The power of social media is not in the number of people your brand has the potential to reach. This mindset takes us down the road of being obsessed with the number of users and the number of followers. Numbers that mean absolutely nothing without an understanding of what they represent.

On the other hand, social media marketing power is shown when one user’s action is shared with his or her connections, and their actions spread to their respective connections. It’s online word of mouth. So, instead of focusing on the number of people, marketers first need to understand what action they want people to take — what they want them to do that will spread to others.

Different Platforms for Different Actions

Consumers have diversified their social platforms. They’re not focused on one or two. Instead, they use different communities to connect with different people, to share different content and to behave differently.

eMarketer released findings on different user behavior on a variety of platforms. Major platforms like Facebook are important when it comes to consuming content, but more niche platforms are more likely to encourage sharing.

Different Audiences With Different Actions

No brand’s segment of consumers will be exactly the same. They’ll behave differently on different platforms, which means it’s important to first understand who your audience is, what you want them to do and where they’re more likely to exhibit that behavior. Without this understanding, a brand can find itself trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. In other words, they’re trying to get consumers to take an action they wouldn’t otherwise take.

Ask yourself if the current platforms you’re using are encouraging the behavior you want.