One of the most common mistakes businesses make is spreading themselves too thin across multiple social media platforms. Many companies attempt to maintain a presence on every available platform, which can be overwhelming when considering the demands of content creation, community management, analytics, and customer service.
However, rather than successfully managing this extensive presence, businesses often struggle, leading to ineffective community engagement, poor customer service, and repetitive content that is neither optimised for individual platforms nor tailored to specific audiences.
If your goal is to enhance your social media marketing strategy, we’re here to help. This guide offers a concise overview of each platform, its target audience, and the types of businesses that can benefit most from using them.
What to consider when choosing a social media platform for your business:
- Audience makeup- demographic data, whilst not the be all and end all of your targeting, should be a big consideration for which platform you choose. If your product/service is specifically focused at a particular age group e.g. senior living communities, you won’t want to pick a social media platform where 60% of it’s users are 18-30 year olds. Think about where your business is more likely to resonate with your intended audience.
- Content- What types of content will you realistically be able to create and deliver for your social media marketing? Some platforms are varied with the types of formats and content that work well (Instagram and Facebook) whilst others are much more restrictive (Snapchat, TikTok and X).
- User behaviour/culture- Each platform lends itself to particular types of user behaviour, cultures, values etc. You need to understand each platform’s ‘essence’ and figure out if your business is a good fit.
The Audience
Instagram boasts over 2 billion monthly active users, making it one of the most widely used social media platforms. More than 67% of its global users are under the age of 35, with particularly strong engagement among individuals aged 12-34. The platform has a relatively even gender distribution; however, men aged 18-34 represent the largest demographic segment.
Content
Instagram is a highly visual platform, offering a variety of content formats to showcase products and services effectively. Think of Instagram as a dynamic, visual extension of your brand/website—a space to engage your audience through creative and compelling content that brings your offerings to life.
User Behaviour
As a platform originally designed for image-based content, Instagram users have come to expect high-quality, visually engaging material. While the platform has evolved to accommodate text-based images and other media formats, visual storytelling remains at its core.
With increasing competition and algorithm changes, organic reach and engagement are more challenging than ever. To maximise visibility, businesses should post consistently, experiment with different content formats, and analyse performance data to refine their strategy.
Additionally, community engagement plays a crucial role—actively interacting with industry peers, customers, and influencers can significantly enhance visibility and audience connection.
Best for Businesses who:
- Offer products or services that can be represented visually. This doesn’t necessarily mean selling physical products—any business that can create engaging visual content can thrive. For example, a language tutoring service could share weekly mini lessons or “How to Speak Like the Locals” video segments.
- Focus on B2C marketing. While some B2B brands succeed on Instagram, the platform is better suited for consumer-facing businesses, offering greater potential for organic reach and engagement.
- Operate in high-performing industries such as fashion, food, travel, and lifestyle. These sectors naturally lend themselves to the platform’s visual and storytelling-driven format.
- Target users aged 18-35. This demographic represents the majority of Instagram’s active audience, making it ideal for brands aiming to connect with younger consumers.
The Audience
Facebook remains a dominant platform with over 3 billion monthly active users. It has a diverse user base, with 25.7% of all users aged 45 and older, making it particularly valuable for businesses targeting older demographics.
In terms of gender distribution, 56.7% of Facebook users identify as male, while 43.3% identify as female. The largest demographic segment continues to be men aged 25-34, representing a key audience for brands looking to engage this group.
Content
Originally designed as a thought-driven, text-based platform, Facebook was created for users to share personal updates, reflections, and daily interactions with close friends and family. While the platform has since evolved—incorporating images, videos, and other multimedia elements—it remains a strong hub for long-form content and discussion-driven posts.
As a result, brands that thrive on narrative-driven storytelling, in addition to visual content, can perform particularly well on Facebook. Businesses that leverage a mix of informative posts, engaging discussions, and multimedia content can maximise their reach and engagement.
User Behaviour
At its core, Facebook remains a platform designed for connection and community. It continues to emphasize groups, marketplace interactions, and local engagement, making it a valuable space for brands looking to foster a sense of community around their products or services.
Businesses that excel on Facebook understand the importance of community engagement. Actively responding to comments, engaging with users, and participating in discussions can significantly enhance a brand’s visibility and credibility.
