Social media has truly changed the way people do business. Social media is so powerful because it's also opened a new way for people to establish brands and it's even allowed people to enjoy a new profession. Social media specialist, consultants, and managers wouldn't have jobs without this amazing portal. With this understanding, any business owner that doesn't maintain a strong social media presence is doing their company a serious disservice. There are so many ways to use social media to grow your business and they're pretty simple to begin implementing. 

Facebook

Facebook first gained popularity in 2005 and continues to emerge as the main portal people use. When you're just starting out, open up a business page. Create a logo for your business and make sure that you regularly share interesting content. When you're dealing with Facebook, the crowd on this portal love to read interesting stories. If you have a long, touching story to share regarding your business, don't hold back on the details. When a few people like it, the Facebook algorithms will take note and place the content in front of more eyeballs. As you progress in your ability to use Facebook well, it's a great idea to invest in Facebook ads. Facebook advertising is an excellent way to strategically get your products or services in front of more people. Facebook advertising is relatively inexpensive to start with as well. 

Instagram

While Facebook reaches everyone from the Baby Boomer and down, Instagram seems to be filled with Millennials. This particular app is specifically conducive to photos and visually appealing graphics. The quality of your pictures will make a big difference in how successful you are on Instagram. Instagram also has an 'Instatories' feature which is similar to the app, Snapchat. In this feature, you can create 15-second snapshots of content. This is perfect for people who'd like to share content throughout the day, but don't want to flood anyone's timeline. With Instagram, it's best to schedule your posts and avoid flooding the timeline. If you do this, you'll risk losing followers. It's also wise to use hashtags and interact with those who follow your brand. 

Pinterest

Pinterest is heavily dominated by women, but there is still a wide variety of demographics among users. Many business maintain Pinterest accounts and update their pages regularly, like this page for ACN Inc. When you're dealing with Pinterest, it's important to make sure the graphics clearly state what the post is about. The graphics should be eye-catching and appealing. Use the correct keywords so that your brand is easy to find. Join group boards and share your content on a regular basis. Relevant group boards will allow your content to get in front of the right eyeballs. 

YouTube

If you have a lot of information to share or like to do tutorials, YouTube is a great place to set-up your social media efforts. In addition to using the right keywords, search engine optimization is important because YouTube is directly linked to Google. Once your content reaches the top of the charts in YouTube, it'll be easy for people to find you on Google. Make sure to use good, natural lighting when you're filming. Invest in a microphone for clarity. Don't forget to share the videos among your other social media channels. 

Twitter

Twitter continues to be a great source of thoughtful content and conversation. Between the use of hashtags and staying plugged in, you'll be able to gather an honest understanding of what people are looking for and what their needs revolve around. As a business owner, you want to make sure your product answers a need. You can also join the conversation and stay right in the mix regarding your customers. You'll also want to make sure you create a custom hashtag so people can contact you easily when they're discussing your company. 

These five social media platforms are incredibly effective for building a business. As long as you remain consistent with your marketing efforts and remain open to ways you can improve, you'll be able to push the needle in the right direction with the use of social media.