Social media has become an integral part of society. Billions of people log in to these apps every day, so of course it’s a must that your company has a social media presence. But which one is the right platform for your brand’s advertising? Let’s take a closer look in this blog post, where we have got the 3 social media kings compared: Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.
As the largest social media network, Facebook has more than 1.52 billion daily active users worldwide. That’s almost a quarter of the world’s population!
About 68% of adults in the U.S. use Facebook. With the exception of those aged 65 and older, it’s used by the majority of Americans across all age groups. The gender split is almost even, only slightly leaning more towards women (54%) than men (46%).
Eighty-nine percent of Facebook’s monthly active users live outside the U.S., and over 50% of those users speak a language other than English. With such a diverse community and a huge global reach, you should have no problem reaching your ideal audience on the site.
On Facebook, brands can advertise for a low cost and appear on their targeted audience’s feeds. You can also cross-advertise in Messenger, Facebook Stories, Marketplace, and other partner apps through its Audience Network.
In addition to the fact that Instagram is owned by Facebook, this photo-sharing app is immensely popular among the younger demographic. The majority (59%) of its users are aged 18 to 29. A highly visual platform, Instagram lets your photos and videos speak for themselves. Its popular Stories feature lets you engage with your audience on a more intimate level and gives you the ability to attach stickers and GIFs. As an added bonus, your Facebook ads can also be shown to your target audience on Instagram since the platforms are owned by the same company.
Although Instagram is smaller than Facebook, it’s currently the fastest-growing social media network. According to Bloomberg, Instagram is estimated to exceed two billion users within five years. Unlike Facebook, which has reached a plateau in terms of user base, Instagram is still growing within the U.S.
Snapchat
Snapchat first burst into the social media scene with its disappearing video, which quickly became popular with the younger demographic. Although recently surpassed by Instagram Stories, research shows that Snapchat still has 186 million daily users, 60% of whom are younger than 25.
Snapchat’s appeal lies in its spontaneity, with fun camera filters that encourage users to share short videos and easily connect with friends. Brands that market on Snapchat can do so through Snap Ads — short 10-second videos that appear in between stories. Geofilters are another way to interact with your audience. You can create your own filter for your audience to play with, or purchase one that’s ready to go. A more expensive alternative is a Sponsored Lens, where the filter uses facial recognition to blend in with the user’s face. No matter which you choose, users will appreciate that your brand offered a fun filter.
Selecting the right platform is key for your campaign. When planning your social media strategy, it’s best to consider these demographics into account to maximize your advertising spend. Can’t decide which platform to choose? Contact the mobile marketing experts at RAIN to get your campaign off to a good start.
