Social media is everywhere, and it's no surprise that it has become an integral part of our lives. With more than 1 billion users in China and 84 percent of Americans using at least one social network, it's clear that social media is here to stay. But with so many platforms available, it can be difficult to know which one is right for your business. In this article, we'll explore the top 10 social media platforms and how you can use them to reach your target audience.
Facebook is still the most popular platform, with 2.2 billion monthly active users. It's a great platform for connecting with your mother, third grade teacher, and neighbor, but it also offers great potential for businesses. Financial services, e-commerce, retail, gaming, entertainment, media, telecommunications, technology, consumer goods, and automotive companies are some of the major industries that use Facebook. To maximize engagement with your audience, consider joining (or creating) groups, using a Facebook Messenger chatbot, or using live videos.
YouTube is the second most used platform with 2.2 billion monthly active users. It has a strong user base across all age groups, including the hard-to-reach demographic group over 65 years of age (49% of whom use the platform). YouTube covers every genre from beauty to home improvements and is the growth medium for content marketing. WhatsApp is still the most popular social messaging app with 1.5 billion monthly active users.
It may not seem like the obvious choice for brands but keep in mind that SMS messages have a 98% open rate compared to 20% for emails. And unlike SMS messages, WhatsApp messages can be sent for free. If you use WhatsApp for customer service and retention you'll have a direct marketing channel for your audience. Instagram is a great platform for product-based businesses, influencers, and coaches to thrive on.
TikTok proclaims itself as “the top destination for short-form mobile videos” and has experienced incredible growth since its launch in 2016. If you want to connect with Generation Z then TikTok is the platform to visit. Snapchat is another popular platform among young people and has an estimated 229 million daily active users worldwide. Reddit calls itself “the first page on the Internet” and has more than 2.8 million communities or subreddits dedicated to every topic imaginable. Pinterest is another great platform for brands with rich images as 60% of its users are women.
LinkedIn is the go-to platform for professionals with more than 61 million users in positions of responsibility. It's also worth noting that 74% of all U. S adults use YouTube and 68% use Facebook while 40% use Instagram. Facebook Messenger is another great platform for B2C marketers as more than 40 million active companies use it to interact with their potential customers and more than 20 billion messages are sent between companies every month.
In conclusion, there are many social media platforms available and each one offers different opportunities for businesses to reach their target audience. Facebook is still the most popular platform but YouTube has a strong user base across all age groups while WhatsApp offers a direct marketing channel for your audience. Instagram is great for product-based businesses while TikTok is perfect for connecting with Generation Z and Snapchat is popular among young people. Reddit has a unique combination of content and community while Pinterest is great for brands with rich images as 60% of its users are women.
LinkedIn is the go-to platform for professionals while Facebook Messenger offers great potential for B2C marketers.
