In 2015, strategic diversity is key to being successful with social media marketing. It’s not just about being on every single social media network, but about building distinct strategies for each channel because that’s what customers expect.
Pew Research just released a report on Social Media Site Usage for 2014, and it’s evident that people are using social media more frequently and dividing their time across multiple sites.
Overall, the study of more than 1,000 people found that 52 percent of American internet users are on more than one social media network. Here are the current adoption rates:
- 71% use Facebook
- 23% use Twitter
- 26% use Instagram
- 28% use Pinterest
- 28% use LinkedIn
One of the most interesting findings from the study is not the rate of adoption, but the growing amount of overlap – the number of people who are on all five sites doubled in the past year from 2 percent to 4 percent. That might seem meager, but also consider that 8 percent of Americans are on four social networks, 16 percent are on three and 36 percent are on at least two. In fact, the number of participants who are on just one decreased from 36 percent to 28 percent.
Pew Research data
What this tells marketers is that their customers can’t just be reached on one network. They’re on numerous platforms, seeking out diverse experiences online. For example:
- A Pinterest user looks for shareable images that inspire or educate
- An Instagram follower expects visually striking images that tell some sort of story
- Twitter users want attention-grabbing and shareable snippets of information
- Facebook fans want engaging information that speaks to their personal interests or values
- LinkedIn users seek information that speaks to their professional values
Brands that want to be successful online need to be there to deliver appropriate interactions that also translate seamlessly across digital touchpoints. Content shared on each of those channels must have the look and feel of the brand. It’s a tall order, but marketers can deliver on it if they have smart social strategies.
Check out these related resources for an in-depth look at about what content to share on each social network, and how to measure your success:
