Social media marketing is becoming one of the most important skills to learn. Before tackling how to market on digital platforms, it’s important to understand the benefits of each and what audience(s) are active on each.
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Instagram is one of the more popular, all-inclusive platforms that supports videos, photos, text, and live streams. Instagram has transitioned into a marketing-heavy brand, with feed and story promotions being very prevalent. There is also a large population of influencers with varying audiences that make Instagram the go-to place for paid partnerships and marketing opportunities. However, anyone can promote themselves or their business by having a business/creator account. You can market on Instagram for free if you do not have the funds to push it out to more people by paid marketing. With a better understanding of how to attract target followers one can boost posts largely across the platform. Other awesome features of this platform include swipe-up links, branded content tags, and in-depth analytics.
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Pinterest is deemed as more of an anti-social social media platform because it is not reliant on public engagement metrics such as likes, comments, etc. This platform is useful for marketing to audiences who enjoy fashion, beauty, and DIY/crafts, but there is tons of photo-based content on Pinterest for everyone. This content can always return to the top of someone’s feed even if it was posted 5 years ago because of the unique search and suggestion algorithms. Pinterest is highly regarded by young women and mothers specifically because it does have a more feminine aesthetic. It is one of the more niche communities, but it is useful for marketing.
- TikTok
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TikTok is one of the newest, video-focused social media platforms that has blown up in popularity with younger generations. The algorithm on this particular app allows for anyone to go “viral” and reach a large audience of people. Each user has a “For You” page that automatically generates content they would enjoy/find interesting based on previous content interactions, so this allows creators to reach appropriate audiences that will be engaged with what they post. Because this platform is more casual and a place for jokes and the birth of new trends, brands that are marketing via TikTok can utilize slang or funny references to make them more appealing to the audience.
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Facebook is one of the original social media platforms, containing photos, videos, text, and even in-app games. This platform has a large audience — ranging from college students looking for roommates to mothers and grandmothers trying to reconnect with old friends — but it still has smaller, identifiable subgroups that allow marketers to target properly. Facebook has a very specific ad creator to show content to specific demographics and accurately show them products/services they didn’t know they needed. Their niche groups and pages also help with this effort.
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Twitter is mainly overpowered with younger users. This platform allows quick information to be shared instantaneously with millions of users, and any post can become viral overnight. A lot of people use Twitter as a news source, but it is also a host for comedic messages and promoting small businesses. Building a strong community on Twitter is the key to marketing on the platform. Take a look at trending hashtags and topics that are relevant to your mission if you’re looking to expand your network, and make sure to recognize loyal mutual followers.