Additionally, Facebook users expect business pages to serve as informational hubs, providing key details such as:
- Business hours
- Website links
- Contact information
- Customer service support
By maintaining an up-to-date and interactive presence, brands can effectively build trust and loyalty within their audience.
Best for Businesses who:
- Have a local brick-and-mortar presence and can leverage Facebook’s strong community engagement features. The platform serves as an effective mini-website and customer service hub, allowing businesses to share updates, interact with customers, and provide essential business information.
- Operate in e-commerce and want to maximize Facebook Marketplace and targeted advertising to drive online sales. Facebook’s robust ad platform enables businesses to reach highly specific audiences and boost conversions.
- Offer complex services that require in-depth explanation. Businesses with detailed offerings can benefit from Facebook’s diverse content formats, including long-form posts, videos, and live sessions, to effectively communicate their value and expertise. You can also include links in your content to external pages, helping to boost traffic to your website blogs/pages.
The Audience
LinkedIn has a global user base of over 1 billion members, making it the leading platform for professional networking and career development. Each week, 65 million people use LinkedIn to search for jobs, with six hires occurring every minute.
The platform hosts 67 million company profiles, providing businesses with a space to showcase their brand, recruit talent, and engage with industry professionals.
In terms of demographics:
- The second-largest age group is 18-24, accounting for 24.7% of users.
- 56.4% of users identify as male, while 43.6% identify as female.
- 50.6% of LinkedIn users are aged 25-34, making them the platform’s largest demographic.
Content
LinkedIn is designed specifically for professional networking, offering a diverse range of content formats to support various types of business communication. From articles and documents to videos, text-based posts, images, and newsletters, businesses can effectively share in-depth information about their brand, services, and industry insights.
Unlike consumer-driven social media platforms, LinkedIn is primarily a B2B-focused network. As a result, businesses should use their profiles to highlight professional services, establish thought leadership, and demonstrate industry expertise. Engaging with the LinkedIn community through informative content, discussions, and networking is essential for building credibility and expanding reach.
User Behaviour
At its core, Facebook remains a platform designed for connection and community. It continues to emphasize groups, marketplace interactions, and local engagement, making it a valuable space for brands looking to As a platform designed for professional networking, LinkedIn remains centered around business engagement and industry connections. Many companies find that maintaining both a business page and an active personal profile is the most effective way to maximize reach and credibility.
- Business pages serve as a hub for showcasing the company, driving sales efforts, and communicating unique value propositions.
- Personal profiles help build trust and authenticity by highlighting the individuals behind the business, fostering relationships, and positioning leaders as industry experts.
LinkedIn users actively seek insights from thought leaders, research businesses, and engage in industry discussions. This makes it an essential platform for companies whose primary audience consists of other businesses or business professionals, ensuring strong brand positioning, credibility, and networking opportunities.
Best for Businesses who:
- Offer professional services, B2B companies, and industries like finance, consulting, and technology.
- Businesses aiming to network with professionals and share industry insights.
TikTok
The Audience
TikTok has amassed nearly 2 billion global users, with a core audience that remains predominantly young. 69.1% of its users are aged 18-34, making it a key platform for reaching younger demographics.
Interestingly, TikTok has become the fastest-growing app among Baby Boomers, with monthly usage in this age group increasing by 57% over the past three years, although it currently ranks as their #4 most-used app.
In terms of gender and age distribution:
- 16% of TikTok’s global audience are women aged 18-24
- 15% are women aged 25-34
- 19% of users are males aged 18-24, and 19.1% are men aged 25-34
Content
TikTok is a video-first platform, designed to prioritise and amplify video content (although it has recently started incorporating other formats).
It remains one of the few platforms where businesses can still achieve remarkable organic reach and engagement, with the potential for viral content to flourish.
This makes TikTok ideal for businesses with creative, unique, educational, or thought-provoking content to share. The platform thrives on quirky, authentic, and attention-grabbing content, making it an excellent fit for brands that want to connect with a dynamic, trend-driven audience.
User Behaviour
At its core, Facebook remains a platform designed for connection and community. It continues to emphasize groups, marketplace interactions, and local engagement, making it a valuable space for brands looking to As a TikTok is an exceptionally engaged platform, where users frequently collaborate on content, and commenting and community interaction often become central to a post’s success.
