How many Social media sites are they? This is a question we get asked by clients around the world. Sadly our response is just a simple we don’t know but a lot. We all know the giants of Social Media, for example, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest. We were amazed at the number of social media sites that users from around the globe use. But are they worth using to grow your business? These are the 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand. (Some you know and some are new)
TIP: You don’t have to be every social media site!
In A Nutshell, these are the 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand.
Popular Social Media Sites
1 FACEBOOK
- Headquarters: Menlo Park, CA
- Founded: 2004
- Active Monthly Users: 2.45 billion
Facebook is hands down the largest social media site in the world. Its the truly the King. This is the first platform you should dip into when you start your social media business. There are more than 80 million small businesses using Facebook Pages. Furthermore, more than six million advertisers actively promoting their business on Facebook. Facebook is also very good for businesses because you can promote your products using paid ads on Facebook which reaches hundreds of millions. Out of the 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand, Facebook is a must.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Most content works fine but focus on text, images, videos, live videos, and Stories. I would probably lean heavily on short videos and eye-catching images to improve presence. Have the odd poll and live stream to also spark some conversation.
Facebook is business-friendly and business ready. It’s Internationally recognised and easy to set up shop.
You can sell directly from your page. Add new products and update product information. Run Facebook ads to promote these products. You can also manage orders and shipping. Creating a Facebook Page for your business allows you to build an audience and connect with people.
Check Out these stats.
- 90 million small businesses use Facebook
- 86% of marketers use Facebook
- 78 per cent of American consumers have discovered retail products to buy via Facebook
- 39% of users will follow a Facebook Page in order to receive a special offer.
- In 2019 44% said that Facebook influences their shopping
- Over 2bn people can be reached through Facebook ads
Your Business Should Prioritize Facebook If Your audience is:
We will use the Statista graph to illustrate the age demographic
The graph illustrates that Facebook is broad. But if your product is geared for ages 18 to 44 then you may thrive. But nonetheless, there is no real formula to this.
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2. YouTube
- Headquarters: San Bruno, California
- Founded: February 14, 2005 (by three former Paypal employees)
- Active Monthly Users: 2 Billion
Youtube is a video sharing platform. YouTube is the second most popular search engine in the world today, coming second to its parent company Google. Users watch a billion hour of videos every day. YouTube maintains its status because of one simple thing it does well. The thing it does well is how accessible it is. YouTube makes it so easy to get started and share your content with a large audience. Over 60% of businesses use YouTube as a channel to post video content. Businesses mostly to use YouTube as a channel to communicate customers and to potential customers.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Strictly Video only. Long-form or short-form video content can work very well. Try implementing a combination of education, entertainment, how-to videos, unboxing videos and partnering with YouTube influencers. Remember 90 percent of people say they discover new brands or products on YouTube. Importantly YouTube can help popularize your product through video content. Finally, don’t forget that as a business, you can advertise on YouTube to increase your reach on the platform. Out of the 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand, in terms of live video YouTube is a must.
Your Business Should Prioritize YouTube If Your audience is:
I mainly think that if your audience is below the age of 50 and consumes video content as a means of either education or entertainment then Youtube is perfect.
MediaKix states Millennials are not the only ones that love YouTube. In fact, GenX and Baby Boomers are YouTube’s fastest-growing demographics, with time spent by adults 35+ and 55+ growing 40% and 80% faster than overall growth, respectively. YouTube reaches 95% of online adults 35+ and 55+. A recent study shows that 1 in 3 baby boomers use YouTube to learn about a new product. That same study shows 68% of the generation watch YouTube videos to be entertained, 75% of the generation watch to embrace nostalgia, 68% use it to stay in the know, and 73% use it to access how-to content. The above research means that Youtube has wide age audience because I think that its ease of use helps it bridge all age gaps.
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3. Instagram
- Headquarters: Menlo Park, CA
- Launched: 2010
- Active users: 1 billion
Instagram is a highly visual platform which is owned by Facebook. Users can share videos and images as well as Stories and Live broadcasts. More than 500 million active users are using the platform daily. This social network loves product-based businesses, influencers, and small businesses. Facebook acquisition of Instagram was a masterstroke.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Images, stunning visuals, videos through IGTV, selfie-styles and Videos through stories.
