The 7 Types of Social Media and Pros & Cons of Each (Research)

On the subject of social media, I‘m fairly the professional. I needed to tireless scrub via social media for potential tales again once I was a journalist.

Now, I’m HubSpot‘s go-to blogger for nearly something social media-related, so I’m at all times maintaining with the newest on-line happenings.

Plus, I‘m a youthful millennial who grew up alongside social media. So should you’e a marketer attempting to determine the correct social media platform to increase your brand’s awareness, generate leads, and improve traffic, you have come to the correct weblog.

That can assist you make the very best choice on your model, I’ve compiled a listing of core sorts of social media, examples of platforms inside every class, and the professionals and cons that every sort would possibly current.

By the tip, you need to have a clearer concept of what social media strategy will work for your enterprise. Let’s dive in.

The checklist of social media platforms is rising, and well-known platforms like Fb are always evolving and including new options.

With a larger and larger want for a social presence and an awesome quantity of platform selections, it may be onerous to choose which social channels to make use of.

You may not need to unfold your self too skinny by managing a channel on each conceivable platform, however you don’t need to miss nice model consciousness alternatives.

 

Social Networking

Examples of Main Platforms

Social networking is presumably essentially the most conventional type of social media, and most social media platforms fall beneath the social networking class. So, you will possible see at the very least one of many aforementioned platforms (*cough, cough* X) pop up once more later on this put up.

Platforms like Facebook, X, and LinkedIn are sometimes known as “networking” platforms as a result of they permit consumer accounts to work together (community) in varied methods.

Skilled Makes use of

Fb

Many manufacturers and companies are leveraging social media direct messaging (DMs) for customer support.

In actual fact, our 2024 Socia Media Report shows 88% of entrepreneurs are rising or sustaining their funding in social media DMs for customer support.

Fb Messenger is a superb platform for this technique because it lets you reply to messages out of your model‘s Fb followers.

Plus, as a fellow shopper, I can guarantee you it leaves an ideal impression in your clients whenever you’re reply promptly to their DMs.

There have been many instances once I‘ve slid right into a enterprise’ DMs as a result of I wanted an replace on an order, extra details about a product, or troubleshooting.

And when the enterprise responds again with useful data, I at all times made a be aware to maintain shopping for from them.

For those who’re a small enterprise, like a restaurant, I like to recommend a platform like Facebook as an ideal place to start out your social technique. With Fb, you may construct a enterprise profile with hyperlinks to your web site and particulars about your menu.

I‘m particularly keen on Fb’s neighborhood function, which it’s also possible to leverage to create a neighborhood web page for patrons to ask questions or rave about your services.

In actual fact, we discovered that companies that leverage social media communities will see wonderful leads to their advertising and marketing technique.

In keeping with our State of Social Media Survey, 90% of entrepreneurs say constructing an energetic on-line neighborhood is essential to a profitable social media technique.

I am not shocked, contemplating our Shopper Traits survey discovered 20% of social media customers joined an internet neighborhood previously three months, and 22% actively participated in a single.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn emphasizes career-related networking, and, for years, I solely ever used LinkedIn when trying to find jobs or to assist mates discover alternatives. It seems, nonetheless that LinkedIn may be very useful for companies.

For corporations trying to provide an expert service, similar to B2B or publishing corporations, LinkedIn is one other wonderful method to develop a following.

In keeping with our Socia Media Advertising and marketing Survey, LinkedIn is among the many prime six social media platforms yielding the best ROI for entrepreneurs.

Moreover, of the entrepreneurs who at the moment leverage LinkedIn of their technique, 90% plan to keep up or enhance their funding in 2024.

Manufacturers trying to construct an viewers of execs from a selected business can create a business profile there, categorize it with an business sort, after which use posts and messaging to publish updates.

They will additionally use messaging and remark options to work together with their audiences or customers who touch upon their posts.

X (The app previously often called Twitter)

An X account might be useful to corporations in a broad spectrum of industries, from leisure to e-commerce. This platform equally lets you create a profile the place you may checklist and hyperlink firm data.

You may then use X to put up about firm updates, tag corporations or clients in posts, repost constructive buyer tweets, and reply to buyer questions by way of posts or direct messages.

