Which Social Media Outlets Are Your Consumers Using?

You have a social media presence, but where is your audience? In the marketing world, keeping up with the social media outlets your consumers are using is crucial to the success of your business. Here’s a little insight on which social media outlets are best for your business by highlighting sites your target consumers are using:

1. Facebook: This is the most popular and most active social networking site used by over a billion people worldwide. With that statistic alone, it sounds like a great place to spend your time marketing a product or company. 87% of adults ages 18–29 use Facebook, while 73% of adults in the 30–49 age demographic use Facebook. With a younger audience, it is best to advertise fast moving products rather than luxury goods on this social media platform. Try “boosting” a contest to reach more potential consumers; Facebook users are engaged in ads and account for half of all retargeted clicks on the web!

2. Tumblr: If you are targeting teenagers on social media, Tumblr is the place to be! 61% of 13-18 year olds use Tumblr on a regular basis. Filled with over 269 blogs about everything and anything, you can be easily searched with suggested trending topics on this site. Set up a Tumblr page for your business and reach your audience with GIFs and relevant blogs. (If Starbucks can make a page dedicated solely to their pumpkin spice lattes, you can make one for your brand, too!) Advertising is available for sponsored posts and videos as well as desktop radar so you’re brand is featured on the site’s dashboard ensuring more views from your target audience.

3. Instagram: Over 90% of the 400 million active Instagram users are under 35 years old. This is a great platform to advertise apparel and entertainment to consumers ranging from ages 18-34. More and more companies are advertising their products through widely followed bloggers to reach their target audiences; Now, there are public figures paid to publish posts on Instagram featuring particular products and services.This outlet is also a great place to run a photo sharing challenge. "Re-posts" make it possible to for your consumers to share your ad with their followers, with hopes of gaining more consumers belonging to your target demographic.

4. Twitter: This social media site is predominately used by the 18-29 age bracket. Over 85% of Twitter users have reported to have seen news in their feed, but not all are active members! Find and connect with relevant people and brands that most influence your target audience. This constant, live newsfeed allows for instantaneous posts, responses and follows. "Suggested people to follow" will help reach more of your target market by finding popular hash tags or trending topics updated by your consumers.

5. LinkedIn: With 347 million members, LinkedIn is the largest business networking site; 31% of users are in the 30-49 age demographic and 30% are in the 50–64 age bracket. If you are targeting working professionals and recent college graduates (Over 50 % are college graduates), try updating your profile and making connections at the beginning of the work day. Posting on Tuesday-Thursday will provide you with optimal amount of views and connections. If you treat LinkedIn as a platform to keep your business present in front of consumers and other businesses, you will find it easier to reach more people and make more connections.

*Quick Tip: Always use a photo or image in your social media marketing. The brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text and will leave a longer lasting impression on your consumers. All of the social media platforms mentioned above allow photos to be uploaded--- take advantage of this!

I hope these statistics help you optimize your marketing efforts and that your business continues to evolve with the ever-changing world of social media! I'd love to hear which social media outlets have helped you reach your core demographic.

-Taylor