You should definitely set up an Instagram business profile. This is important because it will provide you with access to business features, including Instagram Insights and Instagram Shopping. Search Engine Journal states that the potential ROI for product-based businesses is higher than ever – not only can B2B’s connect with a massive audience, they can link the product information and sales straight from the ‘gram.
50% of Instagram users follow at least one business, this stat is impressive and it continues to grow. 80% of Instagrammers decide whether to buy a product or service on the platform. The latter stat should force you to immediately set up a business account on Instagram. In terms of the 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand, we strongly encourage Instagram.
Your Business Should Prioritize Instagram If Your audience is:
If the audience is under the age of 45 then Instagram is for you. However, we believe Instagram is for any age because if your product is for the older generation regardless of them being fewer users, it’s actually the younger generation that will buy the product for the Older generation. Think of it as buying a gift for Grandma or Grandpa.
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4.WhatsApp
- Headquarters: Menlo Park, CA
- Launched: January 2009
- Active users: 1 billion
WhatsApp is a free mobile app that uses your phone’s internet connection to communicate with other users. It has more than 1.6 billion users. It’s used by people in over 180 countries. Initially, WhatsApp was only used by people to communicate with their family and friends. Now, it has its own dedicated WhatsApp business app. WhatsApp is a great tool for your business because the app essentially allows small businesses to set up a business profile which can then be used to provide customer support. Furthermore, you can communicate with customers immediately. More than 60 billion messages are sent through WhatsApp every single day.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Text, Product images, Map directions and generally any content that makes it easy for your customer to grasp. You can use WhatsApp Business for Internal Team Communication, Customer Communication, Customer Support, Marketing & Promotion, Concierge Service and Food Ordering just to name a few.
We think WhatsApp is an app that can be used in tandem perfectly with other apps because of its simple structure. We truly believe it is a great enabler in reaching out to your customers quickly and effectively.
Please check out these stories of how businesses use WhatsApp Business. STORIES.
Your Business Should Prioritize WhatsApp If Your audience is:
Oberlo states that “WhatsApp usage decreases with age. ” WhatsApp usage is highest among the 30-49 age group in the USA. In developing countries especially when I visited South Africa, Whatsapp was the main means of communication as it is cheaper.
5.Twitter
https://twitter.com/Heropost1/status/1234837611119828992
- Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
- Founded: 2006
- Active Monthly Users: 340 million
This is an extremely fast-moving app. Twitter is popular for microblogging. The search Engine Journal states that If your business is related to entertainment, sports, politics, or marketing, you stand to earn tremendous engagement on Twitter. Twitter’s main focus I believe is a simple one. It is to let users stay on top of trending topics and engage in relevant conversations.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Business uses this platform to communicate breaking news, digest bite-sized content, and communicate directly with your customers or potential customers in real-time. Tweets with images get 150% more retweets.
The new Fleets feature which is similar to stories on Instagram is a great addition. Videos, images and Gifs do well. However, that well-timed, carefully structured tweet works like a charm if you’re hopping on trending topics. 67 per cent of all B2B businesses are using Twitter as a digital marketing tool. Impressively four out of ten Twitter users carried out a purchase after having come across it on the social media platform.
Your Business Should Prioritize Twitter If Your audience is:
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6.LinkedIn
- Headquarters: Mountain View, CA
- Founded: 2003
- Active Monthly Users: 310 million
This is the most popular professional social networking site.
LinkedIn is perfect if you’re looking for decision-makers. Decision-makers have the power to hire your company, stock your product or partner with you. When considering the 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand, LinkedIn is great as a professional social networking site.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Blog Posts, Industry News and Research, Quick Tips and Company Updates. More than 30 million companies are listed on the platform. Of all the social media sites, LinkedIn is the second-most popular platform among B2B marketers, just behind Facebook. The later statement illustrates the importance of LinkedIn as part of your social media presence.