Like Fb, it’s also possible to put up content material like photographs or movies.

Considered one of my favourite X options I feel entrepreneurs ought to look into is Areas, which permits customers to create stay audio chatrooms and discuss amongst one another.

Corporations will usually use Areas to host Q&As, interview thought leaders, or preserve audiences knowledgeable concerning the newest happenings with the model or business.

On all three social networks, customers can simply talk with others via easy actions like tagging, hashtagging, commenting, non-public messaging, reacting to posts, and re-sharing content material.

Apart from social interplay, feeds on frequent social networking platforms are designed to point out off a mixture of textual content and visuals slightly than one major content material sort.

This flexibility makes it simple to start a social technique on social networking platforms as a result of you may experiment with completely different types of content material earlier than branching out to platforms that require extra particular content material varieties.

For many who need to dabble in video or graphics, these platforms might be an ideal place to check this new content material.

With the expansion of video advertising and marketing, many have begun to launch extra superior options like Facebook Stories and X’s live streams.

Platforms like Fb and X have additionally began encouraging native video and picture uploads extra closely.

Not too long ago, Facebook adjusted its algorithms to favor stay video and picture uploads. This has precipitated these kinds of native content material to realize larger consumer engagement.

For those who’re uncertain the place to start out, take a look at our newbie’s guides for Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

I will be sincere, the newbie information for X was revealed earlier than the platform rebranded from Twitter, nonetheless a lot of the data nonetheless applies at the moment.

Professionals and Cons

Professionals

Cons

• These fascinated by posting hyperlinks might have more difficulty getting engagement than importing photographs and movies.
• Some platforms, like Fb, put particular person consumer posts increased than enterprise posts in newsfeeds.
• Fb will not be the correct platform for you enterprise should you’re trying to goal youthful customers like Gen Z, who’re extra possible to make use of TikTok, X, or Snapchat.

Picture Sharing

Examples of Main Platforms

Picture-sharing social media platforms are precisely as they sound — they’re platforms the place sharing photographs is the secret. I bear in mind the times when Instagram was essentially the most outstanding photo-sharing platform.

However that was then and that is now, so should you‘re questioning why Instagram isn’t talked about right here — don‘t fear! I’ll have extra on that once I get to the video platforms.

Skilled Makes use of

Pinterest

One of many greatest platforms specializing in picture sharing is Pinterest. Pinterest is a “visible discovery engine” for customers in search of cooking, fashion, dwelling decor, and basic visible inspiration.

Personally, I‘ve been utilizing Pinterest for over 10 years and, like most customers, I work together with different accounts on the platform via tags, likes, feedback, or direct messages.

Within the early days, Pinterest wasn’t as synonymous with manufacturers and firms as it’s now.

It was extra so about crafting digital imaginative and prescient boards primarily based round aesthetics.

Nevertheless, manufacturers, corporations, and creators discover it helpful whey they need to take images, show content material, and replace followers about their meals, items, or merchandise.

Pinterest is well-suited for e-commerce corporations, similar to people who promote dwelling items and companies that would love a spot to share crisp standalone product photographs with hyperlinks.

The platform presents a photo-based feed with posts that may embody a photograph and a brief description.

In the previous few years, Pinterest has additionally shifted to incorporate extra video content material to compete with platforms like Instagram Reels and TikTok. Nevertheless, the platform nonetheless stays a spot for customers to share their favourite photographs.

This is little have a look at my Pinterest feed.

The platform additionally permits all customers to hyperlink on to web sites or product touchdown pages in posts. I particularly love Pinterest’s Discover web page and might see a number of alternatives for manufacturers there.

The Discover web page updates every day and operates nearly like an old-school weblog with how one can scroll to see the earlier days’ themes as effectively.

The discover feed options boards curated by celebrities, creators, and types sharing photographs their followers could be fascinated by. And, after all, there are alternatives for customers to buy.

I clicked on the board known as Pinterest Predicts: Spring 2024 Procuring Concepts, and was proven completely different traits anticipated to take over this season together with hyperlinks to purchase them.

Manufacturers options on the board embody Tory Burch, Nordstrom, and STAUD. Unrelated, however I‘m stil laughing at Tennis Aesthetic being the development of the season as a result of I don’t do sports activities.

