Are you looking to give your business better branding through modern means? Do you want to create a social media marketing strategy to improve brand awareness?
If your answers are yes, then you’ll want to make sure that you’re on the important social media platforms.
With the internet now full of virtual social spots, finding the best social media platforms can be a challenge. Below, we’ve got a list of the top ten social media platforms you want to be present in.
Keep reading to learn more about these platforms and why your brand ought to be present there.
1. Facebook
You can’t talk about the best social media platforms without mentioning Facebook. It is the giant when it comes to connecting people across the globe. To date, it has well over 2 billion active users and counting.
Not only does Facebook allow you to place paid ads, but it also gives room to interact with your target audience. On Facebook, you can:
- Host live videos
- Schedule promotional photos
- Conduct Q&As
- Maintain communication with people who like and comment
Plus, Facebook is a good way to generate leads. All it takes is to post an interesting photo and a backlink to generate interest and traffic. Take advantage of tools like HootSuite for an effective Facebook marketing strategy.
You can also take advantage of Facebook’s tool, Facebook Pixel, to manipulate the ads people see whenever they get on Facebook. It’s a simple line of code you can add to your website. It’s a way for you to keep track of your visitors after they leave your site.
Whenever people visit your site and go to Facebook, they’ll see ads related to your business. This reinforces recurring branding imagery. It also keeps your business at the forefront as they explore the social media platform.
2. Instagram
If Facebook is a general hub for everything from posting photos to hosting live videos, Instagram is a more niche-defined platform. Other than Pinterest, it’s one of the top social media platforms that focuses on a visual medium.
Use Instagram to steer your digital marketing strategy towards photo and video content. This is the social media platform where you get to show rather than tell. It’s where you can put more focus on your products, values, and voice.
If you need a social media platform for lead generation, Instagram is the best choice. Use the “Checkout” feature for your brand’s Instagram account. It’s the closest to an eCommerce setup that you can get on the visual platform.
It’s the best choice for B2C businesses that want to encourage user-generated content. Hashtags are your best friend on Instagram, long texts not so much. Don’t forget to take advantage of Instagram Stories and/or Live to grow your social presence.
Plus, it’s made for mobile, so once you have an account, you’ve got social media for smartphone users. Yet, despite it being one of the biggest social media platforms, be careful about the “metrics” you see. Having more followers doesn’t mean that you’ve got as many engaged audiences.
3. Pinterest
Now, let’s talk about a website and social platform that’s as visual-focused as Instagram. Instagram is where you build a following and create hype for your business ventures. Pinterest is where you’d post about your products and expect sales.
If there is a social platform where users find themselves spending money, it’s Pinterest.
It’ll also help your business if you share your content with people who belong in your niche. The social platform’s system will do the job of showing your content to people who want to posts like yours.
That’s not all. You can also post informative and relevant content on Pinterest. Note that you’d have to save them as photos or infographics before you post anything. You’ll spend a little more effort because of this, but it’ll be worth it.
To get the most out of the platform, learn the art of the pin. It also helps to take high-quality and beautiful photos that use a vertical aspect ratio. Unlike Instagram, Pinterest allows you to write more and give your images context.
Pinterest remains one of the best social media platforms online. In 2019, the app garnered over 32.5 million downloads for new users on smartphones. This came after a year-long slump from 2018. The comeback alone will tell you everything you need to know.
4. LinkedIn
When you hear the word LinkedIn, the words that may come to your mind are “resume” and “job search.” Of all the social media platforms here, LinkedIn has a professional sense that the others can’t copy. Yet, it’s more than a place for people to find jobs and post job listings.
To make this possible, you’d want to create a LinkedIn business page first. The site won’t work as well as an eCommerce platform. However, it presents you with enough tools so you can use it as a social channel.
Like the other entries in this list, LinkedIn is also a social media platform. That means you get to share content, network with others, and build a brand on it. This makes it an ideal social platform for both B2B and B2C businesses.
Other than networking, you can use the platform to promote business-related content. Because you can find and see networks and people who may want to work with you, you can use LinkedIn to recruit. As a note, LinkedIn is one of the social platforms where you don’t need to be active in posting all the time.
5. YouTube
What began as a video site is now one of the biggest social media platforms for business and entertainment. If you want to focus on creating tons of video content, YouTube is the platform to be in. It has everything that a mainstream social media platform has.
That includes ephemeral content, advertising campaigns, and resources for businesses. It even has the Creator Academy, which teaches educational courses for YouTube creators. Plus, you can monetize the videos you upload so you can earn extra money from showing ads.
Let’s not forget that you can gather useful insights and feedback from the comments sections. YouTube doesn’t have a character limit on its description box. This means you can use all the keywords for the description so you can optimize your YouTube SEO.
