To start things off, we need to explore the basics of social media platforms and the different reasons why people use them. You need to know why people use certain platforms, to help you identify the best way to target are buying audience.
First up is Facebook. This platform is primarily used for socializing and building relationships. You can host groups for your niche or create a Facebook fan page to connect with your audience. Even if your product or service is not directly related to their interests, Facebook can still work as long as you focus on building relationships. However, it’s important to note that you may need to automate the process or have someone check the page daily to respond to messages. Also, not all markets may be on Facebook, so it’s important to figure out where your audience spends most of their time.
Facebook Facts
- Facebook has over 2.9 billion monthly active users, making it the largest social media platform in the world.
- 74% of Facebook users check the platform every day, and the average user spends 38 minutes per day on Facebook.
- Facebook is popular across all age groups, with 69% of US adults using the platform.
- Facebook has a diverse user base, with 56% of users being female and 44% being male.
- Facebook offers a variety of advertising options, including targeting by demographics, interests, behaviors, and location.
- Facebook allows businesses to create a company page where they can share information about their products or services, engage with customers, and receive customer feedback.
- Facebook’s algorithms prioritize content that sparks meaningful interactions, which means businesses can create content that encourages engagement and reach a larger audience.
- Facebook offers detailed analytics and insights, allowing businesses to track their page’s performance, measure engagement, and adjust their strategies accordingly.
Overall, Facebook provides businesses with a powerful platform to reach a massive audience, build relationships with customers, and drive sales.
YouTube
Next up is YouTube, which is primarily used for entertainment and learning. It’s a great platform for showcasing DIY niches and providing tutorials. The younger generations, particularly millennials and Gen Z, spend most of their time on YouTube instead of TV. They don’t necessarily go on the platform to build relationships, but to learn from experts and authority figures in their niche.
YouTube Facts
- YouTube has over 2 billion monthly active users and is the second most visited website in the world after Google.
- YouTube reaches more 18-49 year-olds in the U.S. than any cable network.
- Over 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, making it a vast source of content on virtually any topic.
- YouTube has over 1 billion hours of video watched every day.
- 70% of YouTube watch time comes from mobile devices.
- YouTube is available in over 100 countries and can be accessed in over 80 languages.
- YouTube offers a variety of ad formats, including TrueView ads, bumper ads, and sponsored cards, which can help businesses reach their target audience effectively.
- YouTube offers detailed analytics to help businesses understand their audience and improve their content strategy.
- YouTube influencers and creators have large, engaged audiences, making it a great platform for influencer marketing.
- YouTube can help businesses improve their SEO by providing an additional platform to rank for relevant search terms.
Overall, businesses should use YouTube because it offers a massive and engaged audience, a wide range of ad formats, and detailed analytics to help businesses reach and engage with their target audience effectively. Additionally, YouTube can be a valuable tool for influencer marketing and improving SEO.
Moving on to Instagram, this platform is primarily used for following celebrities and getting a glimpse of their day-to-day lives. It’s an excellent way to build a deeper relationship with your audience by sharing your personal life and business promotions. Instagram is more of a one-on-one relationship-building platform compared to YouTube, which is more focused on tutorials and DIY niches.
Instagram Facts
- As of January 2023, Instagram has over 1.2 billion active users.
- 81% of people use Instagram to research products and services.
- 130 million Instagram users tap on shopping posts every month.
- Instagram has the highest engagement rate among all social media platforms, with an average of 1.22%.
- Instagram Stories have over 500 million daily active users.
- Instagram influencers with fewer than 1,000 followers have a higher engagement rate of 7.2% compared to those with over 100,000 followers, who have an engagement rate of 1.21%.
- Instagram users under the age of 25 spend over 32 minutes per day on the platform, while those 25 and older spend more than 24 minutes per day.
- Instagram is the second most popular social media platform for businesses, with 90% of businesses having an Instagram account.
- Instagram is a highly visual platform, with 60% of users saying they discover new products through the platform.
Based on these statistics, businesses should consider using Instagram as a platform to showcase their products and services through visually appealing content. Instagram’s high engagement rate and the fact that users often use the platform to research products make it an ideal platform for businesses to connect with potential customers.
The popularity of Instagram Stories also presents an opportunity for businesses to provide behind-the-scenes content and connect with their audience on a more personal level.
Of course, just the fact that Instagram is highly popular among younger demographics makes it a valuable platform for businesses looking to target that age group.
Please remember that each social media platform has its own unique features and ways of engaging with users.
For example, Instagram is heavily focused on visual content, and features like Stories and Reels allow for more creative and interactive ways of sharing content. Facebook, on the other hand, has a wider range of features such as groups, events, and messaging, making it a more versatile platform for businesses to connect with their audience. Make sure you understand the strengths and limitations of each platform before you make them a part of your marketing strategy.
And now… up next is the quintessential forum for all things – Reddit.
You’ve undoubtedly heard of Reddit before and while Reddit is primarily a platform for information sharing and discussion, with a public forum-style format, it does have a place for businesses.
The forum is used to share news and facilitating discussions about various topics, which means you could integrate yourself and get involved by answering discussions with your own expertise and showcasing your knowledge.
Reddit Facts
- Reddit has over 430 million active users.
