Your business is probably already on Facebook and LinkedIn if it is a B2B business. But there seems to be a new social media platform just about every week. No doubt you have heard about Instagram, Pinterest, Google Plus, and Twitter recently. So what are they and does your business need to be on them?Google+: One of the benefits of Google + is that your page, along with your posts can show on the right-hand side of Google search results, amplifying your presence on Google. If you have a male dominated market (68% of Google+ users are men), or if you are in technology, Google + could be a good fit for you.Pinterest: Allows you to show pin boards, and share ‘pins’ with others. Pinterest is great if you have high quality photos and a female dominated market, especially if you are in ecommerce or fashion and design. It gives you freedom to show off your business in an artistic way. People can ‘re-pin’ and quickly grow spread your brand with friends. 83% of Pinterest users are females between 18 and 34, with 70% of Pinterest users there for shopping inspiration.Facebook: Is still the main player in social media, with over 55% of Australians being users. It is not only for B2B business, B2B has a place here too. Releasing regular company updates and sharing interesting news for your followers is a great way to get more exposure and start a conversation with your customers. Recently Facebook has geared their algorithm more towards 'promoted' posts which means the platform requires a bit of budget to get your key promotions out there unless they are 'viral' promotions where people naturally share them.Instagram: Instagram is an exciting way to share images and generate customer engagement. Instagram allows you to post micro-videos which give businesses the opportunity to simplify their message. The platform is superb if you are an 'image' based business such as fashion, art, retail, interior design etc where you have plenty of 'cool' engaging content to take pictures of and post.Twitter: 53% of business in the information and communication sector reported the highest rate of Twitter usage. If you have lots of events, or news, Twitter is perfect for generating discussion. Twitter does require you to be active on the platform to build up relationships, trigger re-tweets and grow followings, so while the return can be great, it is more of a hands on social media platform.LinkedIn: Continues to be a big mover for B2B markets, with company usage jumping this year from 24% to 57%. If you are a professional services business, LinkedIn is for you. They now offer showcase pages to help you share more information on particular products or services.If your time for social media management is limited, two to three platforms is enough. It is better to start off with one platform than to branch out to too many and not reach your target market effectively.If you need any help with managing your social media, the Bang Online team would love to help! We offer training and full social media packages to suit your unique goals, so get in touch to find out more.