Each social media platform attracts different audiences and requires different content. Here’s our guide to navigating it all.
When executed successfully, social media marketing can help you find the specific community of people who want to hear your message.
It’s like finally finding your clique in high school, or meeting a stranger on a plane who happens to share the exact same special interest as you do.
Sometimes, you just meet the right person at the right moment.
Social media marketing can help you do exactly that in the digital world. It helps you connect with the right audience to hear your message, so you can cultivate a community of raving fans who snatch up your offers faster than you have time to book them.
I mean, that’s the dream, right?
Well, in order to turn that dream into reality for your business, you have to understand the nuances, audiences and styles of each platform – so you can navigate each one with success and find the audience that’s waiting for you.
How To Choose The Right Content For Each Social Media Platform
Today, social media marketing is less about attracting as many followers as possible and more about attracting the right followers to support your business.
So how do you zero in on that perfect audience? How do you find the people who are waiting to buy your product – if only they knew about you?
Well, that’s where some serious social media strategy comes in. But to get started without all the fancy algorithms and expensive strategists, there’s an easy way to begin defining your audiences.
Since each social media platform appeals to different audiences, it’s also best to use your marketing content accordingly. The goal is to speak to the audience that’s already there – not use the exact same strategy and content across all platforms.
But first, you have to understand the demographics of each platform.
The Audience:
While Facebook began as a social networking platform for college students, those college students have since grown up, and Facebook is quickly becoming a platform that best targets well-established adults and families. The largest age group on Facebook is currently the 25-34 set, according to a demographics survey by social media researcher Sprout Social. So, yes, Millennials and Gen Xers still love their Facebook feeds, but it’s also become the most attractive platform for Baby Boomers, as well, which gives you a wide range of ages to interact with on this platform. In fact, Facebook also boasts a high percentage of college-educated users (71%) and high-wage earners (75% earn $75,000+), according to Sprout Social.
Conversely, Gen Z – today’s teenagers and 20-somethings – has largely abandoned Facebook for platforms such as TikTok, SnapChat and the latest app to hit the market.
That being said, Facebook still holds its original spot as the largest social platform, with nearly 3 billion active users, and it offers the most advanced advertising capabilities to help refine and target your ideal audience.
The Content:
When it comes to content, you can really mix it up on Facebook. It’s designed to support live video, professional video, professional marketing photography and ads, as well as more personal content such as candid photos of your daily life and shareable news stories.
From a visual marketing standpoint, Facebook is kind of like the catch-all platform. Post your professional video, marketing photography and work updates, but keep up the personal candids, as they provide a nice break from your business-related content. Facebook users are much more accustomed to seeing business-related content on their feeds than they were a few years ago, but you still run the risk of irritating your friends by posting incessantly about business.
From a style standpoint, any photography style is welcome here – from ultra professional to a candid selfie – and video should run about 15 seconds to 3+ minutes. Most importantly, you want to make sure your content is interesting because the competition is steep on Facebook.
The Audience:
Despite the introduction of newer platforms, Instagram still attracts more young adults than any other platform. Yes, TikTok and others have stymied Instagram’s rapid growth ever so slightly, but there are nearly 2 billion active users on Instagram – two-thirds of them from Gen Z and the Millennial Generation, according to Sprout Social. Gen X also uses Instagram pretty consistently, but the numbers drop off considerably after age 49. Income and education levels drop slightly as well, when compared to the Facebook user base.
In an effort to retain younger users, Instagram has responded to TikTok with features like Reels and IGTV, as well as an overhaul of its e-commerce features. As a result, shopping on Insta is growing – especially in the wellness, lifestyle and travel markets – making it ideal for influencer marketing.
In fact, in addition to different demographics, Instagram has a different overall vibe. Many young people use Instagram to follow their niche interests, including micro and small businesses like Etsy shops and online-only boutiques. It’s a haven for finding and tracking your favorite products and services, as well as developing a community around those interests. However, Instagram is still useful for larger brands, especially if your products or services are particularly visual.
The Content:
Instagram is a visually driven platform with a strong lifestyle focus, which makes it the perfect place to feature your lifestyle marketing photography. Strive for a polished look with a candid feel – that “I woke up this way” look that comes across as effortlessly beautiful – that comes from professional quality in a personalized setting. This could include your Cityscape outdoor portraiture, as well as indoor lifestyle photos that capture you doing your thing in life or at work. Generally, the style for these images is light, bright, airy and happy. Since Instagram is a photo-based platform, this is also a great place to curate and feature your very best images, rather than using it as a platform to show what you’re doing on a daily basis like Facebook.
When it comes to video, aim for a variety of styles. Reels are the most popular type of content on Instagram, so don’t miss out on these fun, quick clips that will catch your audience’s attention. Keep reels at 60 seconds or less for optimal reach. However, don’t forget to include some foundational videos (2-5 minutes) for your audience to dive in deeper with you when they’re ready. These IGTV videos will help move people through your client lifecycle, from brand-new users who are getting to know you with Reels, to warmed-up users who are ready to get to know, like and trust you.
