As users spend an increasing amount of time on social media, digital marketing has transformed the way businesses utilize social media platforms. According to a survey from Statista, there are an estimated 2.77 billion active social media users in 2019, and that number is projected to break 3 billion by 2021. This means that over a third of the population are social media consumers. And if those stats aren’t shocking enough, more than 50% of marketers who have used social media marketing for at least two years have reported an improvement in sales. Clearly, businesses using these tactics are seeing success. Are you one of them? Here is a list of the top 8 social media platforms you should be utilizing this year and why you should get started today.
We organized the top 8 social media platforms to use this year and discuss how each platform can give you a strategic edge in your marketing tactics for 2019.
Facebook had a rough 2018, from the Cambridge Analytica scandal to the overwhelming backlash from users claiming they were part of a “nonconsensual” social experiment. However, according to a new study of over 777 million Facebook posts, it appears that Facebook may have a second shot at improving their reputation. The study observed users' choices in reaction to posts, type of posts, and engagement to better understand human psychology and improve the user experience. It seems to be working, as Facebook surpassed YouTube this year with 47% of people reported watching videos on Facebook versus 41% who reported watching videos on YouTube. Of those respondents, 71% ranked the sponsored video content they see on Facebook as “relevant” or “highly relevant” to their interests. With 93.7 percent of businesses reported currently active on Facebook, it looks like Facebook marketing might thrive once again this year.
The 2018 World Series was shown on Youtube TV, which even featured some augmented reality ads. As a pioneer for video broadcasting, Youtube has picked up new users by offering Youtube TV, a cable-free, live streaming experience for users at $40/month (one of the most affordable TV subscriptions available) that offers what individuals and brands are paying TV stations to achieve at only $0.10 - $0.30 per view. In 2019, Youtube TV is projected to expand their channels to offer more sports and family networks in addition to launching Youtube TV original movies and series; an increase from its current 74 channels, 8 additional networks, and a staggering +800,000 subscribers. With more people drawn to the platform, Youtube TV will be a highly effective marketing tool in 2019.
Aside from companies using Instagram influencers to promote their products, the latest trend for Instagram sponsored posts is using the platform’s stories for advertising. Over 200 million Instagrammers visit at least one Business Profile daily, according to Instagram Business. Out of all the sponsored content on Instagram, one in three times the content was posted on Instagram Stories, according to Mobile Marketer. In 2019, we will see an increased shift to video marketing on existing platforms without the primary purpose of video sharing, like Instagram.
Not just the chosen platform for our current President’s political and sometimes personal announcements, Twitter is a platform for all users to communicate and directly connect with current news and events. According to a recent study, 71% of Twitter users say that they get news on the platform. With real-time reports and posts that reach an international audience of over 330 million, Twitter remains the best social media platform to indicate the social, economic, and political stance of the world and a pulse on what's happening within it.
Within the U.S., Snap Inc. has begun rolling out a feature that allows users to hold down on the screen to “scan” an item or barcode. The app will then display Amazon listings, including the name of the item, its price, an image, its review score, and whether it is Amazon Prime eligible. In 2019, this feature, if deemed successful in its early implementation, will transform the way we use Snapchat and the way we use the Internet to purchase physical items around us.
Most people don’t think of LinkedIn as a social media platform as it is tailored towards businesses and professionals, but with its teaching platform LinkedIn Learning, LinkedIn is open to anyone with an interest to learn something new. Launched in mid to late 2016, LinkedIn Learning was created to bridge content from Lynda.com with LinkedIn’s professional data and network. With new videos to watch explaining how to use the new Office 2019 to any other skill you can pick up from The Learning Blog, LinkedIn has upgraded up its reputation from a networking platform to an engaging, educational social media resource.
According to a Pinterest survey, 90% of Pinterest users, called Pinners, say the site helps them decide which products to purchase. Pinners are more likely to end up on shopping sites from Pinterest referrals, rather than users from other social media sites, including Facebook (33% less), Snapchat (71% less), and Twitter (200% less). There seems to be an untapped market when it comes to brands displaying their products on Pinterest, even though 78% of Pinners say that seeing brand content on the site is useful. In 2019, we hope to see more companies use Pinterest to market their products.
Tumblr users respond well to sponsored content on the platform. An advertising strategy, "Sponsored Day,” is a pretty unique experience to Tumblr. A company can pin their logo and tagline to the top of all Tumblr users’ dashboards for 24 hours. The pinned section links to the explore page, where the company has space to share content of their choosing. This strategy can help the brand’s blog gain traction, followers, and engagement. In 2019, we hope to see brands engaging more with Tumblr’s unique user base.