44% of LinkedIn users have an income above the national median. Which means there are qualified buyers on that platform. The fact that more than 50% of Americans with a college degree use LinkedIn illustrates that you will find serious and educated people on this platform that may end up actually helping your business in various ways.
Your Business Should Prioritize LinkedIn If Your audience is:
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7.Snapchat
- Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA
- Founded: 2011
- Active Monthly Users: 360 million
Snap chat is for video snippets. This is where Instagram got their idea of their stories feature and ultimately decreased Snapchat’s user base. Snapchat still remains one of the most heavily used apps with the under 25 years of age.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Video is king here. Selfie-style short videos are also important on this platform. The upside for businesses on Snapchat is that most businesses haven’t established a presence on Snapchat. Snapchatters are also 20% more likely to make purchases on mobile.
Your Business Should Prioritize If Your audience is:
Prioritize Snapchat if you want to reach a young audience. Look don’t start a Snapchat account if you’re trying to reach 50-year-old professionals and executives. Snapchat appeals to Generation z generation Z 8-22-year-olds
In terms of US stats;
- 53% of people ages 15-25 use Snapchat
- 34% of people ages 26-35 use Snapchat
- 18% of people ages 36-45 use Snapchat
- 11% of people ages 46-55 use Snapchat
- 4% of people that are 56+ years old use Snapchat
We can expect the same stats globally as well.
8.Pinterest
- Founded: 2010
- Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
- Active Monthly Users: 322 million
Simply put Pinterest is a digital pinboard. As Pinterest states, Pinterest is where people go to discover new things and be inspired. Rich visuals always win on Pinterest. With over 320 million monthly users, Pinterest boasts one of the most concentrated audiences of women amongst all social media sites. 80% of their users are female, with a heavy concentration amongst Millennials. 40% of new Pinterest signups are male. When it comes to the 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand, we recommend Pinterest if your product is feminine based.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Vertically-formated images are king here. Businesses need to understand that Pinterest opens you up to new markets and the app itself is very business-friendly. Shopping is a top priority for 48% of Pinterest users, 85% of Pinners put visuals first when shopping for apparel and furniture, Pins that show a product or service in action are 67% more likely to drive sales and Pinterest says that 80% of users have made a purchase based on the content they’ve seen on the platform. These stats illustrate that Pinterest is beneficial for businesses. The use of buyable pins, Shop the Look and Catalogues have helped so many small businesses. We recommend using rich pins on Pinterest to drive customers to your site.
Your Business Should Prioritize Pinterest If Your audience is:
If your audience consists predominantly of adult women then Pinterest is a must. Double down on Pinterest if your business is more feminine based.
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9.Reddit
- Founded: 2005
- Headquarters: San Francisco, CA
- Active Monthly Users: 430 million
Reddit heralds itself as “the front page of the internet.” Reddit does the community group thing every well on social media. It also combines social news, web content, forums and social networking hubs. There are more than 150,000 communities dedicated to every topic imaginable. Founder Alex Ohanian states that with Reddit you can find almost any group and be part of that group.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Content that links to content outside of Reddit e.g.written, video, or image or Written content that is specifically created for Redditors i.e. Reddit Users. These are normally the types of content that work well. Reddit users prioritize community and contribution over individuality and self-promotion. Therefore as a business, you need to carefully position yourself. Reddit is one of the largest and most underutilized social media marketing platforms.
An example of how you can enter Reddit without getting your head ripped off is seen in the image below.
Social Media examiner gave an amazing example and stated “Morrison’s approach to growing his business via Reddit is simple. He goes to the communities where he can be useful and offers up his insights. In reality, only a small percentage of Redditors will become his clients, but he’s built a reputation in the game development community because of his activity and his willingness to be a positive contributor to the audience he cares about.
We haven’t been looking at Reddit for some time, therefore, we decided to give you a snippet of some of the important stats. 26.4 Million Americans Use Reddit Monthly. Reddit has 330 Million Monthly Active Users. Top Reddit Posts Are Under 120 Characters, Posts With Questions Receive The Most Comments, External Links are the Most Popular Type of Content and Reddit Has One Billion Video Views Per Month.
