With 3.78 billion social media users worldwide in 2021, social media consumption is at an all-time high, and it’s easy to see why: a large portion of the world is trying to inch its way back to normalcy following the 2020 pandemic, and part of that normalcy includes returning to shopping, spending and traveling plans. And where better to catch glimpses of the latest fashion, decor and vacation trends than social media? According to a 2020 Statista survey, 51% of consumers make purchasing decisions based on social media ads.
If you’ve successfully navigated your business through the ups and downs of Covid-19, or if you’ve just recently launched your brand, it’s safe to assume you’ve created one or more social media accounts to promote your brand’s awareness and possibly develop a few targeted marketing campaigns. But with more than 103 social media platforms available in 2021, how can you possibly choose the best one for your brand?
How To Choose Social Media Platforms
Choosing your ideal social media platforms revolves around two primary considerations: which platforms offer the largest user bases, and which platforms have user demographics that match with your brand’s target audience. Begin by examining the research you’ve already compiled about your target personas and, more specifically, where these target consumers spend their time online.
While it can be tempting to immediately jump onto trendy platforms, this approach is flawed for two major reasons: trends change quickly, and any campaign decision should be based solidly in research, not on trends. If you’re familiar with Leap’s approach to campaign building, this advice will come as no surprise to you: we always base decisions on industry data, client and competitor benchmarks, and client goals.
So let’s take a look at some current social media demographic statistics to get a better idea of where your target audience might be spending the majority of its time, and therefore be more likely to encounter your brand:
- Facebook currently holds the title of largest user base, with 2.8 billion active users. The largest demographic on the platform is males age 25-34.
- Instagram boasts a 1 billion active user base and is currently the top performing platform in user interactions, with 67% of all online engagement occurring on their platform.
- Snapchat currently has 530 million active users, 48% of which are age 15-25.
- TikTok has 689 million active users and has grown exponentially since it’s launch in 2016, with 62% of users between the ages of 10-29.
- YouTube reported 2.3 billion active users last year, and the largest demographic is males and females age 15-25.
Your brand awareness can grow, your online interactions can increase, and ultimately your campaigns can be successful if you utilize platforms with a user base that matches your target audience. Taking the time to match this data will take a small amount of time now, but pay great dividends in the long run.
And if you’d like to see how Leap’s innovative analytics and social listening tools can help launch your next campaign on the right platform at the right time for the right consumers, reach out! We’d love to connect.
