Technology is transforming the way modern business functions, and social media has become a necessity to companies in a wide range of industries. It’s often hard for companies to navigate and develop a social media presence with no prior experience, so where do they begin?

In the book, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook, author Gary Vaynerchuk explains that people question whether social media has business value, but in reality it’s a real science that can make or break companies. Social media reminds him of boxing because it’s very detailed and you have to “give, give, give and then ask”. Furthermore, Vaynerchuk explains that the word of mouth matters and social media has led us to a smaller world where word travels quickly. He made a point to say that social media networks are a great place to natively tell stories – but it’s all about how you do it.

It’s also important to keep in mind that not everything works for everyone. Even though Instagram is on the rise is that the best platform for your company’s goals and messaging? The key to success is understanding what each platform is good at. For example, Professor Amy Haimerl explains that Facebook is a must-do for businesses for reaching anyone over 25, and the platform with the broadest reach. Twitter is great for discussion and dialogue, and Instagram is ideal for visually rich media or to find a community with like-minded users. In any case, it’s critical to think about social media as a place to land potential investors and customers, according to Amy Haimerl.

When deciding what platform works best for your business, it’s important to ask three simple questions. According an article on Blue Corona those questions are:

1. Are you B2C, B2B, or both?
2. What’s your target audience?
3. What’s your overall goal?

According to an article on Fast Company, 92 percent of marketers indict that social media is an increasingly essential tool, and I think it’s important to understand who YOU are as a company before entering the world of social platforms.

An article from Thrive Hive explains that the biggest benefit for social media is its ability to directly connect businesses to their audiences while delivering nearly immediate feedback from them. In order to form this connection, it’s important for companies to know how to allocate their brand and messaging on the RIGHT platform to the RIGHT people.

As we navigate this changing world of social media, it’s important that we know how to take advantage of the powers that each individual platform has to offer. If you’re starting your own company, or are looking for growth with your existing company, don’t stray away from social media – it’s time to become a master of the future.