Earlier than beginning on a platform like Pinterest, you’ll need to decide whether or not your objective is to realize model consciousness, or link-based or e-commerce visitors.

BeReal

For those who haven‘t heard of BeReal, I don’t blame you. It is a pretty new app that launched in 2020 and is fairly common amongst Gen Z customers.

The app’s most important function is that it permits customers to share a photograph of themselves and their fast environment throughout a randomly chosen two-minute window day-after-day.

The concept of BeReal is to step away from the overly filtered and curated content material customers usually see on different platforms. Simply be actual. Get it?

With the apps premise being candid and unfiltered, how can manufacturers leverage BeReal? One of the best ways I might consider is to make use of the app to construct belief together with your viewers and solely share behind-the-scenes candids.

Nevertheless, that may be troublesome given customers are solely given a random two-minute window to put up.

Professionals and Cons

Professionals

• These sorts of platforms assist with model consciousness. Roughly 80% of Pinterest users say they’ve realized about services or products on the app.
• Pinterest supplies an outlet for exhibiting off visible content material or product photographs.

Cons

• Repairs on these platforms would possibly require a photograph finances or devoted manufacturing time.
• Some platforms require you to put up from a cell app.
• BeReal is beginning to wain in recognition as its consumer base has dropped by 18% from its peak.
• BeReal is hottest with Gen Z customers and there’s no alternative for e-commerce or paid content material on the app.

Video Sharing

Examples of Main Platforms

Video has been the dominant sort of content material advertising and marketing over the previous few years and it has no signal of slowing down — particularly short-form video.

53% of entrepreneurs whose corporations are at the moment leveraging short-form video say they’ll enhance their investments in 2024.

Including a video platform to your social technique might make your model look related and preserve you up to the mark together with your opponents.

Video may be useful to a variety of industries. Whereas a restaurant might have a vlog with cooking ideas, a know-how firm would possibly focus its video technique on product demos.

Skilled Makes use of

There are a lot of approach companies can leverage video sharing platforms like YouTube. YouTube presents each short-form and long-form capabilities.

Relating to short-form video makes use of, YouTube Shorts is usually a platform your enterprise makes use of to put up product demos, explainer movies, and extra.

If you wish to get interactive, it’s also possible to host live-stream Q&As to reply shopper questions and construct neighborhood.

On the subject of long-form movies, YouTube is without doubt one of the main platforms. In comparison with competing video-sharing platform like Vimeo, YouTube has an extensive audience base and better SEO capabilities.

YouTube additionally appears to have higher alternatives for advertisers and monetization, whereas Vimeo presents viewers the perk of no pre-roll ads.

For an extended checklist of similarities and variations, take a look at this head-to-head piece the place we evaluate the enterprise capabilities of Vimeo and YouTube.

Together with YouTube and Vimeo, the extra conventional social networking platforms have begun to aggressively embrace video advertising and marketing.

Instagram

One other prime contender for video platforms is Instagram. You‘re in all probability pondering, “However isn’t Instagram a photo-sharing app like Pinterest?” Effectively, it was once.

Nevertheless, to compete with TikTok, Instagram has shifted away from being a photo-sharing app.

In actual fact, Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri clarified in 2021, “We’re now not a photo-sharing app or a sq. photo-sharing app.”

Whereas customers can nonetheless put up photographs on Instagram, the platform primarily promotes reels and video tales. It is also price mentioning that Instagram video posts are greater than twice as likely to generate engagement than picture posts.

Like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels is a superb platform for posting short-form content material like product demos and explainers. Nevertheless, YouTube, as an entire, nonetheless permits long-form video whereas Instagram doesn’t.

TikTok

I‘m going to revisit TikTok once more later on this put up as a result of it additionally falls beneath one other class of social media platforms, nonetheless, it’s nonetheless a video-sharing channel.

What I really like about TikTok with reference to advertising and marketing is that it’s a really numerous app with many advertising and marketing alternatives.

Sure, you may put up short-form demos and explainers like on Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, however TikTok has extra alternatives to construct neighborhood together with your viewers.

