Which Social Media Platforms to Use
Social media channels are a great way to reach your customers and create brand awareness across the internet. It’s also a great way to get people talking about your company. But when you’re just starting out, it can be hard to know how to make the most of your social media presence with a variety of social networks at your fingertips.
Let’s take a look at the different social media platforms that are available when to use which platform/app, and how to use social media effectively for your business.
What Is Social Media?
Social media is a tool that allows users to build networks and groups of contacts to manage relationships and friendships.
Individual users create a profile and post about anything they want to share with their group. They consider how to present themselves online to create a personal brand.
And, if they have a significant following, they can become ‘influencers’ to share sponsored content with their audience.
What Are the Top Social Media Sites?
Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world with over 2.9 billion users, though it has similar audiences to other platforms, such as Twitter and Instagram. Here are the figures for the most popular social media websites as of January 2023:
- Facebook (2.96 billion users)
- YouTube (2.51 billion users)
- WhatsApp (2 billion users)
- Instagram (2 billion users)
- WeChat (1.31 billion users)
- TikTok (1.05 billion users)
- Facebook Messenger (931 million users)
- Douyin (715 million users)
- Telegram (700 million users)
- Snapchat (635 million users)
Why Is Social Media Important?
Social media has been a powerful disruptor and has considerable influence in society, with over half of the global population active (see below).
The size of the potential audience and influence cannot be ignored.
Social media channels allow individuals access to a huge audience with almost no barriers to entry to build their personal brands as influencers.
Brands can also reach their audiences and target a niche selection of individuals to build communities and then project laser-targeted messaging, all at minimal costs.
However, with that level of influence also comes responsibility. Just under half of U.S. adults get their news from social media, with Facebook being the most used site. Meanwhile, 94% of journalists use social media for their jobs, with Twitter using the most.
Social media companies hold considerable power to influence the population. As history has shown us, news feeds can be manipulated by bad actors to proliferate misinformation.
Which Social Media Platforms to Use
Your business does not have to be on every single social media platform, but it does help to utilize different platforms that suit your goals. The social media platforms that you should use for your business will depend on your target audience, the type of content you want to share, and your overall marketing strategy.
Here’s an overview of when to use which social media platform and how to use them in an effective way.
LinkedIn is a powerful social media platform for businesses, particularly those in the B2B (business-to-business) space. Here are some reasons why LinkedIn is good for businesses:
Professional network: LinkedIn is a professional networking site with over 740 million members, making it a valuable platform for businesses to connect with other professionals in their industry.
B2B targeting: LinkedIn is particularly useful for businesses that target other businesses. The platform allows businesses to target their ads to specific industries, job titles, and company sizes, making it easier to reach decision-makers.
Facebook can be a powerful tool for either a large or small business to reach its target audience and build brand awareness. Here are some reasons why:
Large audience: With over 2.8 billion monthly active users, Facebook provides businesses with a massive audience to reach. This means that businesses can use Facebook to connect with potential customers and increase their visibility.
Cost-effective: Compared to traditional advertising channels, such as TV or radio, Facebook advertising can be relatively inexpensive. Businesses can set a budget that works for them and track the performance of their ads in real time.
Analytics: Facebook provides businesses with a wealth of analytics and insights that they can use to track the performance of their ads and make data-driven decisions. This means that businesses can use analytics to optimize their ads to improve their performance and their social media marketing strategy over time.
Targeted advertising: Facebook’s advertising platform allows businesses to target specific audiences based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and more. This means that businesses can create ads that are highly relevant to their target audience, which can result in higher engagement and conversions.
Engagement: Facebook provides businesses with a platform to engage with their customers and build relationships with Facebook users. Businesses can use Facebook to respond to customer inquiries, provide customer support, and share valuable content that their audience will find useful.
Pinterest works well for businesses that want to share visual content, such as home decor, DIY projects, and recipes.
YouTube: YouTube is useful for businesses that want to share longer-form video content, such as tutorials, demonstrations, and product reviews.
Nearly 77% of Pinterest users are women, but the age demographics are all across the board, showing that people of all ages love Pinterest.
38% of Pinterest users are between the ages of 50 and 65, 34% are aged 30-49, and 32% are aged 18-29.
Instagram is the perfect place to share visual content, including photos, graphics, and videos. It’s also a great platform for building a relationship with your followers and showing them what goes on behind the scenes.
Visual content: Instagram is primarily a visual platform with extensive content creation tools which makes it an excellent tool for businesses to showcase their products and services through photos and videos. This can be particularly useful for businesses in the fashion, beauty, food, and travel industries. Studies have shown that utilizing Instagram is one of the best tools in a successful social media marketing strategy.
Influencer marketing: Instagram is a popular platform for influencers, who have a large and engaged following. Businesses can partner with influencers to promote their products and services, which can help increase their brand awareness and drive sales.
Engagement: Instagram provides businesses with a platform to engage with their customers and build relationships. Businesses can use Instagram to respond to customer service inquiries, provide customer support, and share valuable content that their audience will find useful.
Large audience: Instagram has over 1 billion active users, making it one of the largest social media platforms in the world with the most engagement. This means that businesses have access to a wide audience that they can connect with.
Targeted advertising: Instagram’s advertising platform allows businesses to target their ads to specific audiences based on demographics, interests, behaviors, and more. This means that businesses can create ads that are highly relevant to their target audience, which can result in higher engagement and conversions.
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