It's A Mess Out There
Brand marketers have an absolutely impossible time keeping up with all things trending on social platforms. There are the tried and true platforms - Facebook, Instagram, Twitter - that brands know they need to do. But even those have algorithm changes and new suggested best practices on an almost monthly basis it seems.
Even when you do everything right... you find out that Facebook's new changes mean only 6% of your own fan base - you know, the one you worked for years to build, or even paid for through Facebook advertising, actually see your posts. Unless you boost them with more money. Which is somewhat defeating. In this blog, Hollywood Branded discusses which social platform is right for your brand, and what to be watching out for.
The Top Social Media Platforms Your Brand Must Be On
Depending on your brand - and who your consumer target it, there are certain social media platforms that are still must-do's. And sometimes when we are helping a brand strategize a celebrity endorsement campaign or a branded product placement integration with a TV show or film, a brand is surprised to find that they need to be thinking a little differently than they had thought.
The first thing to look at is what target demographic the brand is engaging with - and who they are not.
- Millennials are going to require communication through Instagram, YouTube and possibly Snapchat. But Twitter and LinkedIn? Not so much.
- If the demographic is moms, then both Instagram and Facebook are the primary focus points, with a possible focus on Pinterest if the content being created is really visual and shareable as graphics.
- And for Baby Boomers? Then absolutely Facebook, and likely Twitter too.
- And for those brands with a business focus? LinkedIn is going to help your brand be top of mind, but YouTube should be a strong focus as well. Even Facebook with it's ad targeting can be a treasure mind for the business consumer. And Twitter in this case is a yes too.
There is not a single social platform where your brand can not boost a post or two - and testing those out to see where engagement comes in will be the best way to see how you can most easily grow your brand.
Check out the infographic was designed by Leverage a digital design and media agency.
Some More Social Media Platform You To Know
Facebook is no longer the #1 - it's moved behind Instagram. But you should realize that Facebook BOUGHT Instagram, and the two platforms are working more in conjunction now than ever before. The older millennial is still the #1 user of the platform with almost 30% of users being 25-34, but it only trends up from there. It's also the most popular platform globally.
If your brand sells anything online, then Instagram needs to be your best friend. With their development into the social media marketplace, they have created a realistic way for brands to see their posts turned into easy purchases through Instagram's own marketplace. And it's only going to improve. Whether short video content, images that are about the brand, or Instagram stories that bring consumers behind the scenes (and which now can be saved forever versus a flash in the pan!) Instagram is the social platform of the now and future. At least for the coming years.
And that brings us to Snapchat, the platform known for their disappearing videos and pictures that only exist for a 'snap' of a time. But what's interesting is that the social app has now started to create a desktop friendly version of itself where those snaps will keep on living - which is sure to make brands happy as all that video content that is created is expensive to live for one moment in time only. But if you are hoping to reach a 25+ crowd, don't invest too heavily here. It's still the overall favored app among 12-24 year olds, and while youth has purchasing power, it's pretty brand category focused.
LinkedIn is a great platform to connect with business professionals - and the best way to do it is from brand generated content including videos and blogs that can be written and shared across the platform. It's still less about the brand and more about individuals on this platform - so true success relies in brands who can get their team members to help share out the brand's own branded content.
If women are the brand's focus than Pinterest, which has 80% female users should be kept in mind. In fact, brands who have a focus around home, travel, beauty, style, and food are typically big winners on Pinterest as well.
If you are a brand running a contest, then definitely keep Twitter in mind. What's great about the platform is you can easily share and share and share again - without totally hitting your fan base over their heads. But mix it up with different phrasing and definitely different graphics to test out what works best.
And then there is YouTube. As a brand, you have to find a way to be there. But that means you also need to be making great video content. And it's time consumptive. From how-to videos, brand case studies, stories from behind the scenes, or social influencer partnerships, there are absolutely ways to create solid content fairly easily and affordably. YouTube is growing at one of the fastest speeds, and any content created for it can be cut down and repurposed across all other social platforms.
Using 3rd Party Content
As a brand, you can either use your own content... or a third party's to help get more awareness and engagement to your brand. Like an influencer. Or a TV show. Our team loves creating partnerships that live on a TV, computer or movie screen... and then that are brought to life even further through social posts pushed out by that third party partner. It makes the content all that more engaging.
So check out some of our other agency blogs that talk about best marketing practices for product placement and brand integration partnerships:
- 4 Common Myths About Product Placement Debunked
- 10 Surprising Reasons Why Brands Do Product Placement
- 8 Ways To Use Product Placement Assets To Amplify Your Brand Into Sales
- 3 Important Steps In Planning Product Placement Strategy
- Thinking Product Placement Cost Is High (It Isn't!)
To learn more about influencer marketing, check out these five blogs we've written that dive more deeply into how you can successfully create an influencer marketing campaign:
- 3 Insights To Create Affordable Influencer Marketing Campaigns
- 3 Things Brands Need To Understand About FTC Guidelines On Influencers
- 3 Tips To Make Your Brand Appealing To Top Social Media Influencers
- 5 Signs Your Brand Should Invest in Influencer Marketing
- 8 Step Guide On How Much To Spend On Social Influencer Marketing
- Why An Influencer Isn't Responding To Your Inquiries
Is Product Placement right for your brand? Watch this video below to learn more about how this marketing practice works, what brand categories it works for, and the results brand marketers see!
