Social media changed the world. It changes how we connect and access information. Around 56% of people in the world use social media platforms. Companies are shifting faster to these platforms for brand visibility. They have the opportunity to show value in only one click. Marketers need to know the biggest social networks. They need to have an idea about where to concentrate on their content strategy.
Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook in 2004. There are around 1.6 billion daily active users (DAU) of the site in the last quarter of 2019. Facebook can be the most valuable social media site when building online brands. It provides many advertising tools to craft a strong online presence. One can use Carousel and Lead Ads for direct response advertising. Sharing links on the content promotes Search Engine Optimization. Most of all, it’s easy to find the desired audience with a large amount of user data provided by the platform.
Twitter is a microblogging service founded in March 2006. Jack Dorsey, Evan Williams, Noah Glass, and Biz Stone first launched it in Odeo. In the first quarter of 2019, it has 145 million DAU. Twitter marketing can be complex. There’s a challenge to post within the character limits of the site. To reach a large audience, provide links for users to tweet and retweet. One can also follow and interact with public profiles of experts and celebrities.
Reid Hoffman founded the professional networking site LinkedIn in December 2002. Its main purpose is for job postings. Four out of five LinkedIn members drive business decisions. By 2017, 94% of B2B marketers use the platform to distribute content. The platform is best in promoting thought leadership. This is a vital marketing strategy today. One can post long-form insightful content to highlight a brand’s value. In 2018, LinkedIn has around 121 million DAU.
Instagram is a photo & video-sharing service launched in 2010. The very first Instagram post was a South Beach Harbor photo by founder Mike Krieger. The second post was the picture of a dog by co-founder Kevin Systrom. Facebook acquired the platform in April of 2012. In 2016, IG released Instagram Stories. The incredible interactive content opens endless possibilities to engage with an audience. They proved invaluable to users, influencers, and marketers. As of January 2020, IG has 500 DAU, and 75% of these users take action after seeing a business post.
SNAPCHAT
Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown created Snapchat in September 2011. Its concept was for a disappearing picture app. It then turned out to be a fun multi-media messaging app. The site can help one reach a new audience in a new way with new types of content. The platform is best for brands targeting millennials. Brands can enjoy a lesser competition using it. Snapchat has 218 million DAU as of January 2020.
In 2009, founder Ben Silbermann wrote the first 5,000 user offerings on Pinterest. The visual engine site became popular for finding recipes and home decor ideas. This is a goldmine for companies with a visual aspect of their business. Cover boards and showcase boards can direct the audience to discover brands. As of March 2019, there are 88 million daily pinners, and 75% of content pinners save comes from business.
Reddit is a web content rating and discussion website. College roommates Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian founded it in June of 2005. Since then, it has been a massive collection of forums. Users can share news and content, comment and rate the content. Posting quality Reddit content to land on Reddit frontpage can grow a brand’s reach. While targeting specific subreddits can make it reach niche audiences. Reddit’s native mobile ads also promote engagement to the growing mobile users today. Reddit has 430million monthly active users as of January 2020.
Conclusion
Social media is indeed an essential part of today’s marketing. They help increase brand awareness, boost leads, and audience reach. Don’t limit marketing in one platform. Engage on at least three channels. Create custom content for each channel. If a site works well with the brand, double the effort on putting content to that site.
It is important to know how to conduct online marketing efforts. The best way is to work with a digital agency. They can fulfill varied marketing components in one umbrella. They’ve got expertise in all things online from SEO, PPC, website development, and content strategy. Or if your team has expertise in one area, you can have the digital agency handle the rest.
