Whether you’re into digital marketing or starting a new venture, you surely understand the importance of social media marketing in your business. The fact is, with each passing week, social media goes through tremendous transformation. As a digital marketer, understanding user behavior on different social media channels, as well as which platforms work best for your business or your clients, is vital for your initiative.
Social media demographics play a vital role in digital marketing. So, you need to pay attention to data like the number of users across the various social media channels, geography, and what kind of content they are interested in. By understanding these statistics thoroughly, you can design a robust digital marketing strategy and obtain great results when you launch your social media campaign.
Understanding Social Media Demographics
As a digital marketer you can develop various social media strategies based on your demographics research. These demographics are very valuable for people who intend to invest in social media advertising.
Have a close look at the demographics of the major social media networks below to gain a better understanding of the platforms that are used by your target audience regularly. Most of the statistics on demographics are supported by data from Hootsuite and HubSpot. We have conveniently summarized the relevant data here, so that you don’t have to take the trouble of searching it all over the internet.
1. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is widely used by business leaders and professionals to connect with each other and build professional ties. This platform is also perfect for job seekers since recruiters can easily post jobs and share career-related content. LinkedIn is generally used by people between 25 and 49 years of age. Currently there are over 545 million registered LinkedIn users. A Hootsuite report indicates that there is an equal number of men and women on the platform. If you’re targeting professionals based in the United States alone, it is important to note that LinkedIn users are based primarily in urban areas and 70% of them reside outside the country.
2. Facebook
Facebook continues to be the largest and most popular social media platform with a user base of 2.13 billion. In the US, about 68% of adults are registered on the platform, and more women than men are using it. If you plan to target audience in the US, it is useful to note that most adults on the platform earn over $75,000 annually and they are either college graduates or possess higher qualifications. Facebook is a great platform to connect with Generation X or Millennials, and its wide reach offers tremendous opportunities for implementing various digital marketing strategies. Through Facebook, you can easily reach a global audience, so you can target your content toward the exact demographic segment and geographical area, optimizing your digital marketing outreach.
3. Instagram
Instagram, which is now owned by Facebook, is a photo-based digital platform boasting a large collection of quality images. Most digital marketers use hashtags on Instagram to expand the reach of their content and build relationships while promoting their brands among the online community. Out of 800 million total registered Instagram users, 500 million log on daily to browse pictures of their friends and check out Instagram Stories. Ninety percent of Instagram users are below 35 years of age so, as a digital marketer you can use this platform to build brands that address a younger audience or customer base.
4. Pinterest
This is a visual-based social media platform which lets users “pin” their content based on their interests on digital pinboards. These pinboards can be either public or private. Pinterest is perfect for the promotion of e-commerce brands.
5. Twitter
Twitter had some troubled time but it seems to be growing quickly again. Traditionally used by journalists, media professionals and the political community, Twitter expanded to multiple areas of interest. This platform has a monthly user base of 317 million and it is mostly popular among the younger generation. Interestingly, 37% of Twitter users are between 18 and 29 years of age, and 25% Twitter users are 30-49 years old. In terms of digital marketing, Twitter hashtags are widely used to categorize various tweets in order to create a trending topic or help the tweets to be easily seen in Twitter Search. You can use hashtagged words to reach a wider audience and promote your advertisement posts.
5. Snapchat
Face filters were made popular by this social media platform. Snapchat is mainly used by people aged between 18 and 34 years. As many as 187 million people use the platform daily, hence brands looking for younger audiences can definitely benefit from it.
6. YouTube
YouTube is the second-largest social media platform offering immense opportunities to brands for unleashing their digital marketing strategies. With more than 1.5 billion viewers globally, its user base is spread across more than 85 countries.
Regardless of what your profession or business is, using social media demographic information while creating your digital marketing strategy will assist you in optimizing your marketing budget. Digital advertising can be an expensive affair. However, choosing the right social media platform to promote your brand will boost your marketing ROI and strengthen your brand image. Simply ensure you look up the various social media demographics so that you can invest your time and money efficiently and effectively.