No one can deny that social media platforms can significantly contribute to companies’ success today. And now there are numerous networks through which you can reach your target groups. But not every social media platform also fits every company. Rather, you should determine in advance where you have your target group and whether the platform also fits your products or services.
So that you can assess what is important for the individual platforms, we want to compare 3 popular networks here.
Social media platform Instagram
Instagram is a free social network that is mainly used by users between the ages of 18 and 34. The focus of social media platform focuses on contributions in the form of photos and videos that users can share with other followers. As interaction options, users have functions such as liking, commenting, and sharing contributions. The chat function also serves to network and exchange ideas.
Regardless of whether it is a private account or company profile – this platform creates and published articles on the topics of travel, beauty, lifestyle, nutrition, and fitness. But niche content also finds its place and increases its attention on the platform. Instagram has now developed into the digital business card of many companies that want to reveal more about their business than the information on the website.
ADVANTAGES
For many private users and also for company number 1 of the social media platforms, Instagram. And Instagram is particularly useful for the representation of considerable products. Because here it depends on an appealing design and professional preparation of the contributions.
So if you want to play at the forefront here, you should take a lot of time for the posts. If we function IG TV, a shop connection, the swipe-up button in the stories, and many more features, give you a perfect representation of your products and your company.
In addition, the network has developed into one of the most lucrative channels for influencers in recent years. The number of users is also quite high at around one billion and thus enables you to contact a wide range of users.
So if you want to rely on cooperation with influencers or micro-influencers to advertise your products or services, you are exactly right on Instagram. You can also implement affiliate marketing wonderfully here.
DISADVANTAGE
The high number of network users and a changing Instagram algorithm make it a little more difficult to build up to reach quickly. Therefore, you should be aware that Instagram as a social media platform is a long-term project that costs a lot of care and time.
You can reach more users with ADS very well, but you should keep your fingers from buying followers. Behind it mostly only hide bots and fake accounts that do not react to your contributions and thus have a negative impact on the algorithm.
Social media platform YouTube
YouTube is currently the largest video platform and has almost two billion registered users. YouTube uses the 16: 9 format for the player. Vlogs, music clips, special interest formats, or extracts from television programs and shows are particularly suitable for this format.
The user tour on YouTube, on the other hand, looks very different. Because YouTube relies on a system of individual sites and not on streaming or swiping, as Instagram does. Only the videos or clips that have been selected and clicked on by the user are played via YouTube.
The proposed videos are based on recently regarded videos or on subscribed YouTube content. YouTube works like a video media library, which makes the search for content much easier. You also have the option of selecting users, titles, or keywords via the search function. But the target group differs somewhat: the majority of all users end up in the group of 25- to 44-year-olds.
ADVANTAGES
You can also benefit from influencers on YouTube very well because the network offers a variety of celebrated influencers from every area. Whether beauty and lifestyle, gaming, comedy, or information formats, there are a variety of topics that inspire users. If you can perform here with your products or services, you should use the possibilities.
Switching ADS can also be a suitable opportunity for you to draw attention to yourself. Once you have developed a good format for your videos and generated high-quality content with reference to your company and your products or services, YouTube can be an excellent choice of social media platform.
DISADVANTAGE
At YouTube, you have the opportunity to have your own video content financed through a partner program in order to be involved in the advertising measures. However, it has become quite difficult in recent years to be included in the partner programs. To do this, your channel must have reached at least 1,000 subscribers and in public videos a valid playback time of more than 4,000 hours. You should know that the revenue only really pays off from several hundred thousand clicks.
The competition has also grown strongly so that the structure of this channel is also difficult and a longer process. In addition, the quality of the videos should be flawless, as this is the focus here. Video material that is published half-heartedly and in poor quality can only harm your company. Therefore, both the recordings and the content format must appear well prepared and high quality.
Social media platform TikTok
The latest social media platform of the networks listed here is Tiktok. It is a social video network and can be called a mixture of musical.ly, vine, twitch, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram. TikTok users can consume short videos on the platform and also upload short videos created themselves.
The vertical video format of the platform is particularly characteristic, which means that the use is specifically geared towards smartphones. Above all, the “Challenge” format, as well as the “Lip Sync” videos, have prevailed in the network as social trend functions. In Europe alone, more than 100 million people use Tikkok at least once a month. The network user analysis shows that the main part of users is between 16 and 24 years old.
ADVANTAGES
Every company can be active on TikTok, but this social media platform for companies that want to communicate in a targeted manner with their young target group is particularly worthwhile. This is where creativity, trends, challenges, and the fun of entertaining videos are in the foreground. You can advertise products here by integrating them into your videos.
Even a more personal look at the company and the people behind it works very well with TikTok. If you use the trend hashtags correctly, you can increase your reach of the videos and encourage other users to imitate them.
DISADVANTAGE
If you are not looking for trends regularly and are not really at the pulse of the times, you can’t achieve much. Here it is particularly important for real-time communication. Hardly any other network is as fast-paced and characterized by trends as Tiktok.
In addition, the protagonists of the videos should appear authentic. If you want to convince here, you have to adapt to the young target group. Since this network also has a rapid growth of users, it is not easy to expect a large reach directly. Kluge, entertaining, and funny videos about current trends are the be-all and end-all.
Conclusion: Products and services must fit the channel
No matter which social media platform you prefer privately – always keep an eye on which channel you get your products and services well on. Always ask yourself what purpose you want to fulfill with it. Would you like to sell your products? Or do you want to inform mainly? Do you want to introduce your company and deposit to the image?
Depending on which goal you have, another social media platform is suitable. In addition, you should also know your target group, as you do not reach your desired customer with every channel. And when the decision has been made, you should be aware that social media takes time and effort. In particular, you must not underestimate community management, as it is precisely the core benefit: the dialogue with your followers.
Frequent questions (FAQ) about social media platforms?
Which social media platforms are there?
There are numerous social media platforms with different, content orientations. The most popular and most used social networks include Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, WhatsApp, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc.
Which topics work on YouTube?
There is a niche and viewers on YouTube – from sports to nutrition to comedy and gaming.
Is an active profile on TikTok?
Yes, if you reach your target group there. Users between the ages of 16 and 24 are primarily active there.