This as a result of the app is a breeding floor for brand new viral traits any can participate in, and the app supplies some ways for audiences to work together by way of liking, commenting, stitching, and repurposing sounds (the latter two actually assist the app stand out).

However we‘ll dive inter TikTok’s interactive alternatives within the subsequent part.

Professionals and Cons

Professionals

Cons

• Video content material, notably long-form, would possibly take extra money and time to create.
• Vimeo and YouTube require extra backend tasks like SEO.
• Instagram doesn’t have longform video capabilities
• TikTok appeals to a youthful viewers identified to mistrust manufacturers, so you’ll possible need to spend money on influencer marketing to realize traction on the platform.

 

Interactive Media

Apps like Snapchat and TikTok enable customers to share photographs and movies and have varied distinctive interactive and extremely experimental options.

These two apps embody AR/VR filters, musical overlays, and interactive video games. Their viewers bases are additionally predominantly Gen-Z.

Skilled Makes use of

Snapchat

Manufacturers with giant followings would possibly think about publishing Snapchat Tales or movies curated by followers.

With no high-budget or big on-line following, it could be troublesome for a corporation simply beginning out on social media to leverage Snapchat.

Brands and influencers on Snapchat are likely to cater their content material to the platforms’ youthful audiences. For instance, on Snapchat, you would possibly see tales that current magnificence tutorials, wellness ideas, information, or stylish new merchandise.

For those who’re fascinated by interactive media, there are nonetheless just a few viable methods you possibly can get entangled with Snapchat.

Whereas main manufacturers, like VICE and BuzzFeed, have grow to be Snapchat Uncover companions, the typical enterprise can nonetheless create a Snapchat enterprise account that customers can seek for and pal.

This account lets you publish momentary tales like particular person accounts. Nevertheless, these with a enterprise account also can purchase ad space.

For those who’ve arrange an account, take a look at this information to getting started on Snapchat.

TikTok

When TikTok first rose to prominence in 2020, it primarily an app-based platform catering to a Gen Z market that wished little to do with manufacturers.

Since then, TikTok has grown to shift its focus to some longer-form content material, and types are far more conscious of the way to leverage the channel.

In actual fact, a couple of quarter of entrepreneurs in our Social Media Advertising and marketing survey say TikTok yields the best ROI in comparison with different social media platforms.

The important thing to TikTok is to spend money on influencer and creator advertising and marketing. Construct a partnership with a creator who aligns together with your model’s values and might introduce your services to their viewers.

Professionals and Cons

Professionals

• These platforms are very inventive and experimental.
• They have young audiences, which may also help manufacturers higher goal Gen-Z.

Cons

• Producing common content material might be costly and time-consuming.
• Enterprise accounts aren’t promoted up-front on the Snapchat interface. You might need to promote your channel in your web site or different social channels as a result of customers should seek for you with your Snapcode or username.
• Snapchat is restricted to cell and is not as simple to make use of as different platforms.
• You’ll almost definitely need to spend money on influencer advertising and marketing to realize traction on TikTok, and discovering a creator aligned with your enterprise could also be troublesome.

Professional-Tip: It is best to attempt to accurately estimate the money and time that may go into maintaining these accounts up-to-date and related.

For those who’re uncertain how quick video adverts can profit your enterprise, keep in mind that short-form movies have the best ROI in comparison with different video codecs.

Running a blog/Neighborhood

Examples of Main Platforms

Tumblr and Reddit enable customers to put up about thrilling area of interest matters, like memes, occasions, politics, and popular culture.

When customers publish a put up, these platforms enable others to share it or add it to the dialog with their commentary.

Skilled Makes use of

Each running a blog and community-building platforms might be useful to those that need to encourage dialogue round very area of interest industries or matters.

For instance, on these platforms, you would possibly see discussions about something from alternative health to machine learning.

By running a blog, you may write posts about your organization’s business matters and hyperlink them to your product or web site.

Whereas many individuals have a weblog on their web site, platforms like Tumblr could be nice to make use of should you haven’t set this function up — or simply need to see what others in your business are running a blog about.

With a dialogue web site like Reddit, you possibly can share a hyperlink or a put up a couple of particular matter on a dialogue board associated to your business and see how customers reply.

You could possibly additionally begin your board if a subject you’re trying to encourage dialogue on doesn’t have one but.

