Choosing The Right Platforms

Nowadays, there are seemingly many must-have social media platforms. But, are they all really necessary for your target audience?

Less is more.

The goal of many companies is to have a strong social presence on all “popular” social media platforms. While this tactic may be worthwhile for global companies with a healthy revenue and a widely-used product, it’s certainly not the best idea for smaller companies with limited resources. Use, your time, money and resources wisely by prioritizing social media platforms that have a user-base aligned with your company’s ideal consumer.

Find your target audience.

The amount of data that big-name social media platforms collect from users is scary, but highly resourceful! They make it easy for businesses to connect with their target consumer through highly targeted advertising. The question is-- are you spending your money in the right place?

Each social media platform differs significantly when it comes to their demographics. Lucky for us, all of this data is published online, making it easier to decipher exactly which platforms we should be focusing our efforts on.

By Age.

If you have a product or service that is targeted towards youngins, Snapchat is the place to be. This social media platform has the upper-hand when it comes to young social media users, and by a rather overwhelming margin. According to a Business Insider Report (from 2014), a whopping 45% of Snapchat users are between the ages of 18-24, as compared to Facebook’s 16% of users. If you’re seeking a young consumer, it may be worth your time to spend less effort towards Facebook Videos, and more towards short video “snaps” on this youthful platform. Other youthful platforms include Vine, Instagram and Tumblr.

For those seeking middle-aged and older users-- they are likely to be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Pinterest.

If you’re company has a product or service that would appeal to users in their mid-twenties to mid-thirties, then lucky you. They’re everywhere! If this is the case, then you may want to look into the social media platform that can best serve your advertising needs. For tips on this, check out the pros and cons of “The Big 4”: blog.hubspot.com/marketing/social-network-advertising

By Gender.

If you’re a company that has their eye on female consumers, Pinterest is a must. According to a study published by Pew Research Center, 44% of online women engage with Pinterest, whereas a mere 16% of men engage with this social media platform. If you have a product targeted towards male consumers, it’s safe to say that your efforts would be better served elsewhere.

In fact, one social media platform that does have the upper-hand with men is LinkedIn. According to the data released by Pew Research Center, both Twitter and LinkedIn are more male-skewed, LinkedIn especially.

By Income.

Although there is not yet a ton of in-depth data regarding the income of social media users, as compared to gender and age, the data published by Pew indicates that 44% of LinkedIn users have an income of $75,000 or higher! Those are some pretty valuable consumers if you’re pushing a product at a high-end price point.

By Ethnicity.

Each of the big social media platforms vary in ethnicity and all include a healthy amount of diversity. Though, according to the Pew Study, both Latinos and Blacks are more likely to use Instagram than Whites, and are less likely to use Pinterest.

Choose Wisely.

Having a social media presence across the board on all social media platforms may not hurt your business. However, it is wise to focus on building a strong, interactive presence on those platforms that matter most. Know your company’s target audience, study your demographic, and choose to make noise on the social platforms that are your best fit. Getting familiar with a social platform’s audience can save a lot of time, money and resources in the long run.