Your Business Should Prioritize Reddit If Your audience is:
Majority of users on Reddit are male. Reddit is a platform that may be particularly useful for advertisers looking to reach male consumers.
(SCHEDULE ON REDDIT WITH HEROPOST TODAY)
10.Tik Tok
- Founded: September 2016
- Headquarters: TikTok doesn’t have a headquarters, though its main office is in Culver City, CA in USA and its chief executive works out of Shanghai.
- Active Monthly Users: 500 million
Tik Tok (also known as Douyin in China). TikTok is a social video app that allows its users to share short videos with music in the background. It’s still most popular in China but recently it has blown up in the West. When looking at the 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand, we recommend Tik Tok to capture the younger generation.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
The Content that Works Best on TikTok is usually catchy music-video style content. Short-form video content does exceptionally well on this platform. Influencer Marketing Hub states that Many brands do a combination of running their own channels and working with influencers to spread content to a broader audience. TikTok was the fourth most downloaded non-gaming app in the world last year, hitting 655.8 million unique installs. The latter statement shows that Tik Tok has a lot of promise as its gaining more users daily.
The above image illustrates that Tik Tok has a higher engagement rate meaning if you partner with the right influencer you will increase your brand’s exposure. The positive thing about Tik Tok is that it doesn’t feel like marketing when you market on the platform.
Your Business Should Prioritize
The majority of the app’s users are 16-24 years old. If your brand is targeting a younger demographic or Gen Z’s, a TikTok influencer marketing campaign could be a great way to reach your target audience. have a look at your business model. If your business is targeting an older demographic, you may be better off investing in Facebook, Instagram, or other more established marketing campaigns to generate awareness.
11.Sina Weibo
- Founded: 2009
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- Active Monthly Users:516 million
This is a popular microblogging social platform in China. often simply called ‘Weibo’ (pronounce as way-bo). In fact, it is hailed as “China’s Twitter” and shares many of Twitter’s key features. Remember, Twitter is blocked in China so this platform slots itself in perfectly. Weibo mainly has a hybrid of Facebook and Twitter features. If you’re looking East as per the 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand, then Weibo is recommended.
What Content Works Best
Weibo has a hybrid of features that we know of from the western sites. You can upload text or multimedia content (pictures, videos, gifs. You can also hold live-streaming sessions or upload “Weibo stories” (similar to Instagram stories). The story function allows users to upload a 15-second video/story that disappears after 24 hours.
Why Business need to get on this platform
Weibo has a personal account and a corporate account feature. If you’re a business the corporate feature is a must-have. Weibo has done well in terms of making it easy for businesses to advertise. 75% of Weibo users do not mind seeing adverts and more than half may click on popular ads. Weibo users are also very active shoppers. If you’re a business with Asia in mind especially China then Weibo is a must. Also, Social Media Today states that the use of influencers is rising in China, and if you’re looking for a way into the market, the infographic below could be it.
Check Out this amazing Infographic on Weibo by Pulse Advertising.
Your Business Should Prioritize
If you’re looking to expand your business into China then this is a must. Set up a Corporate Weibo Account. In terms of the age demographics, 40% of Weibo users are between 22-30 yrs old. Check at the Infographic above.
12.Telegram
- Founded:2013
- Headquarters: London, United Kingdom (legal domicile) Dubai, United Arab Emirates (operational centre)
- Active Monthly Users: 400 million
Telegram is an instant messaging network is similar to WhatsApp. However, when it comes to security and privacy Telegram seems to be ahead of the Facebook-owned app. The service has been banned in Russia for refusing to release users’ information, and reportedly the U.S. government tried to bribe Telegram founders for access to the service. Telegram main focus seems to be privacy.
The encryption feature they always had, has only just been made available for WhatsApp, showing how serious they are in terms of privacy. Telegram has been widely adopted by international users, cryptocurrency fanatics, and also, most notoriously, by criminals.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
You can use Telegram in so many ways. Businesses can provide personal customer support. Most brands create and integrate chatbots for the Telegram platform. Marketers also make use of Telegram’s channel feature to broadcast messages to an unlimited number of subscribers.
