Social media platforms (also known as social networking sites or social media apps) are online platforms that allow you to share content (e.g. text, photos, videos, etc.) and interact with others.
By using social networks, businesses can:
- Increase brand recognition and visibility
- Engage with their target audience
- Gain valuable insights into customer and competitor behavior
What are the top 14 social platforms?
Here are the 14 social media platform:
1. Facebook
2. WhatsApp
3. X (Formerly Twitter)
4. YouTube
5. Instagram
6. TikTok
7. Messenger
8. Snapchat
9. Telegram
10. Pinterest
11. Reddit
12. LinkedIn
13. Quora
14. Discord
1. Facebook
Website: Facebook
Company: Meta
Country: United States
Year launched: 2004
According to Statista, Facebook is the world’s largest social network, with more than 3 billion monthly active users. This means that about 37% of the world’s population is on Facebook.
Facebook also has a direct messaging app called Facebook Messenger, which has 931M monthly active users.
With over 200 million (mostly small) businesses using Facebook tools and over seven million (mostly small business) advertisers actively promoting their businesses on Facebook, it’s safe to say that Facebook is the best place to start if you want a social media presence.
Getting started on Facebook is easy because almost any type of content works on Facebook, whether it’s text, photos, videos, or Stories. However, the Facebook algorithm prefers content that ignites conversations and engages people, especially family and friends.
If you’d like more information on how to start a conversation on Facebook, take a look at our guide to Facebook Marketing for Business — and how to measure your success.
2. WhatsApp
Company: Meta
Country: United States
Year launched: 2009
WhatsApp is one of the most widely used mobile messenger apps in the world. Initially, WhatsApp users mainly used the app to communicate with their loved ones and friends. It continues to be a popular way to stay in touch with people all over the world, regardless of their mobile phone provider.
Today, the app offers the following features:
WhatsApp Business: This free app was designed specifically for small businesses. It allows business owners to create catalogs of products and services, as well as respond to messages in a short amount of time. The WhatsApp Business API is a better option for medium-to-large businesses. It enables business owners to provide customer support, as well as send important notifications directly to customers.
What can you do with a WhatsApp Business account?
Here are some of the things you can do on WhatsApp with a business account:
- Send customers order notifications
- Share appointment availability
- Send reminders
- Re-engage customers who have left their carts while shopping
- Allow customers to view products directly in WhatsApp
3. X (Formerly Twitter)
Company: X Corp.
Country: United States
Year founded: 2006
X (formerly known as Twitter) is one of the most popular social media platforms used by some of the most powerful brands and individuals in the world.
On X, you can send out public messages (also known as “Tweets”) to your target audience. These Tweets can be as long as 280 characters and can include photos, surveys, and other types of content.
Your customer service team can also use the Direct messaging feature to communicate with your customers.
To learn more about how to use X, take a look at our guide to Building an X Strategy.
4. YouTube
Company: Alphabet
Country: United States
Year launched: 2005
YouTube is the go-to video platform for businesses, content creators, and social media influencers who want to engage with their audience through engaging video content. YouTube – 2.2 billion monthly active users.
Who watches YouTube?
YouTube users come in all shapes and sizes, with people from all walks of life watching and sharing videos on the platform.
YouTube is particularly popular among young people aged 18-34, with more than half (52.4%) of users using the app on a regular basis.
5. Instagram
Year launched: 2010
Company: Meta
Country: United States
Instagram is a social networking platform that allows users to share photos and videos of their products or services. You can use the app to share a variety of content, from photos and videos to Stories and Reels, as well as live videos. Instagram – 2 billion monthly active users.
To get started with Instagram, you’ll need to create a Business Profile.
This enables you to:
- Create a store where users can purchase your products
- Make online bookings
- Add contact details to your account
- Create Instagram Stories links
- Share your posts
- View your analytics
6. TikTok
Company: ByteDance
Country: China
Year launched: 2016
TikTok, also known as Douyin, is a video hosting app that was launched in 2016 by the Chinese company ByteDance. The app is primarily focused on trends and meme-based content. Users can “stitch” or “duet” other videos, or simply post their own versions of the most popular viral trend.
There is a community for almost anything on TikTok. However, the audience is mostly young, with 38.5 % of the advertiser’s 18+ demographic being 18-24 years old.
However, TikTok is starting to expand beyond short-form videos. Initially, videos on TikTok could be no longer than 15 seconds. Nowadays, videos can be as long as 10 minutes. TikTok – 1 billion monthly active users.
Here are some of the ways you can use TikTok for your business:
- Create top-view and in-feed ads
- Run top-view ads when a user first opens the app
- Run in-feed ads that play organically between your videos
- Create branded effects (like filters, games, stickers etc.) that you can apply to your videos
- Start a branded Hashtag Challenge to increase awareness and engagement (the median engagement for these is 17.5%).
- Follow TikTok’s SEO best practices to rank your account and videos higher in search results.
