A quick guide to the most prominent platforms and how to make the most of them. Selecting an ideal platform is hard. With so many platforms to choose from, it can be an overwhelming decision to make for your business. In this article, you will find the top 6 social media platforms based on popularity. We will look at their: optimal use, target audiences, and best practices. Additionally, we will summarize everything with key takeaways. Special thanks to Ryan Robison from Adobe for providing me with a great starting point. His article for Adobe on top social media platforms provided me with a great base to build upon.
6. Pinterest
Pinterest is a popular social tool for saving fun projects, outfits, and home decor ideas.
The primary patrons of this platform are young women interested in fashion and DIY projects.
This platform is visual with polished imagery in vertical format. Concerning copywriting: the copy needs to be clear, concise, and related to the imagery.
Other tips for success include: using relevant keywords, engaging with pins and accounts, on top of creating beautiful boards.
Businesses with female target audiences who have an interest in fashion and home decor should look into cultivating an active presence on this platform.
Key Takeaways
Great for businesses in the fashion and home decor markets.
Use high-quality imagery.
Employ relevant keywords.
Write captivating, relevant, and concise copy.
Engage with pins and accounts.
Create beautiful boards full of great content.
5. TikTok
Despite being the youngest platform on this list, it has received over 1 billion app downloads in its first year of operation. Today, the app sees over 800 million users per month on average.
The majority of TikTok’s audience is young, with a high concentration of teens and young adults between the ages of 16 and 24.
The type of content that works best on TikTok is usually engaging videos with popular music and entertaining themes.
Promotional content does not do very well here — unless it is executed seamlessly and entertainingly. If you choose to promote your business via TikTok, your best bet would be to build a sincere, funny, or entertaining story around your brand.
Promotional content that does well on the platform tends to involve videos showcasing behind-the-scenes business processes. Content produced in such formats tends to show passion and care for the craft, which resonates well with the platform’s audience.
Businesses with young clientele should consider this platform, especially those who operate in the fashion retail, and entertainment industries.
Key Takeaways
Excellent for targeting young audiences.
Use high-quality footage (short form.)
Avoid overly promotional content.
Embrace popular platform trends.
Use popular and relevant hashtags.
4. Twitter
This media site is popular among tech-savvy users, business professionals, and notoriously: politicians.
The platform has over 300 million users, the majority of which are between the ages of 35 and 65.
Twitter is a great platform to communicate news, bite-sized content, and to directly interact with your audiences.
As with most platforms, visual content such as images and videos tend to outperform text. But, a perfectly timed and well-written copy has the potential to strike a powerful chord.
If you are looking to communicate with other business professionals, tech gurus, partners, or investors, this platform can do wonders for you.
Key Takeaways
Perfect for B2B communication.
Great for sharing news and other short-form content.
Visuals such as images and videos outperform text.
A well-timed concise copy can go viral.
Take part in discussion threads for additional engagement.
3. Facebook
Facebook is one of the largest social media sites in the world. However, due to a negative reputation, younger users are migrating to other alternatives such as TikTok.
Despite that, it is still a worthwhile platform to look into if your business is looking to interact with audiences over the age of 30.
The type of content that does well on Facebook is quite diverse. Eye-catching imagery, videos, and articles are more likely to go viral if they can elicit emotional responses.
Another way to increase engagement with your brand is by joining Facebook groups. Facebook groups are great places to connect with individuals who have interests that may align with yours.
The best way to engage with such groups is through active participation, by offering helpful advice, interactive content, and excellent conversation-starters.
Key Takeaways
Great for businesses looking to connect with an older audience.
Excellent place for sharing company news.
Create eye-catching and emotion-evoking content.
Engage with audiences by actively participating in niche Facebook. groups
If you have a business Instagram account you will automatically generate an accompanying Facebook page — might as well use it.
2. YouTube
This is the go-to platform for entertainment, music, how-to videos, and more.
The audience of this platform consists mainly of 15 to 34-year-olds.
The type of content that performs well on this platform is in video format, both: long and short form, with compelling themes.
If your business can benefit from producing instructional videos then this platform should be an essential part of your social media marketing strategy.
Key Takeaways
Superb platform to feature instructional videos.
Most popular with 15–34 years olds.
Use high-quality footage.
Create appealing scripts.
Make sure to fill out your YouTube profile with relevant information.
Use thumbnails and logo watermarks for brand recognition.
Use applicable keywords for each video.
Make sure to follow YouTube’s strict community guidelines.
1. Instagram
Home of the influencers, brands, bloggers, business owners, friends, family, fitness gurus, and more.
The platform is preferred by teens and young adults, the majority of whom hail from the U.S.
The type of content that is most popular tends to involve beautiful photography, videography, engaging short-form copy, and cohesive themes.
Instagram’s popularity alone makes it an essential platform for any business looking to grow and engage with their audiences.
Key Takeaways
Great for all businesses.
Highly visual photography and videos.
The growing popularity of text-based posts provides an exciting opportunity.
Interactive stories and live streams are an excellent way to drive engagement.
Cohesive themes are key.
Use relevant hashtags.
Use appropriate hashtags and stickers in story posts.
Use IGTV for long-form videos. Have more tips and insights? Please share. Let’s learn and grow together.