Find the right fit
Social media platforms are everywhere you look online nowadays, but which platform is the right one for you in 2024?
Social media is now an essential tool for the modern-day digital marketer, and in 2024, there are many options to implement into your strategy.
With 4.88 billion active social media users worldwide, ensuring your platform meets your marketing objectives and energises you is imperative.
Let’s look closely at some of the world’s most popular social media platforms.
Who are you trying to reach?
Before implementing your social media strategy, it is essential to understand the who, what, and why of each social media platform because you can’t be everywhere at once.
From Facebook to Pinterest, every social media platform will offer something different.
Each social site serves different purposes and targets other markets. That is why we have broken down the lesser utilised (but still popular) social media sites. That way, you can decide which platform(s) is best suited to your business goals.
Who: Facebook turns 19 in 2024 and remains the most popular social media platform in the world. In fact, in the US alone, 75% of females and 63% of males are active on Facebook.
What: In 2024, Facebook is still an excellent choice for networking, keeping in touch with family, and even keeping up with news and current events. However, from a business perspective, marketing remains Facebook’s strongest appeal. (Make sure you’re looking out for misinformation on the platform).
Why: On the surface, Facebook may seem like a less popular social media platform in 2024; however, the social media giant is still the world’s largest platform. Due to Facebook’s sheer size and engagement rate, you should focus some of your marketing efforts on the platform in 2024.
YouTube (yes, it’s a social media platform)
Who: In 2024, YouTube remains the second most popular global social media platform behind Facebook. Male users dominate the platform, creating or consuming content, accounting for 62% of YouTube’s user base.
What: YouTube is a video-sharing service that allows users to create, watch and share videos. Successful content on YouTube includes educational, product reviews, unboxing, tutorials, video game walkthroughs, comedy skits, and more.
Why: YouTube is massively popular with mobile users. 70% of the platform’s watch time comes from mobile devices, and the average mobile viewing session is more than 40 minutes long.
Who: Instagram appeals mainly to a younger demographic. At the end of 2023, Instagram was Australia’s third most-used social media platform.
What: Instagram is an app that allows users to share photos and videos. Other features include Instagram Stories (like Snapchat) and Instagram Reels (videos with audio, effects, and creative tools similar to TikTok).
Why: Instagram is not only a discovery engine for brands but also offers touchpoints where marketers can drive action. Plus, Instagram Shopping provides features across Instagram that let people shop through photos and videos no matter where they are in the app.
Tip: If you’re on Instagram, it might be worth checking out Threads, Meta’s answer to X.
TikTok
Who: While TikTok is primarily popular with Gen Z and Millennials, it’s a platform for anyone, even brands. Did you know that TikTok boasts an ad reach of 1.08 billion people?
What: TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing platform where users shoot, edit, create and share videos on any topic. The platform emphasises rawness and creativity with filters, music, animation and special effects.
Why: To put it simply, TikTok is just unavoidable. If we ignore messaging services like WhatsApp, WeChat and Facebook Messenger, TikTok is now the world’s fourth-largest social media platform. Additionally, engagement rates on the platform are through the roof, making it something your brand should add to its marketing mix.
Snapchat
Who: Snapchat might not be the first social media you think of in 2024, but the platform is still wildly popular with millennials and Generation Z.
What: Snapchat is a popular messaging app that allows users to send pictures, videos and messages that self-destruct to individuals or groups. Because, according to Snapchat, “Life’s more fun when you live in the moment!”
Why: While newer and flashier social networks exist, you shouldn’t count Snapchat out just yet. At the end of 2023, Snapchat had more than 3 billion photos and videos created daily!
Snapchat can also be an excellent option for us in the eCommerce space. As a platform that caters to Gen Z and younger millennials, it was found that Snapchatters are 20% more likely to make purchases on a mobile device and 60% more likely to make impulse purchases.
Who: As of 2024, LinkedIn has more than 1 billion members, and 45% are active on the platform monthly. As a professional networking platform, it’s no surprise that 43% of LinkedIn users access the platform from a desktop or laptop.
What: LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform designed for business professionals. Users can find other professionals and be found by other professionals in their respective industries. Businesses have moved towards the platform to network, connect and sell.
Why: LinkedIn is a hotspot for B2B and an excellent choice for recruiters and job seekers alike. While LinkedIn is the clear choice for job seekers and recruiters, its growing popularity among professionals, influencers and thought leaders offers much more than just networking.
Who: At the start of 2024, 463 million people use Pinterest. Notably, a whopping 90% of users agree that Pinterest is “filled with positivity” and the platform is doing its best to keep it that way.
What: Pinterest is a visual discovery engine where users can ‘pin’ ideas such as food, decor, art, fashion, weddings, travel, and more.
Why: 97% of queries on Pinterest are unbranded, meaning users are not searching for a particular brand. Instead, they are seeking inspiration and innovation, making the platform an excellent choice for brands looking to be discovered.
X (fka Twitter)
Who: 16% of internet users aged 16-64 use Twitter for brand research. Well, they used to…
What: X, as a social media platform, used to be an excellent resource for staying updated with trends, news, and conversations. The platform was perfect for keeping informed and participating in exciting discussions—the keyword here is “was.”
Why: If you’d asked us before April of 2022 whether or not Twitter was a good option for your business, we would have said absolutely. However, since Elon Musk took the reigns and changed the social media platform to X, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to recommend X as a platform to anyone.
Tip: Check out our list of X alternatives.
