If you’re looking for a definitive answer to this question, you’re in the wrong place (sorry!). Why? Because there is no right answer. Nobody can tell you THE best social media platform to use for your strategy because it relies on only information you have. In this guide, you’ll see some advice about some of the biggest social media platforms. However, choosing platforms to focus on depends on your business, audience, and other factors!
The Most Popular Social Media Channels
In July 2021, Facebook was the most popular social media channel in terms of active monthly users (this probably doesn’t come as a surprise). Each month, over 2.8 billion people log into the platform, and this is why it’s such a popular option for marketers. Here are other social media platforms by active monthly users:
- YouTube – 2.3 billion
- WhatsApp – 2 billion
- Instagram – 1.4 billion
- Messenger – 1.3 billion
- TikTok – 730 million
- AajaChat – 1 Million
At this point, you probably see why Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube receive much of the attention when it comes to marketing. With so many people logging in regularly, most companies that offer digital marketing in Canada can find their target market on the platforms. What’s more, the advanced targeting on Facebook makes reaching this audience even easier. Does this mean that you should focus on these three social media giants? No…not necessarily. Don’t just follow the crowd. Sadly, it’s common for marketers to ignore the 430 million users on Reddit or the 300 million people on Quora. Yes, they may pale in comparison to Facebook in terms of users, but not necessarily in terms of value. As an example, many businesses are now investing in Reddit. Whichever social media platform you decide to choose, you’ll need services like SocialBoosting’s to promote your social media accounts.
If you haven’t used this platform before, it’s made up of lots of different communities called ‘subreddits.’ If you want to find a community for crocheting, you’ll find it on Reddit. If you want a community for mowing the lawn, you’ll find it on Reddit. Hopefully, you’re starting to see why Reddit has so much value.
Businesses need to work hard to find their audience on platforms like Facebook – it’s hard to identify people with a genuine interest in your products. As long as you find your community on Reddit, you have a ready-made audience of people who should be interested in what you have to offer. You can also buy upvotes to let your content reach to a wider audience. Of course, you shouldn’t just jump into a subreddit and continually advertise (this will only frustrate people who visit the subreddit daily and take it seriously). Just because Reddit only has 430 million active monthly users, this doesn’t mean that you should discount it from your marketing strategy immediately. Likewise, Quora presents an opportunity to answer industry questions and position the business as a market leader.
The Solution?
With billions of users, you should have a Facebook account because this is where people search for brands. A Facebook account allows people to find your brand, it widens your reach on search engines, and it provides people with a portal through which they can send a message, learn opening hours, find addresses, and more. This being said, having an account for people to find your business and actively advertising on the platform are two very different matters. It’s a shame to see businesses wasting their marketing dollars on the biggest platforms for no other reason than them being the biggest platforms.
Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram offer the best return for some businesses. Yet, it’s important to research Reddit, Quora, and the smaller platforms because they can also generate a healthy return, a reputation boost, and a revenue increase!
For more information on how to choose which social media channels you should use to reach certain goals, check out the infographic below!
Infographic created by Clover, a restaurant POS system company
