It’s common knowledge that social media holds a significant chunk of our daily routines nationwide. The typical American adult invests roughly 2 hours and 25 minutes per day on various social platforms, a figure likely on the rise. Consequently, businesses and advertisers are increasingly directing their efforts towards these platforms to reach both existing and potential consumers. With an abundance of brands vying for our attention, it’s noteworthy that 80% of individuals are actively engaging with marketing content, often without a specific purchase intent. Notably, 70% of companies that have strategically invested in social media marketing have observed favorable outcomes.
With so many people getting social on the web, how can you outdo your competition and enjoy an influx of new customers? Let’s break it down platform by platform.
The Journey of a Modern Social Media Consumer
Not many people are going to purchase products in-store or without any background information from Google search. The modern consumer will go through a more sophisticated and complex journey of spending their hard-earned money wisely.
- Trigger Event: Whether it is a thought process of the need to buy a certain product, a simple scroll on Instagram, or a friend suggesting a well-performing product, there has to be a stimulus that activates your purchase necessity.
- Investigation: Most consumers with internet access will then look for more information about a few products they have in mind. Just type in the keywords and all the information can be found on display from their website or from YouTube videos, SEO blogs and Google search.
- Explore: A smarter consumer will not stop there. Keep exploring in other reliable ways, such as reviews from influencers around Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and more. Get immersed in the abundance of branded content and figure out which of the candidates you would like to spend your time and money on.
- Engage: Delve into the brand marketing by subscribing to emails for customized features and event promotions. Especially with brands you adore and have a certain level of loyalty. This will help you engage in easy and cost-effective consuming.
- Credibility: Not everything on the internet is reliable. Double checking the listings, SEO, and social media strategies will help filter out exaggerated marketed products.
- Action: After committing to your next purchase, there are many online shopping platforms you can explore. Utilizing live chats, Google searches, Google Shopping, company landing pages, and more will be your avenues for completing your purchase.
Similarities & Difference Between Popular Social Media Platforms
The percentage of sales from social media platforms has increased significantly throughout the years. The most popular social media people engage in are in this order: Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X (previously known as Twitter), and LinkedIn. Each platform originally served different purposes and targeted different generations, based on the statistics of the user’s demographic. However, they all have the same goals in mind.
- Increase Their Reach: Social media platforms should commit to a certain format and structure to familiarize the audience and create a unique brand image.
- Gain New Followers: Every social media account strives to expand its following and followers. More authentic followers equal increased views and higher sales.
- Improve Audience Engagement: Brands and influencers focus on creating entertaining content consistently to keep their audience engaged.
- Drive More Website Traffic: Utilizing SEO keywords, hashtags, and links to attract more customers is standard across all social media platforms.
- Generate Quality Leads: More popular influencers and brands on the social media platform tend to attract more users, flourishing the growth and liveliness of the page’s ecosystem.
The most popular social media platforms in the United States are listed below.
The OG social media, popular across early GenZ to baby boomers, users of Facebook enjoy sharing photographs, links, information, and live videos. The platform strategizes in local business marketing, advertising, and relationship building. Mainly focuses on beauty/fashion industries, jobs and education postings, employment and job training information, healthcare, local restaurants, and financial information. Their goal is to increase reach via advertising and increase engagement through visually appealing and entertaining video content. However, most users tend to watch videos on Facebook without the audio on.
Popular among GenZ and millennials, users are known for their love of inspiration and adventure. People will use stories and polls/questionnaires to engage with followers in an easy and entertaining way. E-commerce, organic engagement, and influencers are the keywords of Instagram. It focuses on a variety of industries, such as higher education, sports entertainment, nonprofit organizations, technology, consumer goods, office supplies, and more. Their goal is to increase followers and drive website traffic by showcasing specific products and brands. They often use hashtags to increase reach.
X (or previously known as Twitter)
A popular social media platform for early GenZ, millennials, and GenX, it is known for its focus on news, discussion, and humorous memes. With a higher male demographic, it strategizes in customer service and is well affiliated with higher education, sports teams, food and beverage industries, alcohol, financial services, and healthcare communications field. Their purpose is to increase reach by engaging in industry-related conversions by sharing corporate news articles with images that get 128% more retweets than video content.
More popular among people aged 46 to 55, LinkedIn is surprisingly a very influential platform for those interested in professional, long-form content, and content related to core values. It is often aimed for B2B, organic engagement, and international communication and business. Industries affiliated with LinkedIn are mostly related to healthcare, IT, construction, public administration, retail and manufacturing. Their goal is to increase engagement with long form, inspirational articles. You will find LinkedIn influencers with content related to core values and leadership to build a career-related community throughout the platform.
TikTok
A newer social media platform with users mostly in the Gen Alpha and GenZ demographic, TikTok users love entertainment, humor, and challenges. They strategize in influencer marketing, creating millions of TikTokers each year. Their content most likely reflects on the entertainment, FM consumer goods, interior design, fitness and sports, beauty/fashion, and art industries. Their goals like many other platforms: increase reach by partnering with local influencers, drive website traffic using simple messaging and clear call to action, fun and entertaining video content like challenges.
Snapchat
Users of Snapchat are most likely to be teens or Gen Zs that love humorous, feel-good and trendy content. They strategize in video advertising, location-based marketing, and app marketing. Due to its demographic, schools and colleges, gyms, salons, restaurants, and music concerts are well affiliated with the users on Snapchat. Their focus is to drive website traffic and increase engagement with feel-good video content that leverages audio and drive quality leads using swipe-to-call functions. Users can present their true self by communicating with pictures, creating quick, fun, typo-free content to share with others.
What Makes Snapchat So Special? A Closer Look
Advertising on Snapchat to target different stages of the customer journey creates awareness, consideration, and better performance. Snapchat has proven to be an effective platform for direct response marketing, with 50% of business coming from this approach. A notable example is Bev, a canned wine maker, which successfully engaged its audience and drove sales using video ads in its first campaign.
Snapchat offers Single Image or Video Ads, providing various options for action. One significant feature is the “Swipe to Call” option, an essential contact method in the customer journey, allowing potential customers to directly reach out to advertisers. This feature is beneficial for quickly obtaining answers, getting information that is not displayed on the website or app, setting appointments, and making purchases.
Another tool Snapchat offers is the Native Lead Form, which is best suited for users who want to learn more about products or services, such as those offered by community colleges or medical procedures, enter contests, or are considering bigger purchases that typically have a longer sales cycle, like automobiles or financial services.
Social Media is Your Tool to Success
In this digitalized world, nothing is more important than for companies and consumers to adapt to the digitized market. Everything you see and hear online is purely intended to make you click the purchase button, and nothing is coincidental. Whether you are the victim, or the winning competitor of the social media game depends on your knowledge and utilization of the available tools. Premiere Creative can provide the guidance needed for navigating social media! Dial (973) 346-8100 to connect with our team!