In today’s digital age, consumption of social media is practically inevitable. Whether you’re interacting and engaging as a consumer or absorbing news from a broadcast program (which is now often integrated with social media newsfeeds), you are living in a social media affluent world. Now the million dollar question comes down to which platform are you using and why are you using it? Since everyone has their own preferences, and each platform serves its own purpose, KCD PR’s team of content marketing experts decided to dish out their favorites for both personal and professional use.
Kevin Dinino
Professionally, I love the ability to have news at my fingertips with Twitter. It’s my morning (and evening) ritual to stay updated on news and to interact with followers in real time. Twitter is also the one social media platform that is easier to use on a mobile device via their app – although their web presence has improved lately. Here’s to hoping they can figure out a way to monetize as it’s a truly valuable resource.
Outside of work, I’ve been dabbling with broadcasting with Periscope lately and really enjoy the ability to stream video and broadcast to a community of followers. My wife recently went to a concert that I was able to watch on Periscope even though I was home dog sitting!
Ryan Hall
Professionally, I have and probably always will prefer LinkedIn. It has proven invaluable when it comes to business networking and research. The Groups feature is an easy way to connect with other like-minded professionals and LinkedIn Publisher is a great way to establish your voice and expertise in your particular field.
On a personal level, I really love Twitter. It’s a great way to get a glimpse of what’s happening in the world and to see what’s trending. Twitter is also incredibly entertaining during the larger nationally televised events, like a big game, a presidential debate or an awards show… just beware of the trolls.
Tony Vignieri
By far, my favorite professional platform is LinkedIn. It keeps me up-to-date on what my professional colleagues are doing as well as what’s happening with friends. Additionally, the articles that are shared are of great value and easy to digest on a busy day. One thing I wish LinkedIn would stop doing is allowing skill endorsements by people who don’t really know you.
My favorite personal platform is Twitter. Easy to use, easy to navigate and easy to get your message across.
Amanda Powers
As a PR professional, Twitter is an invaluable resource for research on media and trends, as well as establishing and fostering professional relationships. When it comes to media relations, Twitter is one of the best places to connect with reporters and journalists. From pitching to keeping in touch and tracking breaking news, it’s one of my favorite platforms for work!
Instagram is a personal favorite! Between sharing photos and coming up with creative (read: sassy) captions, Instagram is one of the best places to build a personal brand. I also LOVE being able to see what my favorite celebs are up to (cannot get enough of Taylor Swift (#squadgoals) and Chrissy Teigen) and keep tabs on family and friends!
Sobia Siddiqui
For professional purposes, Instagram is a favorite. In an age where digital marketing is all about reaching consumers on a personal level, Instagram is the best social channel for fostering engagement. As people, we crave to share our stories visually and let’s face it, visual storytelling is a true art form on Instagram. Marketers should know the key to success when strategizing on Instagram, is to ensure you’re reaching your target demographic by tapping into the appropriate influencers and keeping content transparent. Take a look at Nike, for example, sure we all love shoes, but Nike has done an outstanding job of understanding the psychology of their Instagram users. Nike’s photos tell a story, while providing a platform for their customers to be seen. They are committed to creating content that is focused on their audience rather than generic product features.
Snapchat is my choice for a personal platform. I love that Snapchat is intentionally ephemeral – allowing your updates to disappear after a period of time (though now you can pay to see a Snap update for a second time). But that’s not all, I also love Snapchat for making it easier to watch live events without physically being there. Snapchat is quickly becoming the go-to media platform for promoting trending events such as the 2016 Presidential Campaigns, NFL Sundays and more.
Kelly Gardner
For professional purposes, LinkedIn is by far my favorite platform. As a PR/marketing professional it is important to stay up-to-date on industry trends, connect with fellow peers and show off your work. LinkedIn provides a platform to perform all of these tasks. When taken advantage of properly, LinkedIn can be a very powerful tool for your professional profile.
On a personal level, I am quite fond of Twitter. While it definitely took some time to grow on me, I’ve found that Twitter’s doses of digestible news allow me to track trends in a number of different industries at the same time. I also find Twitter to be a great place to test what content works and what content doesn’t. With only 140 characters, marketers are forced to think outside the box and get creative in order to entice readers to dig deeper.
Charles Jiang
Believe it or not, I actually really like Facebook for professional networking. The platform is extremely versatile and really opens up a channel for creativity and fun. When used correctly it can be a huge asset to building a personal or professional brand.
My favorite social media platform in a non-professional environment is Deviant Art. It’s an online community for artists to display their art and connect with other artists. There’s also a marketplace for artists to sell digital or print copies of their work. It’s where I go for inspiration and to see the latest trends in digital art.
With so many platforms to choose from, and so many new social media channels emerging all the time, there is something for everyone. With a little experimentation you can hone in on which social media medium is perfect for you – whether it be for personal use or professional. We would love to hear what your favorite social media channels are and why! Share below in the comments!
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