Telegram helps businesses in so many ways. Its ability to share an unlimited number of files (up to 1.5GB) is key. With the use of its bots, you are able to systemize your core processes and allow the system’s robots to handle a variety of IFTTT (If This Then That) tasks for you. Importantly Telegram Channels and chats are the main means of disseminating information about your business.
Your Business Should Prioritize
We didn’t have hard concrete age demographic stats on this point. But since WhatsApp is its main competitor. We would say that since WhatsApp usage is highest among the 20-49 age group in the USA, we would also hover around that number.
13.Medium
- Founded:2012
- Headquarters: San Francisco
- Active Monthly Users:70 million
This social media site is rather unique in that its all about blogging. It’s free to publish on Medium and free to read most articles. However, for monetization, some articles are reserved for only paying members. Medium is great for expanding your knowledge and content base. There are some really good bloggers out there.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Blogs only. Anil Dash states Medium is blogging in form, but not in structure. Medium matters because it pushes blogging, the native medium of the web, to a new stage of evolution after a decade of relative stagnation. Medium is an amazing resource for content marketers and businesses. Why?
Firstly, brands can republish their blog posts from their company blog onto Medium to extend their reach. Many Ebook writers or self-publishers use Medium to drive traffic to their own website. If you like someone’s content on Medium you’re more like to buy their product.
Secondly, Digital Marketing Insitute states “Brands love Medium because they can sponsor stories written by influencers and post their own content on popular topics.”
Thirdly, Medium’s algorithm can’t be manipulated by clicks, shares, or likes. It focuses solely on reading time therefore if you’re a brand and are pushing some content you will truly know if its good or not. Additionally, Medium puts your content in front of the eyes of your target audience because it centres on sorting stories into themed collections. This is great because if your business is churning out great content, traffic will come onto to your site. We currently are slacking on Medium and we need to get on this platform.
Your Business Should Prioritize
Aaron Taube smartly put it. Medium’s audience is made up mostly of the sort of educated, upwardly mobile, and media-savvy people who like to ponder the future of technology or the cultural significance of the Coachella music festival.
A full 95% of Medium’s readers are college graduates, and 43% of them earn six figures or more. Even better, from an advertiser standpoint, these readers are also young, with half of them in the coveted 18–34 demographic and 70% of them being under the age of 50.
14.QQ
- Founded: 1999 (yes 1999)
- Headquarters: Shenzen, China
- Active Monthly Users:731 million
This is the biggest digital platform you’ve never heard of. It is an instant messaging platform. It is used in 80 countries and also available in many other languages.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
You can Text, make video calls and voice chats. It even has a built-in translator to translate your chats. Click Z states that QQ is for office communication and file transferring at work, but they, turn to WeChat to arrange Friday night drinks at a nearby bar. Remember Tencent owns QQ and WeChat.
Your Business Should Prioritize
It’s particularly popular with young people in China. So if you’re looking to market to Generation Z in China, you should definitely consider using QQ. Marketers who will be most successful with QQ are those who can benefit from reaching its growing core of younger users. Your products must appeal to younger people.
15.Tumblr
- Founded:2007
- Headquarters: New York
- Active Monthly Users:437 million
Tumblr has seen a decline in popularity and use but it continues to be used. Primarily Tumblr is a microblogging and social networking site. You can share text, photos, links, videos and audios.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
According to Tumblr’s Brand Strategist, Alexis Kaplan, photos are the most popular content on the site, followed by animated GIFs, text, and video however this was in 2013. Humour seems to work really well on Tumblr. Neil Patel states as a business you can share Share graphs, charts and infographics. Share images and short reviews on a specific piece of electronic equipment. Share pictures and short comments on tools you find that will help people effectively use social media. As a business, you can greatly benefit from Tumblr only if you know what you’re targeting.
70% of Tumblr users say the Dashboard is their favourite place to spend time online, this means that if you post content that your audience can relate to you may actually get sales by site visits.
