Social media is more popular than ever before in our society. Whether young or old, user numbers are steadily rising. According to We Are Social , in mid-2019, over 3.5 billion people worldwide were using social networks, primarily Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.
The reasons why social media is so popular worldwide and across all age groups are as banal as they are alarming.
The positive aspect: social networks make it easy to stay in touch with relatives or friends on the other side of the world, for example. Or to chat with friends, share news, and make plans for the next movie night.
Photos and videos convey our current mood almost in real time or—on the flip side—present us as we would like to be, using filters and emoticons. Likes and hearts simulate a digital "pat on the back." It's about a certain recognition that some people lack in real life.
Either way, social media is as much a part of our lives as popcorn is to the movies.
It has long been recognized that social media should be part of every company's marketing strategy...
But which platforms are suitable for business? And for what purposes?
{{divider}}
The top social media platforms for businesses
Facebook remains the biggest player among social media platforms. In the third quarter of 2019, 2.8 billion people worldwide used one of Facebook's services (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp). Around 140 million companies are currently active on Facebook, as reported on Allfacebook .
Facebook also clearly leads the ranking of social media platforms used in companies. 94% of all marketing managers worldwide use the social network in their companies, according to the Social Media Examiner in its annual Industry Report 2019.
Instagram follows in second place with 73%. LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube are used by every second company worldwide.
{{divider}}
What Facebook and other social media platforms are used for in companies?
The figures prove that the social networking site Facebook is still the frontrunner among social media platforms, even though it is often described as a dying phenomenon, especially by the younger generation.
Enormous reach, the ability to place targeted advertisements, and community building via Facebook groups are all good reasons for companies to use it.
If you want to reach a younger target group with your products and services, Instagram may be a better choice. Here, photos and videos (Instagram stories) are clearly in the foreground.
Twitter enjoys great popularity with 140 million daily active users. Whether sponsored tweets (since August 2019 also with video ads), Twitter Moments, videos, photos, or pure text messages—Twitter is an interesting channel for companies that rely on content marketing.
Whether it's how-to guides, product reviews, or entertainment, YouTube is a gold mine for those who prefer to learn and be entertained through moving images rather than text.
And this also works for companies that, for example, replace a printed user manual with a YouTube video, show product tests in a video, or film their company story.
LinkedIn and Xing are the best-known professional social networks, which are primarily used in the corporate environment for business contacts or recruiting, for example. While LinkedIn has established itself internationally with over 330 million registered users, Xing has approximately 8 million users in German-speaking countries.
But is there an alternative to Facebook & Co. for companies? And if so, what is it?
No matter which network you choose, you always need content. In our content marketing white paper, you can learn how to create content for social networks and what you need to keep in mind. Download it right here !
{{divider}}
As a marketing manager, you know that social media platforms can also be promising for companies, provided you choose the right channels for your marketing goals and regularly maintain them with appropriate content.
Although most companies focus on the top players, it may be particularly interesting for your business and your target group to look into so-called niche platforms. These are lesser-known social media platforms with a smaller reach, but innovative approaches and new opportunities to communicate with the world.
Good reasons to use niche platforms in your social media marketing
Of course, you can potentially reach more people through big players like Facebook and YouTube.
But are they the right ones for your company?
There are therefore a few good reasons for using niche platforms:
- Real trendsetter: Small, lesser-known social media platforms are used by a specific group of people, mostly early adopters. These people are generally keen to experiment and consume, and are very active. If you get your company active on a small platform early on, you will also be a real trendsetter for your customers, which will have a positive effect on your brand.
- Special topics: Some niche platforms focus on specific topics, and it is clear that the people who frequent them are also interested in content related to precisely these topics.
- Less competition: Content marketing or advertising on Facebook and other platforms is already being done by many companies. On smaller platforms, competition is much lower and the chance of getting noticed is higher.
- Lower advertising costs: Smaller platforms often offer attractive advertising rates.
You should take a closer look at these promising platforms
With 300 million users worldwide, the visual search engine Pinterest is no longer really a niche platform. In this country, 7 million people are active on Pinterest every month, using the platform to search for images, find inspiration, and save their discoveries to their own pinboards.
Since March 2019, it has also been possible to place ads on Pinterest in Germany. These Pinterest statistics may reveal whether Pinterest could be of interest to your company. Pinterest statistics. And in this article you can learn more about how to use Pinterest marketing in the B2B sector.
Snapchat
On the instant messaging service Snapchat, which is used by 4 million Germans every day, users can send image or video messages and stories to one or more recipients for a limited time.
If you want to appeal to a young target group, Snapchat is an interesting channel for direct communication.
TikTok
The Chinese video portal Tik Tok, which acquired its former competitor Music.ly in 2017, has 5.5 million monthly users in Germany. Tik Tok attracts a relatively young audience between the ages of 11 and 16 who enjoy being entertained.
This platform could be interesting for companies looking to attract potential trainees or win over this young target group with creative clips.
Twitch
The Twitch platform is considered YouTube for gamers. Twitch users can watch video games being streamed live in real time and communicate with the player via a chat function.
Twitch is an interesting channel for influencer marketing because the relationship between gamers and their fan base is very close.
Twitch is certainly conceivable for topics other than just gaming, e.g., as a platform for webinars and tutorials or as a livestream of an event. Twitch is also already being used by companies as an advertising platform.
Wize.life
If you're interested not only in younger target groups, but also in the so-called best agers (50+), then you should check out Wize.life. Formerly known as seniorbook.de, it is a German portal, a mixture of news portal and community, which, according to the company, has over 5 million users per month.
Wize.life offers companies various forms of advertising, such as native advertising, newsletters, and ad specials for the compact target group of best agers.
Untappd
The niche platform Untappd is all about beer, especially the growing number of craft beers. This social network is about searching for and rating beers and breweries, making friends, and toasting each other.
With Untappd for Business , your company has the opportunity to promote events, place ads, and reach new customers.
{{divider}}
Relevant trend or just a short-lived hype? Tips for dealing with niche platforms
What is dismissed today as just one of many social networks could be an interesting (advertising) platform for your company tomorrow. Admittedly, the development is not quite so obvious overnight.
Nevertheless, it does not hurt to observe social networks that have made at least a small name for themselves and appear repeatedly in the media, study user statistics over several months, and compare whether the users or topics are a good fit for your company's target group.
Here are my tips for dealing with niche social media platforms:
- Observe the niche platform in question for a few months before you become active. How do users interact with each other here? What values matter? Do your company's values fit in with this?
- Don't wait too long. If all your competitors are already active on the niche platform before you've thought about a strategy, you may already be too late. If you get in early enough and with the right content, your company will be considered a trendsetter.
- Pay attention to quality. Users are becoming increasingly demanding—especially those on niche platforms. This is because they have deliberately chosen smaller networks and avoid what the mainstream consumes.
- Measure your activity. Be realistic and critical about your social media activity. If you find that your activity on the platform is not bringing the desired success, it is better to focus your attention on other social media platforms.
