So, Facebook is now Meta, Meta owns Instagram, TikTok is all the rage, what is ‘BeReal’? Is Snapchat still a thing and what about YouTube?
We all know the world of social media can be pretty daunting to navigate. At the end of the day social media is a mega powerful advertising tool that all businesses should be utilising. With the rapid changes, never ending plethora of information and all-consuming business to-do lists, we understand how keeping up to date with social media can fall to the bottom of that list.
So how is a business supposed to keep up with it?
Well… This is where we come in. This is our job, to understand and navigate the world of social media for you.
To simplify the maze that is social media, let’s focus in on the two biggies, Instagram and Facebook. Here are 12 things to consider when choosing the right advertising platform.
- You may have heard people talking about new social media platforms that are “overtaking Facebook and Instagram”… right? But the truth is even with the growth of other platforms, numbers don’t lie and, contrary to this belief, both Facebook and Instagram are thriving with a combined 4.2 billion monthly active users.
- Facebook has over 2.9 billion users, making it the most popular social media platform. [For perspective, that’s 34.1% of the global population, over the age of 13!]
- All ages use Facebook with a breakdown of; 76% of 18-24 year olds, 79% 30-49 and 46% 65+.
- An overwhelming majority of 35-44 year olds claim Facebook as their social media platform of choice.
- Meta states Facebook ads have a reach of 2.11 billion people, with Facebook ad revenue being the highest return on investment.
- Over 50% of consumers will use and consider Facebook shopping ads when purchasing online.
- Instagram, on the other hand, has 1.3 billion users.
- Surprisingly Gen X [16-24 year olds] ranked Instagram as their social media platform of choice, placing the app above all others.
- Earthweb outlined that 60% of Instagram users are between 18-34 year olds. 13% of Instagram’s audience is over 45 years of age and between the years of 2021-2022, the male audience [55-64 year olds] grew by 63.6%.
- Over 130 million people use the Instagram shopping tab every month. Furthermore, 72% of Instagram users make purchases based on what they see advertised.
- From our experience Instagram boasts a connected and engaged community, with a more direct business to customer approach.
- Instagram holds the title as the biggest influencer when it comes to trends and shopping. This can be due to its promotion of visually pleasing aesthetic and eye-catching content.
Both Meta platforms have impressive figures and growth opportunities. But, at the end of the day, one may benefit you more. Instagram has a younger audience compared with Facebook, but Instagram users are more inclined to shop on the app. Instagram is predominantly a visual app, successful content needs to have a pleasing aesthetic, compared with Facebook. Don’t get us wrong, those finer details are still important on Facebook, however it is less crucial due to the nature and design of the Facebook feed.
So which one should you use?
Well… truthfully, both. But if you must pick one, it’ll depend on your business. On user stats alone, Facebook “wins” the numbers game. But when it comes to community engagement and the use of Instagrams shopping tab, Instagram reflects better numbers.
This is where a business should consider their holistic goals. Is community engagement an important aspect? Is your brand, products or services visually appealing? Who is your target audience? By researching and narrowing down your overall goals, we will be able to help you pick the platform that is right for you.
To reap the rewards of social media advertising, don’t be afraid to call in the experts and let us help you reach your business goals.
