5 minute read
Social media platforms
Find your
PERFECT PLATFORM
Social media is only effective if you connect with your core audience. Which platform is right for you?
THE social media landscape is one of constant change as platforms expand and then fall out of fashion. The choice of platform and degree of usage is generally based on the age of the user, but this often leads to misconceptions. For example, TikTok is often perceived as a platform for teenagers, but the people who spend most time on the platform fall into the 24-34 age group.
Crucially, 98.9% of users access their social media platforms via a mobile device (phone or tablet). This means that all your social media content should be designed to be mobile friendly, irrespective of the platform you choose to host your content. The average UK user increased their daily usage from 1 hour 42 minutes to 1 hour 49 minutes in 2020, with younger people and women spending more time than men.
FINDING YOUR AUDIENCE
Reaching the right audience – those who will purchase from you - through social media can be tricky. Researching products to buy is one of the top ranked reasons users give for spending time on a platform, with 28% of UK users saying they do this. Conversely, this means that 72% of users are not doing so.
As users perform their brand research within the social media apps, guiding customers to your product pages and areas to buy is
becoming more important. The most efficient way to work out which platforms will work for you is to conduct a survey amongst your current customers. Focus on finding out which platforms they use, what they use them for and how long they spend doing so each day. This could be done by asking when they are with you, or by using an online survey services like surveymonkey.com. You can ask if you can connect to them on social media, but need to act within the GDPR regulations.
You can also try to match your customer base with the most appropriate social media platforms.
Facebook has 2.18 billion global users. People aged over 65 are the fastest growing demographic on Facebook while the percentage of younger age groups using the site has been in decline for several years, particularly in the US and UK. Despite this, 61.3% of global Facebook users are under 35.
According to Facebook the platform has a reach of 38 million people in the UK, equivalent to 66% of the total UK population over 13 years old. On average, the UK Facebook user will like an average of 14 Facebook posts per month and comment on 7. More importantly, UK users also click on nearly double the global average of ads, at 19 per month.
The UK average for engagement with Facebook posts is 0.11%. That’s 1.1 responses, such as a like or click, per thousand views.
The wide demographic and sheer number of users make it vital to understand your own customer demographics in order to target posts and advertising effectively.
YOUTUBE
YouTube is the second largest social media platform by user numbers, having over 2 billion users and an estimated 1 billion hours of video consumed daily. The average viewing session is 40 minutes, up 50% from 2 years ago. The platform is great for those who post longer-form content such as follow up exercises or explainer videos. 70% of users say they’ve bought from a business after seeing their video on YouTube and users are actively managing the content they watch.
In the UK it’s estimated that 53 million people are reachable via ads, which equates to 84% of all adults (18+). That said, the majority has the greatest gender imbalance – 77% of all users are female. It also has a strong user base of those between the ages of 25 to 44. This age bracket makes up 44% of total users. It’s possible to upload entire product catalogues into shoppable pages. For ecommerce brands, it is incredibly valuable for driving customers down the conversion funnel, particularly since people referred by Pinterest are 10% more likely to complete a purchase than those referred by any other social media platform.
of users skip ads where possible. MediaKix reports that the three most popular videos types on YouTube are commentary videos (like vlogs), product reviews (like unboxings), and how-to/ tutorial style videos.
In Q3 2020, 77% of 15-to-25-year-olds and 70% of 45-to-64-year-olds used YouTube. Just over 21% of YouTube’s global audience is between 25 and 34, and 17% is between 35 and 44.
Instagram is owned by Facebook and was purchased primarily to allow access to a younger user demographic. It’s seen as the most aspirational/influencer led of the major platforms. As of January 2021 there were 31 million Instagram users in the UK. This is up from 24 million the previous January. 54% of users are female.
Currently, 17.8% of all Instagram content are video posts, 17.3% are carousel posts and 64.9% are photo posts, although video content is becoming more popular.
Engagement on Instagram is slightly lower than it is on Facebook. The more follower numbers increase, the less engagement results. For accounts under 10K followers, engagement sits at 1.29%. This goes down to 1% for 10-100K followers, and 0.73% for over 100K.
We often think of Pinterest as a personal interest platform rather than a social network, but it can be one of the most useful sites for brands seeking to build relationships and generate sales, particularly with women.
Pinterest is a wants-driven platform. Users gather and pin images on a specific theme and place these on their boards, which may be private or public. Many users use the site to gather ideas for eventual purchases – fashion, jewellery, health and fitness, weight loss inspiration, interiors and weddings are all big topics.
Of all the social media platforms, Pinterest
TIKTOK
TikTok is a short-form, video-sharing app that allows users to create and share 15-second videos, on any topic. The app has disrupted the social media landscape since its launch in 2016 and is hugely popular with Gen Z (13-20-year-olds). There are a reported 3.7 million users in the UK. User numbers are expected to grow to 10 million before the end of 2021.
It’s particularly useful for brands who can provide on-trend short form content for the younger age groups, though there are concerns over child to child advertising.
SNAPCHAT
Despite perceptions that Snapchat is in decline, the total number of global and UK users actually rose in 2020. Its main appeal is for those businesses who can offer image-led posts aimed at a younger demographic. 59% of users are under 24, and the platform has around 21 million
UK users. The advertising reach is 36.6%, which represents more than 7 million people (aged 13 and over).
If your brand is targeting a younger market, then Snapchat should definitely still be a consideration. Branded lenses and filters can be a powerful method of getting many young demographics thinking about and talking about your brand. n