- The majority of Reddit users are male (67%) and in the age range of 18-29 years old (59%).
- Reddit has an average session duration of 16 minutes and 34 seconds, making it one of the stickiest social media platforms.
- Reddit has been found to have the highest user engagement of any social media platform, with users spending an average of 10 minutes per session.
- Subreddits (communities within Reddit) are highly targeted and niche-focused, making it a great platform for businesses to connect with specific audiences.
- Reddit has a highly engaged and vocal community, which can be valuable for businesses looking to gather feedback or conduct market research.
- Reddit users are highly distrustful of advertising and can be critical of brands that don’t engage with the community authentically.
Overall, Reddit can be a valuable platform for businesses that are willing to engage with the community authentically and provide value to highly targeted and niche audiences. But please, don’t self-promote obnoxiously or constantly. Reddit users will see through that immediately and will ban you.
You’re using Reddit to build up your authority, show off your expertise, and create a passive community around your own growing brand without directly asking for sales or customers.
Pinterest, on the other hand, is a site for sharing visual content such as images and videos. It attracts people who are interested in DIY projects and are generally visual-oriented. Companies with a visual aspect to their business would benefit from being on Pinterest, while those with more text-based content might not find it useful.
Pinterest Facts
- Pinterest has over 400 million monthly active users worldwide, with the majority being women (around 70%).
- Over 80% of Pinterest users access the platform through a mobile device, making it a great platform for businesses with mobile-friendly websites or products.
- According to Pinterest, 98% of users report trying new things they find on Pinterest, and 84% use the platform when they’re trying to decide what to buy.
- Pinterest has a higher average order value (AOV) than other social media platforms, with the average order being $50.
- The platform has a strong focus on visuals, with users primarily searching for and saving images and videos related to DIY, home decor, fashion, beauty, and food. This makes it a great platform for businesses in these industries.
- Pinterest’s search functionality allows users to search for specific products or ideas, which can lead to higher purchase intent and conversions for businesses that optimize their content for search.
Overall, businesses in industries such as home decor, fashion, beauty, and food may find great success on Pinterest due to the platform’s focus on visual content and its strong user intent to try new things and make purchases. Additionally, Pinterest’s high AOV and strong search functionality make it a valuable platform for driving sales and conversions.
Twitter is a platform for micro-conversations, sharing news and updates on businesses and events. It differs from Instagram in that it is more focused on information sharing rather than relationship building.
Twitter Facts
- Twitter has over 330 million monthly active users, making it a valuable platform for businesses to reach a large audience.
- Twitter users are highly engaged and active, with over 500 million tweets sent per day.
- Twitter allows businesses to connect with their customers in real-time and respond to feedback quickly, making it an ideal platform for customer service.
- Twitter offers a range of advertising options to businesses, including promoted tweets, promoted accounts, and promoted trends, which can help increase brand awareness and drive sales.
- Twitter offers analytics tools that allow businesses to track the performance of their tweets and advertising campaigns, making it easier to measure the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.
- Twitter allows businesses to target their advertising to specific audiences based on factors such as location, interests, and demographics, helping them reach the right people with their message.
- Twitter’s use of hashtags allows businesses to join relevant conversations and reach new audiences interested in their products or services.
- Twitter’s platform is highly mobile-friendly, with over 80% of users accessing the site from mobile devices, making it an ideal platform for businesses targeting mobile users.
- Twitter offers a range of features to help businesses engage with their followers, including Twitter chats, polls, and live video streaming.
- Twitter’s algorithm prioritizes content that is relevant and engaging, making it important for businesses to create high-quality content that resonates with their audience.
Engaging on Twitter can be very valuable for your growing brand. It allows you to connect directly with potential customers and build relationships. In turn, you’re going to increase brand loyalty, improve customer satisfaction, and even gain valuable feedback.
Finally, LinkedIn is a social media platform for professionals to connect, share work-related content, and search for job opportunities. It is a community-based platform for business purposes rather than socializing.
LinkedIn Facts
- LinkedIn has over 774 million members in more than 200 countries and territories.
- LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network and is used by professionals across a wide range of industries and job functions.
- According to LinkedIn, 4 out of 5 members on the platform drive business decisions.
- LinkedIn has a higher percentage of users with college degrees and higher incomes compared to other social media platforms.
- LinkedIn is often used for networking, job searching, and professional development.
- It is the largest platform for businesses to showcase their expertise and establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry.
- Businesses can use LinkedIn to build relationships with potential customers, partners, and employees.
- They can also use it to promote their products and services, share industry news and insights, and recruit new talent.
- LinkedIn has various advertising options, including sponsored content, sponsored InMail, display ads, and dynamic ads, which can be targeted to specific audiences based on job title, company size, and more.
Overall, LinkedIn is a valuable platform for businesses that want to connect with professionals, establish their brand, and drive leads and sales.
In summary, understanding the different reasons why people use various social media platforms is critical in identifying the best way to connect with your target audience. Whether it’s building relationships on Facebook, providing tutorials on YouTube, or sharing personal updates on Instagram, each platform serves a unique purpose in building your brand and connecting with your audience.
It’s important to choose the right social media platforms for your business based on your target audience and what type of content you share. Focusing on a few social media platforms is more effective than trying to use all of them.