The catch is that you’d have to know how to shoot and produce high-quality videos. If you’re resourceful and creative, this is good news. The problem comes when you don’t have the time or equipment to create videos.
Are you having trouble with the production of your video content? Do you want help with optimizing your YouTube channel to gain leads and make sales? Don’t be afraid to reach out to experts and use their social media marketing services.
6. WhatsApp
With over two billion users worldwide, WhatsApp is a smart choice for a social media platform. Before anything else, WhatsApp is a messaging app. This means that it’s a great communications platform for your business.
Because it focuses on making communications easier between people, you can find a ton of uses for it. Use it as a customer support channel for your brand. You can also draw on WhatsApp as a path to sharing product and service information.
The great thing about WhatsApp today is that you can use the WhatsApp Business app if you have a small business. If your business is medium-sized or larger, consider the WhatsApp Business API. These versions have everything you need for creating a WhatsApp business account.
7. Snapchat
The next social media app on the list focuses on sharing photos and short videos between friends. Snapchat is one of the first platforms to use ephemeral content. The idea of ephemeral content is to make the most out of users’ “fear of missing out” or FOMO.
Add the idea and use it in your social media marketing strategy. How will ephemeral content help your social media marketing? The solution is to promote the right content on the platform.
After you’ve set an event, build up some hype for it through Snapchat as well as other social media platforms. Post promotional countdowns for the event until its set date and time. The advantage here is that you don’t have to worry about confusing your audiences with older posts.
Another advantage of Snapchat is that it gives more control over ephemeral posts.
Marketers get to create custom and branded geotags for their events. Don’t forget that younger demographics use this. If it matches your target audience, take the chance to use Snapchat with other platforms.
8. TikTok
From a Chinese music video social network, TikTok is now one of the biggest social apps in the world. In Q1 of 2018, it became the most downloaded app in the world. The microblogging potential of TikTok makes it one of the top social media platforms.
Unlike Facebook and Twitter, your ads on TikTok can be more casual. It’s a place for making fun and creative content, not for stiff advertising. If you have a fun promotional idea, whip out your phone and film it on the app.
Because TikTok is unorthodox, you won’t find a lot of TikTok-specific influencers. Don’t let that stop you from hiring one to broaden your reach. Or try launching challenges for TikTok users to create content with your brand linked to it.
Remember that not all businesses will do well with TikTok. Don’t forget to research the platform and whether you can find your target audience on it. Don’t worry if TikTok doesn’t fit your brand because there are still many alternative platforms.
9. Twitter
Twitter is unique because offers its users more than entertainment and sports. It’s one of the most-visited social media platforms for news, politics, and updates. In 2019, Pew Research found that one in five US adults got their news from social media.
The platform also puts a strong emphasis on delivering real-time information. Its simple layout allows users to see how long ago a tweet got posted. Because of these things, people now see Twitter as a reliable social media platform.
Most brands use Twitter as a customer service channel. Don’t be afraid to use it for both information dissemination and as a customer service number. Use tools like Buffer Reply to help you with social customer service conversations.
Twitter works well when used hand in hand with other platforms.
Use your brand’s Twitter account to share content from your other social media. You can also share relevant information or news from other sources. This helps build your reputation as an authority figure in your industry.
Don’t forget to get your business account on Twitter verified. This adds to the sense of authority and reliability of the account.
10. Reddit
The last entry in our list of social media platforms is Reddit. The social site is so large that it has over 430 million active monthly users. Yet, these users can find and join smaller niches.
It’s the best platform if you want to find and interact with audiences in your niche. All you need to do is to create a group or “subreddit” for your brand. You can also join a subreddit where people with interests that align with your business can find you.
According to a Forbes report, 77% of workers used social media on the job. This means that not only are people using social media when they’re off duty. People are also using it even in the hours of the day when they’re at work.
Take Advantage of the Best Social Media Platforms
Gone are the days of cold-calling and other old marketing practices. Social media is the best way to connect with your audiences and customers now.
We hope you find your target audience on the social media platforms that we listed down here. Those are the biggest and best social media platforms for your brand to be present in.
Now that you know where you need to be, it’s time to learn how to be present in them. Check out our other guides for more content on how to use social media marketing to your best advantage.
Namaste UI collaborates closely with clients to develop tailored guest posting strategies that align with their unique goals and target audiences. Their commitment to delivering high-quality, niche-specific content ensures that each guest post not only meets but exceeds the expectations of both clients and the hosting platforms. Connect with us on social media for the latest updates on guest posting trends, outreach strategies, and digital marketing tips. For any types of guest posting services, contact us on info[at]namasteui.com.
Finding the right social media platform can do wonders for your business.
Hey, Nice share.