In today's digital world, there are hundreds of social media platforms available to marketers. There are so many it can be overwhelming to choose the best one (or ones) for your company. So, how do you know where to start?
First and foremost, you must cater to your audience. It doesn’t make sense to put any effort towards a platform that doesn't reach your target demographic. We're going to help you identify your audience and select the right platform in a few simple steps.
Identifying Your Audience
Do you know who your audience is? Are you sure? A lot of us think we know our audience but haven't actually spent the time to really understand them and their needs. Ask yourself the following questions to learn a little more about who you're targeting and what their interests are.
- What is the age range and gender of your ideal audience member?
- Where are they located?
- What problems and questions do they have?
- What are they trying to do (in terms of your business)?
- What do you want them to know?
- What are common phrases they may be using to search for your service?
Do you have a better understanding of who your average audience member is? If so, you're ready to select your primary social media platform!
Popular Social Media Platforms
As we mentioned earlier, there are hundreds of social media platforms to be utilized. However, several have risen to the top as the platforms of choice for avid marketers. Compare the key demographics of the following five platforms to the key demographics of your target audience (Sprout Social).
1. Facebook
Number of Monthly Active Users: 2.07 Billion (largest of all the social media platforms)
Gender: 56% Men vs. 44% Women
Age: Facebook has the broadest age range with 88% of people between the ages of18 and29 use Facebook and among the 65 or older crowd, 62% use the platform.
Interests: Facebook users tend to range in education, income levels, geographic location and more. They often express interest in multiple modes of communication, including text, video and photos.
2. Twitter
Number of Active Users: 330 Million
Gender: 25% of online women use Twitter vs. 24% of online men
Age: 36% of 18-29 year olds that use the internet are on Twitter, representing the largest segment of Twitter users.
Interests: Users with an income over $75,000 make up the largest group of Twitter users. Over the years, Twitter has grown in popularity among celebrities and politicians.
3. Instagram
Number of Active Users: 600 Million
Gender: 38% of online women use Instagram vs. 28% of online men
Age: 18-29 year olds make up the largest age group with 59% of all internet users this age on Instagram
Interests: It's all about imagery! Instagram is a photo-sharing app focused on high-quality images.
4. LinkedIn
Number of Active Users: 467 Million
Gender: 31% of online men use LinkedIn vs. 27% of online women
Age: The largest group of LinkedIn users are 18-29 year olds, they make up 34% of users, followed closely by 30-49 year olds who comprise 33%.
Interests: LinkedIn is a social networking platform for professionals, evident by the large user base touting income levels of $75,000+. Additionally, 50% of internet users with a college degree are on LinkedIn.
5. Pinterest
Number of Active Users: 72.5 Million
Gender: 45% of online women use Pinterest vs. 17% of online men
Age: 36% of 18-29 years olds and 34% of 30-49 years olds are on Pinterest
Interests: 34% of suburban adults use Pinterest. Like Instagram, Pinterest relies heavily on images. However, the platform is most commonly used for how-to's, DIY, crafts, and other hands-on applications.
Which Platform is Right for You?
Based on age, gender and other insights, which platform is the primary choice for your audience? We recommend starting small with just one platform and slowly growing your marketing campaigns to other viable options. Two to four platforms should be the maximum for most businesses. You want to make sure you aren't spreading yourself too thin, but at the same time, you don't want to miss out on clear opportunities for growth!
If you need assistance with setting up and managing your social media strategy, contact the experts at Informatics Inc. today.