The platform is also renowned for its inclusivity, making it an ideal space for businesses and brands that offer something unique or want to connect with niche audiences.
In addition, TikTok is rapidly becoming one of the fastest-growing search engines, with users turning to the platform to seek answers, discover information, and even shop via TikTok’s marketplace. This makes it a powerful platform for businesses offering solutions that align with users’ search intent or purchasing needs.
Best for Businesses who:
- Have a strong, authentic personality they want to showcase. TikTok is all about creativity, expression, and fluidity, so it’s best suited for brands that embrace a dynamic and informal tone.
- Want to engage with a younger audience. While the platform is rapidly growing among older demographics, it still predominantly caters to younger users, making it ideal for brands targeting Gen Z and Millennials.
- Can bring their product or service to life through video. The more creative and quirky your content, the better. TikTok thrives on fun, visually engaging videos that capture attention.
- Are agile and responsive. The platform’s fast-paced nature means trends evolve quickly. Brands must be adaptable, staying on top of emerging trends and responding to what’s resonating with users in real-time.
The Audience
Pinterest has 518 million monthly active users globally, with a significant user base across different regions:
- 66.98 million users are based in the United States and Canada
- 140 million users are in Europe
- 279 million users are in the rest of the world
In terms of demographics 69.4% of Pinterest’s global audience identifies as female
The platform’s largest and fastest-growing demographic is Gen Z, who make up 42% of Pinterest’s total audience.
Content
Pinterest is not like the other social media platforms out there. It is a visual discovery platform that focuses on inspirational, aspirational, and idea-driven content. Users primarily browse for ideas, inspiration, and solutions in areas like fashion, home décor, DIY projects, cooking, fitness, and more.
The platform is made up in two ways:
- Pins: These are the individual content pieces, typically images or videos, that users “pin” to their boards. Pins often link to external websites, blogs, or e-commerce platforms.
- Boards: Users group their Pins into themed boards (e.g., “Dream Home Ideas,” “Healthy Recipes,” or “Wedding Inspiration”). These boards serve as a collection of ideas related to a specific topic or interest.
Content can therefore come in many different forms, from articles to images to videos and these can all be hosted either within the platform or externally through a link.
User Behaviour
Unlike traditional social media platforms like Facebook or Instagram, which are more focused on social interaction and real-time engagement, Pinterest functions more like a search engine and mood board.
Users are most likely heading to Pinterest because they’re looking to buy something and are using the platform as a journey towards that purchase, making it incredibly powerful for businesses.
Social interaction is less likely to happen and instead, users build their own reality personally through the content they find and curate.
Best for Businesses who:
- Have products they can showcase, particularly in home decor, fashion, DIY, and food industries.
- are looking to reach users in the planning stages of a purchase.
- Looking to engage predominantly with younger females.
These are the platforms that we specialise in here at AdBeat Marketing and so if you’re looking to build your business and improve your social media marketing across these platforms, you can find more about our social media services.
However, there are other platforms out there that you might want to consider, and we cover off a few of these below.
X (formerly Twitter)
The Audience
X (formerly Twitter) has 611 million monthly active users, with a predominantly young audience—73.2% of global users are under the age of 35.
In terms of gender distribution:
- 60.9% of X users identify as male
- 39.1% identify as female
Content
Pinterest is not like the other social media platforms out there. It is a visual discovery platform that focuses on X (formerly Twitter) is primarily a text-based social media platform designed for quick, concise updates within a limited character count.
Its strength lies in real-time communication, making it an effective tool for timely updates, customer engagement, news sharing, and industry insights.
However, due to significant changes in platform management, concerns have been raised regarding content moderation, the spread of misinformation, and the unchecked circulation of harmful content. As a result, we are not currently recommending X for our clients.
User Behaviour
Due to its fast-paced, real-time nature, users on X primarily engage in short, text-based interactions centered around news, trending topics, and live discussions.
The platform’s threaded structure encourages ongoing conversations and in-depth discussions, making engagement and responsiveness essential for businesses and brands utilizing it.
However, X has also experienced a rise in unmoderated content, contributing to the spread of misinformation and increasingly polarised debates.
