Business owners in recent years have been presented with a unique challenge. Besides the daily tasks of managing your products or services, developing your brand, and forming relationships with clients, entrepreneurs now have to become experts in social media. The various platforms, initially adored for their ability to connect users with old friends and far-away relatives, have become one of the most lucrative and essential places for brands to be.
With each business pursuing its own target markets and niches, there’s no one-size-fits-all methodology for effectively using social media for business. However, examining demographic trends for each platform — and the up-and-coming apps vying for consumer markets — can help you make the best use of your time, energy, and advertising dollars.
The Demographics of Each Social Media Platform
The world of digital marketing contains a big five: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and, most recently, TikTok. Each of these platforms, collectively reaching billions of users and raking in billions more for the advertisers utilizing their services, have unique purposes and, thus, a unique audience base that most enjoy using them.
Although it’s nearly impossible to sum up the complicated (and ever-changing!) algorithms and features of each platform, some trends have emerged in terms of usership. This information is incredibly valuable when examining your own target market and identifying the platform that most aligns with your company’s cause. Here’s a brief run-down.
Instagram: Its focus on photo and video content has made it a favourite of fashion retailers, who use advertising to reach Instagram’s 1.16 billion users… 70% of which are under the age of 30.
Facebook: In 2019, Facebook brought in nearly $70 billion in advertising revenue. 72.8% of the app’s 2.85 billion users are between the ages of 18 and 44.
Twitter: Since its launch of uncropped feed photos, Twitter is holding more advertising potential than ever. Even better for brands is the estimation that 80% of Twitter’s users are affluent millennials.
YouTube: Whether you pay for pre-video ad rolls or sponsored content from creators, taking advantage of YouTube, the second most-visited site in the world, is a smart move for advertisers targeting 15-35-year-olds.
TikTok: The next big thing?
What the TikTok Craze Means for Businesses
TikTok initially made headlines for its dubious founders and viral dance videos. Now? It’s constantly being discussed among business circles for its tremendous advertising potential.
Despite its newness to the social media world, TikTok is already achieving 689 million users monthly. Brands who jumped on the TikTok train helped it to earn nearly $30 billion in ad revenue in 2020. But you don’t always have to pay to succeed.
The platform is built on the concept of short videos and the potential to go viral. The algorithm-curated “For You” page is the landing spot for all users, and displays an endless scroll of content from creators, regardless of whether the user follows them. This has tremendous potential for brands who, by properly participating in trends and learning the secret world of TikTok hashtags, can organically reach millions of viewers and create conversions.
How to Know If TikTok is #ForYou
Sticking with the “T” branding of this latest craze, we’ve developed four crucial TikTok T’s to help you identify if this new app is right for your company.
- Target market: TikTok has a huge reach globally, but its age demographics are far less diverse. Although 89% of Americans recognize the TikTok brand, the vast majority of its users are under the age of 30.
- Time: Success on TikTok comes through the regular publication of high-quality video content. Smaller brands that lack the resources or personnel to constantly create these shorts may struggle to see their efforts pay off.
- Type of content: The TikTok software allows you to edit videos, easily adding filters or text with clarifying information. Still, the app thrives off of users’ short attention spans and favours simple video content. Products or services that rely on the communication of more complex information may struggle to transition into quick clips.
And last, but certainly not least:
Tiny Planet Digital
We exist to help companies craft a digital marketing strategy that connects consumers with your high-quality brand. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary discovery call.