Comparing Social Media Platforms

2023 • Social Media

If you’re like most ECPs, you probably think in terms of a handful of social media sites. They likely include Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

That’s a great start, but there are a lot more you may want to choose from for 2024. To help, here’s a look at some of the top sites in the U.S., as shared by Buffer, a developer of social media toolkits.

Tip:  TikTok, a video-sharing app, has beaten out Google as the most-visited site online.

• Facebook. A whopping 37% of the world’s population now uses Facebook, and more than 200 million (mostly small) businesses use its tools. It’s also easy, as most content formats (from text to video) work well on it. Reach: 3.03 billion monthly active users.

• YouTube. This video-sharing platform is the second largest social media app as well as the second largest search engine (second only to its parent, Google). Reach: 2.5 billion monthly active users.

• What’sApp. Commonly used to communicate with businesses. The platform also allows businesses to share product updates and provide customer support. Reach: 2 billion monthly active users.

• Instagram. A great place to showcase products and services with videos or photos. You can also create a business profile as well as get user-generated content from your audience. Reach: 2 billion monthly active users.

•We Chat. Want to reach Asian consumers? Whether to sell product or reach influencers, this is the one. Reach: 1.38 billion monthly active users.

• TikTok. A newer video-sharing app (since 2017), it has beaten out Google as the most-visited site. Users can create videos up to 60 seconds long. With most users under age 30, it’s the place to find younger consumers. Reach: 1.05 billion monthly active users.

• Telegram. This free messaging app works well across multiple devices. Besides offering one-on-one customer support, brands also create chatbots and broadcast messages to large audiences. Reach: 700 million monthly active users.

• Snapchat is still used by 69% of teens in the U.S. for photos and short videos, though older internet users prefer Instagram (especially Instagram Stories) for those same applications. Reach: 557 million monthly active users.

• X (formerly Twitter). It emphasizes real-time info about what’s currently happening or trending. Posts are short (280 characters max). It calls itself the “New 1-800 Number for Customer Service.” Reach: 556 million monthly active users.

• Pinterest. Users “pin” photos that link to a variety of content, from websites and blog posts to product pages, etc. Its users are reportedly seven times more likely to buy products they have pinned. Reach: 445 million monthly active users.

• Reddit. Sometimes called the “front page of the internet,” content includes current, and especially celebrity, events. Audience: 430 million monthly active users.

• LinkedIn. Moving way beyond its initial position as a job search engine, it’s now a professional networking platform where business also work to establish themselves as thought leaders. Audience: 424 million monthly active users. Which platforms are your favorites? Tell us about it and share in the conversation on Facebook here.

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