TikTok
The Audience:
Amassing more than 1 billion users since the app took off in 2020, TikTok’s growth is unprecedented in the social media world. Its short-form video content and easy-to-use editing features made TikTok a huge hit with the 18-21 demographic, and it continues to be a favorite platform for Gen Zers. While it originally attracted more female users than male users, the gender divide is starting to even out as TikTok takes its place in mainstream culture.
What’s perhaps more appealing to marketers, however, is TikTok’s daily activity. Users average 45+ minutes on the platform a day, compared to the 30-minute average on Facebook and Instagram. While 15 minutes may not seem all that significant of a jump, you can expect that number to climb as TikTok continues to attract more brands, increased influencer marketing opportunities, and more advanced business features.
In addition to its powerful demographic, TikTok is changing the way young people use social media. Instead of just sharing and consuming content – or engaging in commenting wars – TikTok users use the platform as a search engine to find and build community online. It’s less driven by your Friends’ content and more driven by interests and groups of people who are flocking to TikTok to find others who live and feel the same way they do. Content trends encourage users to join in by adding their own creative style to the mix, encouraging expression and connection in a digital space.
The Content:
Short-form video rules TikTok. While videos were originally limited to 60 seconds, they can now run from 5 seconds to 10 minutes long. That being said, videos that run 9 to 15 seconds perform best on TikTok, according to the platform’s internal data.
While length is important for creating successful content on TikTok, it’s not everything. You’ll also want to pay attention to the types of content that are well-suited for this addictive platform. For example, videos based on trending audio clips or hashtags are often a great way to engage in different digital communities or get your content to trend, too. TikTok “challenges” are another great way to start building an audience, as well. In addition to trends, tutorial videos are typically popular, as well as humorous content with an organic look and feel. Since it’s not overrun by brands and corporations quite yet, TikTok has a more “everyday person” kind of vibe that feels like you’re hanging out with your neighbors and sharing inside jokes – rather than the more polished-and-pretty vibe that Instagram is known for.
The Audience:
As a professional networking platform, LinkedIn’s audience is a bit more obvious. Essentially, it’s the place to be for B2B marketing – especially since the pandemic launched it into a period of record growth that isn’t slowing down. However, LinkedIn hasn’t quite hit the ubiquitous popularity that Facebook and Instagram are achieving. Its user base hasn’t quite hit 1 billion, but it’s on its way there. Its largest audience is the 30-39 crowd, which makes it a Millennial marketplace with a high-achieving vibe.
Setting itself apart from the rest, LinkedIn has a highly educated and high-earning audience. Nearly half of all adults who make $75,000+ are on LinkedIn, and 50% of users have a college degree or advanced degree. However, 70% of LinkedIn users are located outside of the U.S., compared to a roughly 50% international audience on Facebook and Instagram. So if you’re marketing locally, make sure you’re building a strictly local audience, or your metrics could be skewed.
The Content:
With a B2B focus, your content choices are a bit more obvious, as well. For example, LinkedIn is perfect for traditional headshots, team photos, and shots of your team working in the office. It’s also useful to have some shots of your business location, such as the exterior of your building and signage, because LinkedIn is a great place to post about business announcements and events. Conversely, you wouldn’t want to post lifestyle photos or candids of your pets on LinkedIn, but rather save them for Instagram or Facebook.
While it’s not all that common, LinkedIn videos have the potential to make a big splash because the platform hasn’t been inundated by video content yet – meaning your content is more likely to stand out. LinkedIn studies reported that different types of video content perform best at different lengths. For example, a brand awareness video is best received if it’s under 30 seconds; however, if your goal is to get your audience to take immediate action, long-form video performs just as well and is even encouraged. That sounds like the perfect place to start posting your foundational business videos if you ask us. 😉
Marketing Photography in Santa Clarita
When it comes to marketing photography, our goal is simple: We want you to walk away feeling like you have the best headshots in Santa Clarita. That’s why we’ve designed a line of Marketing Photography Sessions that are custom-made to make you happy. How do we do that? Simple. We pay attention to you, your needs and your business. We take the time to create a photography experience – we don’t just point, shoot and send you on your way. We bring our visual marketing background to every session, to help you make smart choices in wardrobe, appearance, posing and expression.
About Our Quality Video Marketing in Santa Clarita
With years of professional experience, Brian not only has an eye for crisp visuals and engaging shots — but also an ear for powerful storytelling. In his vision, marketing video should communicate the why behind your business and present it to the world in the most compelling visual format possible. With a camera in his hand, Brian can turn a vision into reality and business-as-usual marketing videos into an opportunity to connect.
About SchlickArt Photography and Video
SchlickArt, a boutique photo and video studio in Santa Clarita, started in March 2012 with the simple idea that empowerment creates a kind of beauty and authenticity that shines through every camera lens. Built on a philosophy — rather than a product, service or person — SchlickArt has rapidly evolved, meeting professional portraiture, business photo and business video needs as diverse as the community we capture. It’s the desire to take care of you, the client, that drives us at SchlickArt.