According to Tumblr(2013), 70% of Tumblr users enjoy brands more when they witness a Sponsored Post. Additionally, the network discovered:
- Half of Tumblr users interacting with Sponsored Posts looked up the company after the interaction.
- Three out of five Tumblr users thought Sponsored Posts were a great way to engage and highlight content.
Your Business Should Prioritize
Digiday, states Tumblr’s user demographic, 56.1 per cent are 34 years old or younger. If you are trying to reach a younger demographic you should consider being active on Tumblr.
Check Out Search Engines Article On Tumblr
16. Qzone
- Founded:2005
- Headquarters: Shenzhen, China
- Active Monthly Users:517 million
Like QQ and WeChat, QZone is yet another social networking service developed by Tencent. Qzone is a Facebook-style social network. Oberlo states that you should, Think of it like this: Just like Facebook has Messenger, Qzone has QQ. Users can upload multimedia, write blogs, play games, and decorate their own virtual spaces.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
All type of content works well on Qzone. However, If you’re a business then you would like the fact that brands can create fully customizable microsites. Qzone’s relevance for brands depends mainly on their target audience. Linkfluence stated Qzone marketing, in just three days, Oreo’s ‘Zone of Child Innocence’ Qzone campaign triggered 130 million impressions. Also, remember every QQ user is also a Qzone member.
Importantly Qzone marketing basically come in 2 varieties: sponsored posts in the user feed and banner ads. You can use Qzone marketing to post directly in the relevant group.
Your Business Should Prioritize
One user on Quora explains that WeChat is favoured by Chinese millennials whereas Generation Z typically prefers Qzone. Qzone if for a younger audience.
17.WeChat
- Founded:2011
- Headquarters: Shenzhen, China
- Active Monthly Users:1,1 billion
Developed by Tencent again. WeChat is no longer just a simple messaging application. It is now a fully-fledged social media site.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Content that works as explained by marketingtochina needs to have:
- An eye-catching title (so users will have to click to read the article)
- An attractive presentation (Gifs, photos, embedded videos, etc).
- Good personalized content
- And above all, it needs to be original content
Businesses will benefit greatly by being on WeChat because its features are moulded to further commerce for example; Mapping and localization services, E-wallet, Payment and Financial services, and online shopping. It is quite popular now to develop a WeChat store and sell on Wechat to the community.
Check out why WeChat is a great app for your business.
The above graph depicts users in China. It shows that WeChat’s suite of features is key businesses as users engage a lot in shopping and reading content
Your Business Should Prioritize
Business Of Apps states in 2017, WeChat usage occurs in the 26-35 age group, as tends to be the case across messenger apps. Notably, the proportion of users in the 36-50 age bracket is not too far off matching 18-25-year-olds.
Top age groups of retail e-commerce Mini Programs on WeChat are 30-39, 20-29, and 40-49 according to Tencent in 2019.
18.Douban
- Founded:2005
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- Active Monthly Users: 300 million
Douban is an interest-based social networking platform. Chozan states that its a combination of Goodreads, IMDb, Blogger, Facebook, Pandora, Spotify, Ello and Fancy.com.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Articles, music, videos, pictures and polls all work well. Remember that’s its a mashup of Goodreads, IMDb, Blogger and Facebook.
Douban offers interest-based advertising to target audiences more specifically. Let’s look at examples.
Chozan states that; brands can pay for a 15-second audio ad on Douban FM, or put up banner-like video ads on the website. For the e-commerce industry, Douban helps marketers make their products visible and to target customers with direct links to their external online store.
Customers may also buy directly on Douban an example is below.
Samphi states, Douban seems to be one of the most underrated Chinese social media sites with great potential. Several high brands have also established what is called brand stations on Douban. Check Out Marketing on Douban, a Unique Chinese Social Network
Your Business Should Prioritize
According to Doctor Yang Bo, the founder of Douban, most of the users live in major big cities of China. They are office workers, artists, freelancers and students who share common interests in arts, culture and lifestyle. Marketing on Douban could be an excellent option for a more sophisticated promotion campaign targeting upscale urban consumers as the Rolex ad above illustrates. If you’re aiming to target highly-educated and cultured people in China, Douban is the way to go.
