since 2016 but grew hugely in popularity in the Covid-19 pandemic.
Cons
Limited Formatting
TikTok's text posts have limited formatting options, potentially restricting the presentation of certain content. Also, one of TikTok's main selling points is the engagement factor within its video posts, so it remains to be seen how the pull of sole text posts will work.
Target Audience
While popular among younger audiences, TikTok may not be the ideal platform for all businesses, especially those targeting older demographics.
Short Lifespan
TikTok's content moves rapidly, meaning posts may have a short lifespan before being pushed down by newer content.
Summary
In conclusion, each platform offers unique advantages and drawbacks for small business owners. Twitter's real-time engagement and networking opportunities can be beneficial, but its character limitation may pose challenges. Instagram Threads provides a visually appealing space for brand-building, yet its algorithmic feed and limited linking options can hinder growth. TikTok text posts, on the other hand, offer viral potential and authenticity but may not suit all target audiences.
Ultimately, the best choice for a small business will depend on its specific goals, target audience, and content capabilities. Combining multiple platforms may be the most effective approach, allowing businesses to leverage the strengths of each platform and reach a more diverse audience.