7. Messenger
Company: Meta
Country: United States
Year founded: 2011
Another key player in the Meta family is Messenger (also known as Facebook Messenger). Every month, businesses and customers send millions of messages across Messenger. If you don’t use Messenger, you’re missing out on new leads and conversions.
Using Messenger is a great way to acquire quality leads. When a customer reaches out to you, their message history stays with you. You can follow up with them for a variety of reasons, such as offering coupons or inquiring about their last purchase.
8. Snapchat – 538 million monthly active users
Company: Snap
Country: United States
Year launched: 2011
Snapchat allows you to send images and videos that disappear after just a few seconds. This makes them ideal for sharing personal moments.
The app also has a lot of fun filters and lenses that you can use. This means there are a lot of different ad types and features that Snapchat marketers can play with. Snapchat – 538 million monthly active users.
Once your Snapchat business account is set up, you’ll be able to:
- Create Sponsored Geofilters that are available to the user
- Develop Sponsored lenses that use face-to-face technology to change the look of the user (flower crowns, animal morphs, devil horns, you name it)
- Run Sponsored Ads that start at just $5 a day (with lots of options for smaller businesses)
- Target users based on their interests, behaviors, location, etc.
9. Telegram
Company: Telegram
Country: Dubai
Year founded: 2013
Telegram is one of the most secure messaging apps out there. It supports end to end encryption, so you can be sure your messages are safe and secure.
Telegram also supports “self-destruct” messages, just like Snapchat. This is a great feature for businesses to use when promoting limited-time offers.
Besides marketing, Telegram can be used for a variety of other purposes, such as customer support, customer feedback collection, and ecommerce notifications.
10. Pinterest
Company: Pinterest
Country: United States
Year launched: 2009
Pinterest is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a place where people “pin” photos that link back to websites and product pages, as well as blog posts and other content from all over the internet.
Pinterest is a great way to get people to visit your website. People who use Pinterest are 7x more likely to buy products they’ve pinned on Pinterest.
Fashion, Beauty, Home, Garden, DIY, and many other popular topics and themes are popular on Pinterest. If you’re in any of these industries, you’ll want to use Pinterest marketing to get your business out there.
11. Reddit
Company: Reddit
Country: United States
Year founded: 2005
Reddit is the “front page” of the internet, with an estimated 1,7 billion visits as of April 2023. The site is a mix of current news, celebrity “ask me anything” events, and deep discussions on niche topics.
Reddit is divided into ‘subreddits’ or “forums” about specific topics, where members may ask questions, take part in live Ask Me Anything (AMS) events, or “upvoted” content to make it appear at the top of any given topic.
It’s important for businesses to engage with users in subreddits that are related to their community. There are guidelines for self-promotion on Reddit, but some moderators are stricter than others. If you don’t follow these guidelines, your account may be banned.
12. LinkedIn
Company: Microsoft
Country: United States
Year founded: 2003
LinkedIn is a social networking platform for businesses and professionals. This means it’s a great place for B2B marketing.
LinkedIn is one of the most popular social networking sites for business and professionals. As a result, it is an ideal platform for business-to-business (B2B) marketing. You can create a LinkedIn company page and post a variety of content, such as text, images, videos, job listings, articles, and documents.
You can also use your personal profile to engage your target audience on a personal level by posting content that is relevant to your niche and thought provoking. This will help you build your audience and connect with other leaders in your field.
13. Quora
Company: Quora
Country: United States
Year founded: 2009
Quora is one of the most popular question and answer (Q&A) websites on the internet. It is known for its wide variety of topics of discussion and its ability to connect users to experts and professionals in different fields.
Q&A on Quora allows users to ask questions, receive answers, and rate each other’s answers based on their quality. You can search for questions and answers to almost any topic on Quora.
Keep in mind, though, that:
- Quora is built on user-generated content, so not all answers come from reliable sources.
- Users can vote to highlight the answers they think are most helpful and accurate, or downvote the answers that aren’t.
- This can be helpful for crowdsourcing and looking for answers to opinion-driven questions.
- Besides running ads, businesses can also engage with customers on Quora.
- Ask and answer questions, talk directly with your audience, and watch how users interact with one another.
14. Discord
Company: Discord
Country: United States
Year founded: 2015
Discord was designed to make it easier for people all over the world to communicate online. You can join a Discord community or create your own community (servers). You can communicate through text messages, voice calls, and video calls. Discord has an average of 4 billion daily server conversation minutes.
Keep in mind, Discord does not allow advertisements. You can create a Discord server for your community and use it to engage with your users. For example, you can create a Discord channel for Spotify. You can use this channel to share what you’re listening to and your favorite playlist.
CONCLUSION
Social media is one of the most powerful marketing tools out there. It can help you build stronger relationships with your customers, create brand loyalty, and expand your business.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the strengths and potentials of 16 of the top social media platforms so you can decide which one best suits your business needs.
Ultimately, though, the best social media platforms for your business will depend on your audience’s specific needs and objectives.
With our easy-to-navigate platform, you’ll be able to find a social media consultant who can help you take your marketing to the next level. They’ll have experience in your industry and the social media skills you need to succeed with your marketing strategy.
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