19. LINE
- Founded:2000
- Headquarters: Tokyo, Japan
- Active Monthly Users: 203 million
LINE is a multi-purpose social media site and messaging app. You can message, share stickers, play games, make payments, request for taxis, and shop online. LINE is Japan’s most popular messaging app. Its also growing in Spain, Argentina, Singapore and Hong Kong.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Most content works well on Line. LINE is very business-friendly because its features advance commerce.
Businesses can create branded stickers. Creating branded stickers is high effort, but high reward. Look at Pepsis branded stickers below which they give away, which then people can use as emojis, therefore, furthering the brand.
Business can also give out exclusive offers. Wordbank states When a user adds a company as a friend, they can receive discounts and offers. Giving out special discounts is a common marketing method on LINE because it appeals to the Japanese desire for the personal touch.
Wordbank also states that you can only advertise on LINE if you pay via a fixed-rate card. However, you can target specific audiences, which can be filtered according to a mobile operating system, a person’s interests or demographic data.
All in all, Brands can share news and promotions, which will appear on their followers’ timeline.
Your Business Should Prioritize
Statista states that LINE’s main target group are young adults aged 15 to 34 years and it represents more than 50 per cent of the company’s Japanese user base in 2018. If you’re aiming to target a younger demographic in Japan or even in USA where there are 2.5 million LINE users and counting then its the right app to be on. Don’t forget that its also growing in Spain, Argentina, Singapore and Hong Kong, therefore, get a foothold now.
20.Viber
- Founded:2010
- Headquarters: Luxembourg
- Active Monthly Users:260 million
Viber is another messaging social media site similar to WhatsApp and Messenger. You can send messages and multimedia, call, share stickers and GIFs, and more.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Business can benefit greatly from Viber. You can engage your community, buy ads, promote your brand through stickers, display your products in the shopping section and provide customer service. You need to understand that Viber has over a billion unique users worldwide.
Viber Business Messages feature is also important. Why? You can put your company’s logo on your Viber profile. You can then craft a compelling message and include a call-to-action button at the bottom. What we understand, is that button can lead people directly to your website, or initiate a call right away! 1 in 4 customers taps the buy button. According to Viber, 16% of viewers click the buy button and 32% share those products with their friends.
Customized Viber sticker packs similar to LINES all help with brand recognition.
Your Business Should Prioritize
Since Viber states their main competition is Whatsapp it would mean that they would have more or less the same user base. Since WhatsApp usage is highest among the 20-49 age group in the US and it also decreases with age, therefore, we would expect the same kind of age usage demographic.
21.Quora
- Founded: 2009
- Headquarters: Mountain View, CA
- Active Monthly Users: 300 Million
Inc describes Quora as a question-and-answer service built on a social-media backbone. If you have any question that internet results cannot answer, you can post it under a relevant category. You can even send answer requests to experts on the topic. On Quora, you can publish content, ask questions to specific Quora users to collaborate with industry influencers. Search for specific topics and keywords related to your business.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Good content is always received well on this platform. It may be sharing content from other websites (including your own) in topic-focused boards on your profile. Businesses will find Quora advantageous because you can drive traffic to your site if you have expert like content or responses.
Social Media Today states You can use segments from your blog posts to answer questions and link back to your post. Getting a few backlinks from a high authority site like Quora can improve your backlink profile.
Importantly Quora can be headhunting tool. Why? You can see a person who is active and knows what they are talking about. What you can then do is reach out and see if they’d like to collaborate or work together on creating great marketable content.
Your Business Should Prioritize
Quora is for everyone. Most people use Quora. From teenagers to senior citizens.
Check Out this Infographic for more information.
22.Viadeo
- Founded: 2004
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- Active Monthly Users: 60 Million
Viadeo is a professional social networking site just like LinkedIn that connects business owners and entrepreneurs with one another. Viadeo’s membership is more heavily concentrated in middle managers than senior executives.
