Who needs the paparazzi when we have social media? Social media has evolved into our personalized
version of a tabloid. As we ‘like, pin,
tweet and post’, we exposed our voice to the entire world; a voice filled with
beliefs and opinions that can affect our success and the prosperity of others.
Consequently, businesses seek our attention and social media to improve brand awareness, gain our loyalty
and defuse ‘not-so-nice’ comments. But, with
so many social media sites available and limited budgets, choosing the most
effective solution can be overwhelming. Comparing
social media sites can reveal interesting user trends and simplify the selection
process. Let’s start by comparing social sites popularity, demographics and features!
Favorites
Over half the adult internet population use two or more
social media sites. However, the majority use Facebook more than any other
site. So, Facebook wins the social media
popularity award!
Meanwhile, studies indicate users are also interested in other platforms. The following chart was released as part of the Pew Research Center Social Media Update 2014 report. LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter increased user percentages for 2014 but Facebook was unchanged between 2013 and 2014.
Meanwhile, studies indicate users are also interested in other platforms. The following chart was released as part of the Pew Research Center Social Media Update 2014 report. LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter increased user percentages for 2014 but Facebook was unchanged between 2013 and 2014.
Demographics
Facebook attracts 56% of senior internet users (age 65+)
while 50% of college graduates continue to join LinkedIn. Twitter is most
popular among those under age 50 and the college-educated. Meanwhile, Instagram
serves 53% of young adults (ages 18- 29).
Pinterest is popular among young adults but is dominated by 42% of
online women.
Features
Facebook offers handy tools that help track fans and
gauge page statistics. It is also a great platform for running contests and
competitions. However, Facebook demands
interacting with followers which can be time consuming.
LinkedIn provides a more professional and expert
collaboration while providing great recruitment tools. Although, the user interaction rate is much
lower when compared to
other platforms.
Pinterest is a great way to organize web treasures. Users create boards and pin links
to items of interest. Users can view other boards to see
what is trending and ‘repin’ items they like. However, to ‘pin’ an item, the website must
contain an image. 
Instagram screams creativity and fun. It provides an opportunity to show the fun
side of life and business. Yet, sharing
photos is more functional from mobile devices and text space is limited.
Twitter updates are posted in real-time and you can
send frequent posts easily. It is a
quick way to respond to customer questions and requests.
However, the responses are limited to 140 characters.
Selecting a site is easier after reviewing the site popularity, user demographics and platform features. Regardless, if confusion still lurks, there’s a simple remedy. You can join the majority percentage by using more than one social media site!
Works Cited
"Social Media Update 2014". n.d. The Pew Research Center .
"Percentage of U.S. internet users who use selected social networks as
of September 2014". n.d. The Statistics Portal.
"Pros and Cons of 5 of the Biggest Social Media Platforms". n.d. Social Media Today.
"Pin for the Win: How to
Market Your Brand On Pinterest". n.d. Social Media Today.<http://www.socialmediatoday.com/white-papers/pin-win-how-market-your-brand-pinterest>
