There are currently more than 5 billion active social media users in the world. This figure is expected to rise to over 6 billion by 2027. Social media started life as a network to contact friends and family members, but today, it offers incredible opportunities for brands and businesses to advertise products and services, connect with customers and reach new audiences. If you’re working on a new social media marketing strategy, or you’ve recently launched a new business, it’s crucial to choose the right social media channels. In this informative guide, we’ll outline key steps to help you identify the best platforms and share tips to help you capitalize on the amazing benefits of social media marketing.
The number of social media channels is increasing year on year. Many people are familiar with high-profile apps and platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, TikTok and LinkedIn, but there are many more networks for businesses to explore. More than 14 social platforms now have more than half a billion active monthly users. A tailored, targeted social media strategy should focus on the most impactful social media channels based on your target customer and business and campaign objectives. Being selective is more effective than adopting a scattergun approach and utilizing every platform.
To help you find the best social media channels for your business, here are some essential steps:
The most important step you can take when drawing up a social media marketing strategy is to define your target audience. Think about who you want to attract and build an ideal buyer persona. Find out more about your target customers by analyzing data linked to their social media usage. Explore how much time people spend on social media, what they do with their time online, how they interact with brands and businesses, which accounts they follow and what kinds of posts are most effective and impactful. It’s beneficial to analyze data and conduct thorough market research. You can engage with social media users within target groups, ask questions and gather information through focus groups, virtual interviews, online polls and social media surveys.
Understanding which platforms your target buyers use and how they spend their time on social media can help you narrow your options and invest time, energy and resources in the platforms that are most likely to help you create and convert leads. It’s critical that you can reach the customers or followers you’re most eager to attract. Depending on the target demographic and your social media campaign goals, you may choose to concentrate on a single platform or a clutch of channels that attract the same users. In the US, the average person has seven active social media accounts.
Research shows that younger audiences aged between 18 and 30 are most likely to use Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok. Facebook is most popular among more mature social media users aged over 50. Users aged between 30 and 49 years old are most active on LinkedIn, X, Snapchat and Instagram.
The next step is to decide what type of content you want to share. Social media platforms have strengths and weaknesses when it comes to utilizing different types of marketing techniques and materials. Instagram, for example, is an excellent option for brands looking to share videos and images, create user-generated content and launch influencer marketing campaigns. LinkedIn is famed for using optimized blog posts, articles and profiles to raise brand awareness, build partnerships, create leads and engage with customers and clients.
When you’re choosing which content types to use as part of your marketing campaign or wider strategy, it’s important to think about your objectives, your target customer and the products or services you’re promoting. Video content is increasingly popular. In 2024, almost 90% of consumers said they wanted to see more video content from the brands they follow on social media and more than 75% already view short-form video content frequently on mobile devices. Monitoring trends among key demographics can help you identify the most effective content types and determine the best ways to use social media content to achieve goals. Social media videos can be brilliant for showcasing and advertising products, but they’re also incredibly useful for providing customers with information and tips. More than 60% of consumers have watched videos to learn how to use products or find out more about a brand.
There are many reasons why using social media is beneficial for businesses. Before you zone in on specific channels and platforms, outline your goals. Being clear about your campaign objectives can help you identify the best channels. Examples include:
Once you know what you want your social media marketing campaign to achieve, you can weigh up the pros and cons of different platforms that check other boxes, including popularity among your target customers and benefits for sharing specific content types.
Social media is an exceptional platform for building relationships with customers and promoting your brand and products, but it can also provide opportunities to learn more about your competitors and how they use social networks. Monitor competitor accounts, learn from campaign strengths and weaknesses and see how users interact with different brands. Use data and insights to help you make decisions about your campaign. If you notice that some posts are much more popular than others on a competitor feed, for example, you may want to focus on those types of posts. Key areas to focus on when researching competitors include:
Social media marketing has the power to catapult brands into the spotlight. Boasting huge user numbers, social media platforms enable businesses to engage with customers, connect with new followers and virtual friends and promote products and services using targeted posts. If you’re developing your social media strategy or working on new campaigns, choosing the best channels for your business is one of the most crucial decisions. To help you find the most effective platforms, it’s beneficial to define your target audience, consider what type of content you want to create and share, outline your campaign objectives and goals and monitor your competitors.
If you need help with your strategy or expert advice about social media marketing, don’t hesitate to get in touch with South Made today.
By signing up you agree to our Privacy Policy.