Viadeo’s two largest competitors are LinkedIn and Xing.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Viadeo offers content-sharing tools in the form of status updates, questions, blogs, and professional interest groups.
Cleverism states, Viadeo offers considerable opportunities for business, including targeted marketing, advertising, and B2B marketing. It can also be used to enhance your visibility online, as well as for recruiting. Importantly With Viadeo just like LinkedIn you can share blogs on industry-related topics that can increase your standing in the industry and open your firm up to networking and marketing opportunities in the B2B space.
Your Business Should Prioritize
If you’re looking to market or employ top European talent in the region of 18 to 55 then take a look at Viadeo.
23. VK
- Founded: 2006
- Headquarters: St Petersburg Russia
- Active Monthly Users:100 million
This is the Russian Facebook. You can create groups and public pages, organise events, and message other users, share images, video, and audio or even play browser-based games. Basically just think of Facebook.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Just like Facebook, text, images and videos work well. But our experience on this Platform, we have noticed that VK is ideal for video updates. With VK you can implement targeted marketing just like Facebook. Business can use Pages and Groups, to inform and engage VK users. Like Facebook, VK pages are ideal for communicating news and information about your brand.
You can also have content that can drive traffic to your site. Clverism states that VK has a robust advertising platform available to brands, offering targeted premium banner and video ads on either a cost per click or cost per impression model, with pricing determined by auction (and taking demographic information into consideration).
Our Experience with VK is positive and we believe businesses must follow these principles if they want to break into the Eastern European Market using Vk. Upload content frequently, post updates, multimedia content. Create a Group for your business because VK gives you metrics for users who join your Group. Importantly, you can then use these metrics when you want to advertise. You can also create contests to create buzz.
Your Business Should Prioritize
VKontakte’s users base consists mostly of millennial users. 77.5 per cent of users are under the age of 34. So if you’re looking to break into the Russian Market the VK is the one to go for. Seotools states If you want to sell your products to Russian speaking customers then it’s extremely important to consider VK because of its popularity in Russia. Out of 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand we recommend Vk for Eastern Europe.
Check out the infographic below illustrating VKs popularity.
(SCHEDULE ON VK (PROFILE AND PAGES) WITH HEROPOST TODAY)
24. Kuaishou
- Founded:2011
- Headquarters: Beijing, China
- Active Monthly Users: 400 million
Kuaishou, internationally known as Kwai, is one of the most famous short video apps in China. It’s Douyin/Tik Tok main competitor. People record and share their lives through photos, short videos, and live streaming.
What Content Works Best and Why Business need to get on this platform
Short videos just like Tik Tok. WALKTHECHAT states that Kuaishou has stronger user engagement, more live-streaming content, stronger e-commerce conversion, more social features but is weaker in generating advertising revenue. Additionally, Kuaishou users live in smaller communities, Kuaishou content is distributed based on users’ social relationships. The content on Kuaishou, therefore, has a higher engagement rate compared to Douyin./Tik Tok
Not all kinds of products sell well on Kuaishou. The top three categories of products sold on Kuaishou are low-priced cosmetics, clothing, and food. So if you’re a business looking to sell these types of goods then you’re in with a shot.
Your Business Should Prioritize
Remember Douyin? Tik Tok is the platform of choice for city dwellers, while KuaiShou targets those in the regions meaning Villages and smaller communities.
Check at the demographics below.
Image.Mobvista
It’s pretty even when it comes to age demographics between Kuashou and Douyin/Tik Tok. So maybe you can use both. Douyin/Tik Tok for city dwellers and Kuashou for the remote smaller villages. Out of the 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand we recommend utilising Kuashou and Douyin/Tik Tok in conjunction.
Conclusion
These are the 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand. Remember you don’t have to be on every social media platform to maximise your business sales. Each platform does one thing perfectly well. We recommend taking time to learn about these platforms and reaching out to a social media manager who knows about the platform if you’re thinking about advertising on them.
We hope you gained some insight into the 24 Social Media Sites To Check Out For Your Brand. I know the article is lengthy but we tried to encompass all these platforms.
