Most people have a good understanding about what common social media platforms offer. Some think the more the better (target as many people on all corners of social media and you’ll reach more potential customers), but with social media this isn’t necessarily the case. The best way to approach social media is to find channels that are the most beneficial to your business’s unique needs. Each platform attracts different age, gender and even industry demographics. Depending on your target audience you want to be present on the platforms your audience is using most often. If you try targeting all the the platforms, you will easily become overwhelmed with trying to keep up with them all, and you’ll spread your energy far too thin.
Facebook:
Facebook is the best platform to start on for almost any business, it has the widest range of age demographics, and currently has 2.38 billion active monthly users. This is a great platform to make connections and build community. You can easily share important aspects of your business, and find potential customers. On this platform you want to post videos and curated content. Although if your business is targeting a younger audience, ages 13-17 this age group spends less time on Facebook than 18 and up.
Instagram:
Instagram has quickly become a massive platform, with 1 billion active monthly users. This platform is great for product based businesses. It has a shopping feature makes it easy for users to purchase your product in-app. Instagram is focused on creativity and building community. If your target demographic is under 35 this is a platform you cannot skip. 63% of users are between the ages of 18 to 34. To make it even better, it’s virtually an even split between male and female users. On this platform you want to post good quality aesthetically pleasing images and stories. Use this platform to become more personal with your customers.
TikTok:
While TikTok started out as a platform for Gen Z and younger, focusing mainly on fun dance videos and comedy, it is now one of the fasting growing and arguably influential platforms out there. A TikTok study found that 37% of TikTok users instantly seek to buy a product upon discovering it. This is a platform you won’t want to ignore as a business. The community on this platform is very unique as users are more likely to engage with accounts they have never connected with before just to be a part of the conversation, which makes it easier for brands to grow faster. Keep content on this platform short and snappy, and don’t come off too salesy.
X:
X is the go-to platform for being updated on the latest news and trends, it is fairly fast paced so posting often is key. This is another great platform for sharing interesting information, or contributing to a conversation about your industry. Studies show that posting content with visuals does significantly better than without, although other studies show posting your traditional “one liner” post is just as good (we’ll leave it up to you to decide for your business on this one.) This platform also tends to have a younger audience 38% user are 18-29. But with that said, still a high number of users age 30-49 are active on X making up for 26% of adult users. Both male and females are active on X so if your business targets one or the other, or both this is a great platform to gain exposure.
LinkedIn:
LinkedIn is one of the best platforms for professionals. This channel is best used for business-to-business brands aiming to make interactions with the decision makers of a business. Gender demographics are well balanced here as neither male or females are more active on this platform. Businesses are looking for certain industries or job titles rather than ages or genders. This is a great place to post job openings, update other business owners and professionals on company changes and share professional content. 34% of users between the ages of 18 to 29 and 33% of users between the ages of 30 to 49 are active on LinkedIn.
Pinterest:
Pinterest is a platform that is often overlooked as it used to be a community of home makers sharing recipes and DIY projects. While this is still true, the user base is more female dominant on this platform, 50% of new accounts are being made by males. Pinterest should be seen as a search engine more than a social media platform. Two billion searches are made every month. It’s a great site to direct traffic to your website and gain exposure for blog post, and products. The content on this platform is highly product based, as users on Pinterest are usually searching for a product.
Snapchat:
This platform may not be the most popular for all people, but did you know that Snapchat is in the top three for users who are ages 15-25? Who knew?? (Except for me, of course.) Most people thought it had gone by the wayside, but it is alive and well and consistently ranks as the most important social network app for teens. Are you trying to reach teens? Well, it might be time for you to learn how to use snapchat!
Youtube:
We all know Youtube pretty well; it’s been around for nearly as long as Facebook and was the first platform that many of us found ourselves able to videos. Youtube has allowed creators to put their work out there without needing a publisher to distribute it. It has also allowed major artists to connect with their fans. And that’s where you come in. Put a voice and a face to your company. Give your brand some real personality. Let your audience connect with you and feel like they know you and build trust with you. Youtube also has Shorts that works a whole lot like TikTok short video format. It’s a great way to get people to find you!
There are more platforms you join, but these are the biggest ones to focus on as they are popular. Social media is a great way to reach more people and build rapport with customers. It’s a way to show off your aspects of your business that may otherwise be looked over.
Tip: remember to be social on the accounts you have, respond/leave comments, and share things you find interesting. Whatever your company culture may be let your content also express this same energy to your viewers. Your account can be whatever you want it to be, not just what everyone else in your industry is doing!