The major social networks and how best to use them

If you want to get in direct contact with your target group, strengthen your brand and increase your sales, you will find many exciting opportunities in social networks. Information and entertaining content stand side by side here, allowing providers to create an offer with real added value for their users. Many customers now even expect a company to be represented on social networks. The communities created here create a feeling of identification, which enormously promotes business success.

When it comes to social media marketing, however, the following applies: It is better to use one or two platforms in a strategically thought-out manner rather than setting up profiles on as many sites as possible, which then gradually fall asleep. It is therefore important that the advertising company chooses exactly which social networks it invests its human, financial and time resources in.

In addition to top dogs like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, new portals like Snapchat or Vero are constantly emerging, sometimes with more and sometimes less success. Some, however, are disappearing again: Google recently announced that it would discontinue its social network Google+. It is therefore important to keep an eye on the offering and development of the individual platforms.

Facebook: The US giant is still the number 1 social network

Facebook: The US giant is still the number 1 social network

With 32 million active users (as of November 2018), Facebook is the most used social network in Germany. Whether pure text posts, photos, infographics, links or videos: private users and site operators can publish and share a huge range of content here, which is undoubtedly one reason for its popularity. According to the ARD/ZDF online study, the 20 to 29 year old age group is most represented on Facebook, closely followed by 14 to 19 year olds. But 30 to 49 year olds can still be easily reached here. Men and women are equally represented.

Skillfully stage photos and videos on Instagram

While the number of users on Facebook is now only increasing slowly, Instagram has become increasingly popular in recent years. According to company information, 17 million Germans are active here. If you can showcase your brand in a visually striking and memorable way, Instagram is the right place for you. The social network is most popular among users aged 14 to 29. Women use it slightly more often than men.

Be well informed with Twitter

Be well informed with Twitter

Anyone who has a pointed style and can summarize information well will benefit most from Twitter. The microblogging service only has four million active users in this country, but there are an above-average number of opinion makers and people in influential positions. Many current events spread particularly quickly on the platform, which is why journalists also like to use Twitter for research. With a little skill, companies can therefore place and spread their message effectively. What counts here is quantity rather than class: it is less important to attract the largest possible following than to inspire many more influential people in your own industry. The core of users, who tend to be primarily male, are between 14 and 49 years old.

Is YouTube a social network?

Is YouTube a social network?

Far too many users still perceive YouTube as just a platform for publishing videos. Of course, this is the main benefit of the site, but at the same time the social functions also play a crucial role. Users can create a personal profile, even if they don’t upload their own videos, and use it to comment on other films and give them a thumbs up or down. Like all other platforms of this type, YouTube allows you to send private messages and share published content. With six million active German users and countless other unregistered visitors, the video platform is one of the most influential social networks. Anyone who uploads moving images here as a publisher must therefore treat the channel just like any other social media profile: publishing content alone is not enough. Interacting with users, such as responding to comments and messages, is at least as important for success.

Conclusion: Which social network is right for my company?

In order to answer the question, you must first precisely define your target group. If you know which people you want to reach with which content, you will be most successful on Facebook, Twitter and Co.

Content tailored to the target group and a communication strategy tailored to it are indispensable. If you are unsure about your own positioning, you should seek professional support. We would be happy to develop a concept and strategy for your social media marketing with you. Anyone who approaches the topic professionally will gain a great advantage in digital communication with their target group.

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