Being on social media has fast become a requirement for most businesses. But not every social media platform is right for every business. Why? Two reasons:
- Your product doesn’t lend itself well to how the platform is organized. For example, if your product concept can’t be conveyed in 6-10 seconds in an engaging way, TikTok is not for you.
- Your target audience doesn’t use (or can’t be found on) every social media channel. Gen X and Baby Boomers spend a lot of time on Facebook, while Gen Z spends far more time on TikTok and Instagram, and so on.
So – where do you fit in? Where should you invest your time and money this year? If you’re asking these questions headed into 2023, GreenStar can help. Below you’ll find a social media “status report” of the big players in the industry. We’ll give you an updated social media status report, on which channels are gaining popularity, which are being set aside, and which ones your customers are using.
The Popular Kids: Social Channels Set to Grow in 2023
The app is one of the most popular social media channels. With over 1.5 billion monthly active users of various ages, many marketers are looking to increase their company’s Instagram presence. And why wouldn’t they?
- Instagram offers the best in-app shopping experience out of any other social media platform.
- It’s used by the vast majority of Gen Z and Millennial consumers, plus by a healthy amount of Gen X-ers. Even Baby Boomers are using the app more regularly.
- According to a recent Hubspot survey, marketers have seen the highest ROI and engagement on Instagram in recent years – especially when it comes to video marketing.
Our Recommendation: If your product is geared towards Gen Z, Millennial, and maybe even Gen-X customers, and lends itself well to video and other forms of visual media – Instagram is a great investment this year.
TikTok
TikTok is fast becoming one of the most popular social media apps – especially among Gen-Z consumers, surpassing YouTube and even Instagram. The app primarily consists of bite-sized videos ranging from ten seconds to three minutes long on all sorts of topics.
And while only 36% of social media marketers are currently on the platform, that number is set to change this year. More than half are looking to boost their TikTok presence due to its popularity with younger generations and its higher-than-average engagement rate.
Our Recommendation: If your product is designed to capture Gen Z and Millennial users, and can be marketed using short, engaging video clips, we’d recommend getting more involved in TikTok this year. But be sure you receive feedback from that age demographic first. Popular TikTok content hinges on being able to understand the niche humor of specific user groups (#booktok, #healthtok, etc.). And you won’t get the right understanding without the help of the people within those groups.
As the most mature social media site, Facebook has nearly 3 billion (yes, billion) monthly users, most of whom are Baby Boomers, Gen X-ers, and Millennials. Marketers aiming for these demographics are funneling more resources into it this year than ever before.
Our Recommendation: If your audience is in one of these three age groups, definitely consider focusing your efforts on Facebook. However, if you’re looking to capture the attention of Gen-Z consumers, we’d suggest looking somewhere else since less than 30% of them use Facebook regularly.
The Burnouts: Social Channels Dwindling in 2023
Tumblr
While there might be a revival coming with Gen Z users for this art-centric blog site, Tumblr struggles to bring in consistent visitors and engagement. Because it’s been struggling for a while, and a resurgence isn’t guaranteed, we’d recommend sticking with other platforms for now to get the most bang for your buck.
Twitch
Though it is the most popular live-streaming platform, Twitch has seen a drop in content production and content engagement over the past year. Other live-streaming platforms are also seeing slowly declining numbers coming into 2023. So, while you can market your product to Twitch users, it probably won’t get the kind of traction you want.
Social Media Marketing: Where Your Audience Is, There You Should Be
The only way to guarantee success in social media marketing is to put your audience first. If they use a few specific platforms, and engage with a certain type of content, prioritize that platform and that content.
But that doesn’t mean you should stay chained to one platform until the day you die. If your audience begins moving to a different platform, follow them! Start experimenting with how your product can be marketed on that new channel. And who knows? You may become the next viral marketing sensation.
Have More Questions about Social Media Marketing & Trends? GreenStar Can Help!
Wondering if you should invest in a YouTube channel? Or if Snapchat is worth investigating? Then look no further than GreenStar marketing. Our team of social media marketing professionals can help you invest in the right social media platforms for your business.
And, not only that, but we can design a high-performing, highly customized social media strategy for you too, helping you land the leads you want with the budget you have. But don’t just take our word for it – experience it for yourself by contacting our team today.
