Since the TikTok boom of 2020, every brand believes that it’s the marketing answer to their prayers. Given the swift rise and large audience numbers, it’s easy to assume that if you make content on TikTok, you’ll easily sell whatever you want. However, there’s more to this miracle platform than what meets the eye. Except this isn’t true. Even if you get the views, there’s no guarantee you’ll sell a single product. TikTok isn’t the answer to your marketing woes, it’s a platform in its own right that won’t work for everyone. All that glitters is not gold here, it might just be a bunch of bots lying to you.
I’ve worked with many brands, all of which begin social media discussions wanting to add TikTok content to their content library. I have yet to meet a company that actually needed TikTok. Aside from the constant ban threats that would make it useless, TikTok content takes the most energy to produce with little reward. The likelihood that your brand will go “viral” on TikTok lowers every day. The app is so oversaturated with people trying to make it, that it’s more embarrassing than beneficial to try. Unless you plan on making funny videos or cute animal content, leave the clock app to its Gen Z owners.
So, what should brands look to use for social media if not the almighty clock app? Well, it depends on what you’re selling and to who. Most importantly, be realistic about your target demographic. The number of views doesn’t equal conversions. You can advertise to millions during a Saturday morning cartoon, but if it’s for home insurance, it’s useless because its being shown to children. Get the picture? Cool, let’s talk about the platforms and what kind of audience goes to each.
Facebook: The Once and No Longer Future King
- Best for: Baby Boomers & Gen X (over 50% of total users)
- Products: Home, lifestyle, educational
- Content: Linked articles, Facebook Ads, educational posts, niche groups.
Respectfully, Facebook is cringey to anyone under 25. The only people this age that are actively using Facebook, are doing it ironically to make fun of their boomer relatives or trying to hide their secret accounts.
Facebook used to reign supreme but it’s golden age, much like Myspace, is gone. It’s full of content from 3 weeks ago, niche groups for people seeking community, and the most insane political posts that are for some reason not being flagged as incorrect information.
Users spend a daily average of 2 hours on social media as a whole, with those under 25 only using Facebook for 30 minutes a day. This average shows why it’s best to use Facebook when targeting older generations who only have the one app.
Millennials and Gen Z are spending more time on other apps, while Gen X and Baby Boomers that make up over 50% of the userbase, often only have Facebook for social media. Meaning they’re more likely to find and interact with your ad than any other platform. For referral-based products or services, Facebook is the perfect platform to expand reach. Service-based companies’ customers can simply share their preferred providers to their wall, which prompts friends and family to also buy the service.
Instagram: The Last Millennial Frontier
- Best for: Millennials
- Products: Small business, artists, luxury, makeup, style
- Content Style: Trending reels, stylized photos, educational videos
- Pros: Great for influencers, brand identity establishment, and ads that work for you.
- Cons: Ad-based algorithm prioritizes pay-to-play over organic growth.
Despite the changes and the ever increasingly annoying algorithm, Millennials hold true to Instagram and all she once was. Instagram has taken over snapchat and TikTok for many of them, despite offering the same content posted a day later.
If Facebook is the Internet Explorer of social media, Instagram is Safari, sleek, once thought technologically advanced, and still meets our needs. Instagram offers a variety of content beyond photos, but many accounts still find audiences on the photo side alone. Reels were introduced a few years ago, as a way for Meta to compete with TikTok. While it succeeded in small ways, TikTok holds the crown for short form content.
Instagram is more for the aesthetic customer. They want glamour and beauty, to put on a performance that hides the flaws behind the fake smiles. Millennials inherited their mother’s need to put forth a perfect image, meaning filters and overconsumption still continue. Lifestyle and luxury brands do well on Instagram because of the variety of ages within the millennial generation.
From moms to girl bosses, it’s easy to find your audience within the app. You put your best foot forward within Instagram, just make sure you FaceTune it first.
TikTok: Changing the Game One Update at a Time
- Best for: Gen Z & younger Millennials
- Products: Small artists, niche businesses, indie makeup brands
- Content Style: Short-form videos, focusing on authentic storytelling and comedy.
- Pros: Great if you can match the style and trends within your brand identity
- Cons: Lower conversion rate despite high viewing numbers & oversaturation issues on the platform.
YouTube
- Best For: Everyone, but mostly Millennials.
- Content Style: Mix of video ranges, depending on product. Long form content and podcasts are currently very popular.
- Pros: Higher conversation rate per views, high-quality content is encouraged, and connected SEO with Google for better visibility.
- Cons: Requires significant time and resources for content creation. Huge competition in popular categories.
Threads (by Instagram)
- Age Demographic: Still emerging, but likely younger users, similar to Instagram.
- Content Style: Text-focused, designed to facilitate conversations and deeper engagement.
- Pros: Focused on community and deeper interaction; less cluttered by brands currently.
- Cons: New platform with uncertain future and user base; lacks the robust advertising tools of more established platforms.
- Impact: Potential for fostering direct and meaningful engagement with users if the platform grows.
- Age Demographic: Broad, but particularly popular with Millennials.
- Content Style: Text-based posts, news, quick updates, and real-time communication.
- Pros: Excellent for real-time engagement and customer service; good for viral content and hashtags.
- Cons: Limited character count; can be challenging to manage in terms of public relations.
- Impact: Best for brand awareness and direct communication with audiences; effective for public figures and B2B interactions.
- Age Demographic: Professionals across various age groups, but primarily older Millennials and Gen X.
- Content Style: Professional content, articles, company news, job listings, and professional achievements.
- Pros: Targeted B2B marketing; networking opportunities; audience looking for professional content.
- Cons: Less effective for B2C marketing; more formal environment limits casual content.
- Impact: Excellent for establishing thought leadership and enhancing professional brand reputation.
Conclusion
Each social media platform offers unique benefits and challenges for marketers. By understanding the specific demographics, preferred content styles, and overall impact of each platform, brands can tailor their strategies to effectively engage with their target audience. Balancing the presence across multiple platforms while adapting to their respective strengths and limitations can maximize marketing success in the diverse and ever-evolving landscape of social media.