These two platforms particularly encourage internet chatter and put up shares from customers who care about the identical matters.

Each additionally enable customers to comply with you or subscribe to your blogs or Reddit boards so your content material can seem on their feeds. Right here’s an instance of what Reddit’s feed appears like.

Different customers can up-vote or down-vote when somebody publishes one thing on Reddit. Up-voting makes a put up present up increased in Reddit feeds, whereas down-voting does the alternative.

On Tumblr, the feeds are organized by time. Nevertheless, a put up can present up increased when it’s re-shared by different customers. When a consumer shares or interacts together with your Tumblr content material, they give it a note.

Once they reshare, they will put up a remark with the put up that will get added to a thread.

Right here’s an instance of how notes and threads can be utilized to encourage dialogue:

Professionals and Cons

Professionals

• Each platforms let you share textual content posts, photographs, and movies about your enterprise, model, or particular person ideas.
• These platforms allow you to start out conversations a couple of matter.
• Each platforms enable linking to outdoors web sites.

Cons

• Longer weblog posts would possibly take time to craft or write.
• Getting downvoted on Reddit or having no response from Tumblr customers means your posts might go unseen.
• Your viewers could be too area of interest or restricted to only these on the precise platform you employ.

Microblogging

Microblogging refers to posting quick blogs which might be meant for fast viewers interplay. Each Threads and X fall beneath this class as they permit customers to put up weblog content material with very restricted character counts.

Skilled Makes use of

For years, corporations have used X to put up fast updates relating to their services or to interact with their viewers in a humorous or relatable approach. For instance, Wendy’s will usually put up content material like under to humrously entice their viewers.

The identical may be stated about Threads, although the platform has solely been round since July 2023.

Each platforms enable customers to add mini blogs, photographs, and movies to interact audiences. So, actually the probabilities are countless when it comes to the way to use the platform.

Professionals and Cons:

Professionals

• You probably have an ideal humorousness (like who ever runs Wendy’s social media) you’ve an ideal likelihood of entertaining audiences and elevating model consciousness on microblogs.
• Microblogs are very versatile when it comes to the type of content material you may put up.

Cons

Personal Neighborhood

Few issues are extra irritating and terrifying to me than once I put up one thing on social media that’s meant for my mates, followers, or my audience and it “leaves the neighborhood.”

By that, I imply the put up leaves its meant viewers and takes on a lifetime of its personal.

Typically, as a marketer, you need to guarantee your content material is simply being share amongst your viewers. You additionally need to construct neighborhood and foster belief, which is able to result in longterm customers.

Enter: Personal social media neighborhood platforms like Discord.

Discord is a voice and chat platform the place customers be a part of dialog servers, usually via unique invitations, and discuss to different members about area of interest matters.

Skilled Makes use of

Platforms like Discord are nice as a result of they let you converse immediately together with your customers, share content material that’s extra possible to stick with your audience, and construct neighborhood together with your followers.

You should utilize Discord as digital focus group the place you may interact together with your customers immediately to know their habits, considerations, and wishes.

For instance, I’ve a Discord server I take advantage of a content material creator to interact with my followers, sustain with the newest happenings in my area of interest, and construct neighborhood.

Professionals and Cons

Professionals:

• Like I stated, non-public neighborhood platforms like Discord are wonderful for neighborhood constructing together with your followers and likeminded people. You may foster neighborhood and keep tapped into your viewers.

Cons:

• Discord doesn‘t have options for native promoting, and it’s solely actually useful if you have already got a steady viewers who desires to be in neighborhood with you. So, you’ll have to give attention to constructing your model’s following earlier than investing in Discord.

A Few Issues to Think about

Earlier than you begin logging in and establishing your accounts on a bunch of platforms, be sure you think about these components:

• How a lot time do you dedicate to strategizing round a social platform?
• Do you’ve assets for creating graphics or movies?
• Do your targets contain boosting model consciousness or visitors and income?
• Will you want an extra employees member to run this platform, or will or not it’s simple to keep up?

When you’re on a platform or two, be sure you keep conscious of the way it’s altering and what entrepreneurs are doing. Try our Ultimate Guide to Social Media Marketing for a present outlook.