Due to the increasing issues with the platform’s moderation of hate crime, we are currently not recommending businesses to use.
Alternatives to X
If you’re interested in a platform similar to X and believe this type of social media formatting aligns with your business, you may want to explore Bluesky or Threads.
BlueSky
As a decentralised social media platform, Bluesky was designed to give users greater control over their content and audiences, emerging in response to concerns surrounding X.
While the platform is rapidly growing, research on how businesses can best leverage its features is still limited. Additionally, its active user base remains relatively small compared to other major social media platforms, and organic reach may be more challenging due to the platform’s emphasis on user-controlled content visibility.
However, this also means that the audience you do engage with is more likely to be genuinely interested in your content, fostering more meaningful interactions over mass exposure to an unengaged audience.
Threads
In comparison, Threads recently announced it has reached over 300 million monthly active users and so there is more data (and time) to understand how the platform can work for businesses.
However, many of these users are likely to be carbon copies from their Instagram profiles, with Meta easily allowing users to click a button within the Instagram app to create a threads profile to match.
The amount of time the average user spends on the platform is also minimal, at around an average of 3 minutes a day.
It’s certainly not seen the uptake and popularity I think Meta were hoping for to rival X, and the numbers and usage is still relatively low, but if you’re looking for a platform to focus on community engagement and conversation, it’s worth trialling.
Snapchat
The Audience
Snapchat has over 800 million monthly active users, with 422 million people using the platform daily.
In terms of demographics, the platform is fairly evenly split between men and women, but with a large majority of users under 25. According to Statista, individuals over the age of 35 are significantly less likely to use Snapchat.
Content
Snapchat is a visual-first, short-lived content platform designed for real-time, personal interactions.
The primary content formats are photos or short videos sent directly between users, often featuring filters, stickers, and augmented reality elements.
For businesses, stories are a good format as they are visible to friends/followers for 24 hours before disappearing. Brands can also use public stories to engage audiences. Spotlight and Discover also allows brands to share content to a wider audience, similar to the TikTok feed.
User Behaviour
Snapchat users are highly engaged, valuing authenticity, real-time interaction, and private communication. Users engage mostly through one-on-one or group Snaps rather than public posts.
Because content disappears after viewing or within 24 hours, it makes the interactions more casual and spontaneous vs platforms like Instagram or Facebook.
It also caters to a more younger audience due to the heavy use of AR & filters and the fast paced, quick consumption nature of the platform.
Best for businesses who:
- Have a product or service specifically catered to a younger audience.
- Are able to leverage Snapchat effectively, by focusing on authentic, visually compelling, and interactive content.
- Can offer exclusive content – Provide Snapchat-only deals, promo codes, or sneak peeks to encourage follower loyalty.
Youtube
The Audience
The latest stats show that YouTube has over 2.5 billion active users worldwide with the largest age group consisting of 25 to 34-year-olds. In terms of demographics, the platform is slightly skewed towards men with just over half of YouTube’s total user base.
Additionally, 63% of all video views come from mobile devices, emphasising YouTube’s mobile-first audience and the growing preference for on-the-go content consumption.
Content
YouTube is a video-first platform designed for long-form and short-form video content across a wide range of categories. The long-form videos are Youtube’s traditional content such as tutorials, product reviews, vlogs, interviews, and educational content.
YouTube Shorts are the more recent types of content, vertical, short-form videos (similar to TikTok and Instagram Reels) designed for quick, engaging content.
Live Streams are also common, with real-time broadcasts for Q&A sessions, product launches, gaming, and events.
User Behaviour
YouTube users engage in a mix of passive and active content consumption, using the platform for entertainment, education, and research. Unlike other social platforms, YouTube users often watch long-form content, spending hours on the platform with just a few pieces of content.
YouTube is also the world’s second-largest search engine after Google. Many users use the platform looking for tutorials, product reviews, and industry insights and to answer questions.
Best for businesses who:
- Have a lot to say and need a lot of time to say it- the long form nature of Youtube means that businesses that offer products and services that require more in-depth discussion and deep dives will find the platform useful.
- Can offer educational or informative content- audiences search for tutorials and problem-solving content, making informative videos a key driver of engagement.
