More than 3.6 billion users from around the world are active on social media platforms. It is a great time to integrate social media networks into your digital marketing campaign. It doesn’t matter if you are targeting small businesses, start-ups, parents, or millennials. They are all hanging out on at least one social media platform. By 2025, it is predicted that 4.41 billion users will be using social media networks.
Reasons to use social media for your business
- Wide reach – It allows you to reach an extensive number of target users, receive wide exposure, and build brand awareness before new users.
- Build connection – Connections are essential to survive in this tough competition. Social media allows businesses to build personal relationships with existing customers and even fans.
- Information sharing – Social media is the best way to distribute or post crucial information associated with upcoming sales or thanks giving discounts because users receive it quickly.
- Connect speedily – Social media reaches quickly before the users and even users can connect with your brand rapidly. It helps improve customer service.
- Get Innovative – Social media platforms allow people to get more creative with their marketing strategies. Each platform is different, which means they need to create something meaningful with audiences associated with that specific platform.
Social media platforms are apps. It means users can be reached on different devices for brand promotion including a smartphone.
If you are planning to add social media to your digital marketing campaign, then here are the top 8 platforms. They are on top because of the unique features that enable them to promote the brand, enhance website traffic, and build a strong fan base.
Let's Find Out The Top 8 Social Media Platforms
1. YOUTUBE
YouTube was launched in 2005 and is a popular video-sharing service with one billion active global users. The users watch, like, comment, share, and upload videos on this platform. Marketers find the platform appealing as it is impactful and accessible, and production cost is low. They get a chance to connect with audiences on an entirely new level as well as engage and entertain them.
YouTube marketing seems intimidating in the start but soon you will find it is easy to share the content. The audience is always looking for information and engages easily with interesting story and visuals.
2. LinkedIn
It is the largest professional network in the world with more than 310 million active users every month. It aimed to help career changers and job-seekers but has evolved a lot. Besides, talent acquisition and growth solutions marketers can use to increase brand awareness, find leads and convert.
Marketers can show their business as a niche thought leader by publishing interesting and informative content on LinkedIn’s publishing platform. Besides, having your business profile on LinkedIn Company adds credibility to your brand.
3. Pinterest
In July 2022, Pinterest introduced Shuffles, a new mobile-only app (available only on iOS and by invitation only) that allows users to collaborate on creating collages. Brands have a fantastic opportunity to use Shuffles to their advantage, as each element in the collage links back to the creator and the product on Pinterest.
Shuffles has a lot of potential for influencer marketing partnerships, providing new opportunities for creators who use both the Shuffles app and Pinterest. Travel agencies, for instance, could partner with travel influencers to create travel-themed collages to promote specific destinations or travel products. Brands could also collaborate with influencers to create brand-specific shopping guides, linking back to individual products. Essentially, every brand has the chance to create a Shuffle that showcases its products or services.
As new social media platforms are introduced, it’s crucial to stay on top of the changes and adapt to new strategies. Working with a reputable agency can help you navigate these changes and make the most of new opportunities. So, be open to trying new platforms, and always be ready to seize the opportunities they offer.
4. TikTok
TikTok, the social media platform that has taken the internet by storm, continues to offer numerous opportunities for brands. Despite being a relatively new app, TikTok has already seen tremendous growth, making it an attractive platform for both marketers and influencers alike.
One of the things that makes TikTok so unique is its ability to bring together sub-communities and niche audiences. Videos on the platform are more than just a compilation of short clips, they are a creative expression that can be used to connect people through remixes of other videos from TikTok or YouTube. The platform is also credited with reviving songs from the 70s and 80s that have become popular once again, all thanks to TikTok.
Brands have taken notice of TikTok’s growing user base and its popularity among influencer marketers. The hashtag #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has been trending, and the platform continues to add new features such as TikTok Live and TikTok Shopping Ads, making it even more appealing to brands.
In conclusion, TikTok may still be considered a young platform, but it has already proven to be a powerhouse in the social media world. With its exponential growth and endless possibilities, TikTok remains one of the fastest-growing platforms on the internet today, and a great opportunity for brands and creators alike.
5. Discord
Discord was originally designed for gamers to chat via voice or text. It is attracting creators and brands because of its intuitive interface capable to work smoothly with different devices at the same time.
With Discord, marketers can create different channels based on their target audience’s topic of discussion and allow them to bond. Allow the community to grow as word-of-mouth is potent and see your brand spread. As a multi-functional app that combines the features of a social network, a messaging app, and a collaboration tool, Discord provides a unique opportunity for marketers to engage with their target audience in a more personal and interactive way.
The platform’s community-focused approach allows marketers to build a strong and loyal following, and its customisable channels and servers allow for easy organisation and management of content. Additionally, Discord provides a wealth of analytics and metrics, making it easier for marketers to track their performance and measure their success. With its growing user base, ease of use, and versatile features, Discord is poised to become an essential tool for digital marketing in 2023 and beyond.
6. Instagram
It is a story and photo-sharing platform with more than 1.16 billion monthly active users. It even hosts businesses, brands, influencers, and celebs. It is popular and has an extensive reach among a specific age group. Marketers get a dynamic chance to create striking content and promote their brands.
Instagram Business profile allows to access statistics including engagement data and impressions. It allows the marketing team to get an insight into their efforts in real time and tweak them if needed. They can choose sponsored ads in the form of videos, photos, stories, and carousels to partner with an influencer or display a product teaser.
7. Facebook
It has more than 2.8 billion active users. It is popular because of its engaging features ranging from the Like button to the comments, tagging, feed, and stories. It was used to stay connected with family and friends but today you can stay updated about local happenings, upcoming events, diet plans, health advice, lifestyle recommendations, health & fitness suggestions, and more. With all these offerings, the platform is neat, navigable, and enjoyable.
Facebook offers an array of marketing tools both free and paid. In the paid category are ad campaigns, sponsored posts, and promotions. There are even unpaid options like stories, groups, and posts that marketers can take advantage of.
Facebook Messenger allows communicating directly with visitors on your FB page. Marketers can host live webinars or post video content that promotes the brand as a thought leader.
8. Xiaohongshu (red)
It is a top e-commerce platform and how-to guide in China associated with fashion & beauty. It is a blend of Insta, Pinterest, and Amazon. It looks like Insta and functions like an e-commerce platform, where users first browse and then place an order.
Xiaohongshu has 85 million active users and its target is young enthusiasts. The platform is suitable for B2C advertising, content marketing, and influencer marketing. Your website can go live in China using this platform.
Red allows the brand to gain exposure because fans visit this platform to know foreign fashion brands or read some beauty advice. You can find the right price for your products because the Red community is vibrant. With real-time feedback, you can test the market
