When you’re trying to build brand awareness and trust with your target audience, it’s crucial to show up where they scroll. That means being on social media. But developing and executing a social media marketing strategy is time-consuming, and it’s all too easy to fall down a rabbit hole when trying to be everywhere all the time.
The key is selecting the right social platforms to reach your target. Some decisions are easy: like not wasting time on Snapchat when trying to reach Baby Boomers with your retirement planning business. But others are less so. And while you may think you know which networks matter most, the most recent social media demographics may surprise you.
Despite the ever-present PR nightmare that is Facebook’s reality, the platform remains the most-used and engaged-with social platform. And while the largest age group remains in the 25-34 age range (with 26.3% of users), there has also been an influx of Boomers to Facebook, making it the perfect platform for running ads to the older demographic.
And if you think all the controversy around Facebook means it’s no longer a worthwhile platform for brands, think again. The OG site has nearly 3 billion monthly active users. And, at the end of 2020, the network boasted more than 9 million active advertisers – which means even if you aren’t paying to play on Facebook, your competitors likely are.
Despite being a later arrival on the scene, Instagram has grown quickly into the number two spot in terms of users. And while the majority of users are in that same 25-34 age bracket as Facebook (33.1%), the platform doesn’t skew as “young” as you might think. In fact, it’s facing fierce competition for the younger demographic from Tik Tok – which has passed both Instagram and Snapchat in popularity among teens in the last year.
Because Facebook and Instagram share the same ad platform, there are plenty of cross-channel promotional opportunities and many similarities in user demographics. So if your brand has the bandwidth, it’s not a bad place to show up. Sentiment toward Facebook has also been declining now that the platform has become so politicized. As a result, many people are turning to Instagram for the lighthearted content they’re missing on the ‘Book.
An Instagram strategy becomes an absolute must if you sell products directly to consumers. For you, the value of influencers and the largest demographic on the platform (women aged 18-24) makes an Instagram presence a requirement.
Sentiment toward Twitter is really a mixed bag. Because the platform requires so much more work and attention than Facebook or Instagram – Tweets have the shortest shelf-life of any social post at just 18 minutes on average – it’s easy to dismiss. But it does boast 187 million daily active users and in a slightly older age bracket. The demographics skew to the 30-49 age range (44% of users), and it’s the first platform we’ve highlighted that has more male users than female (68% to be exact).
Twitter has carved out a niche as the place to discuss breaking news, so if that’s part of your brand identity, consider brushing up on your 140-character writing skills. It’s also worth noting that nearly half of all users reported holding a degree, which indicates that a good portion of the activity on the page is from higher earners.
While LinkedIn is still touted as the world’s most extensive “professional networking” site, the platform is no longer just about building an online resume. Instead, it has become the go-to place for professional networking, sharing ideas and expertise, and even publishing thought-provoking content. This became even more apparent in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. When all in-person networking stopped, people took to LinkedIn to continue their conversations and are very likely to stay there even as the world returns to business as usual.
According to the Content Marketing Institute, as of 2020, 96% of B2B marketers are using LinkedIn for organic content distribution, and 83% are using it for paid social – making it the most-used platform in both organic and paid content distribution. (Long story short – if you’re a B2B company and you aren’t sharing your brand content on LinkedIn, well…you’re pretty much the only one.)
LinkedIn has become a platform for B2C companies to have conversations and educate their consumer base as well, and of course, it’s still the top channel for recruiting. Three people are hired every minute through LinkedIn so yea, still a great place for making connections for both hiring organizations and job hunters alike.
Being familiar with the most current social media demographics and use statistics can help you review your existing strategy, create a new one, and establish realistic goals for your social media marketing efforts moving forward. If you haven’t revisited a platform in a while, it might be the right time to do an audit and make sure you’re showing up where your audience is scrolling.
Have questions about pivoting your social media marketing strategy? We can help.