Nowhere is communication as fast, personal and easy as on social media. Exchange and closeness are created here in different ways. Whether with images, texts or videos – there are no limits when it comes to multimedia. Nevertheless, depending on the type of post, there are certain channels that are more suitable than others. Here we introduce you to the most important social media channels and tell you where the respective strengths of the platforms lie.
These are the 10 most important social media channels for companies
What are the most important social media channels for companies in 2021? Where should companies and startups position themselves particularly strongly? And what are the specific characteristics of the various social media channels? The main feature of all platforms is interaction. The creation of your own content is usually quick and easy and can be shared with all contacts. Depending on the content and design of the posts, however, different social media channels are suitable. It is therefore important to adapt the communications to each platform individually. The following channels differ with regard to the communication processing and thus offer various options.
The mother of all social media is still considered the most widely used network in the world and has billions of users every month. The platform thus offers a good chance of a large reach and is now one of the standard channels of every company. If you don’t jump on the train here, you are missing an important portal to reach your customers. In addition, Facebook offers the advantage of setting up communication differently depending on your preference. Texts, images and videos allow a variance in the contributions. Users can reply in the comment function or via messages, if it should not be public.
Whether customers, partners or the public, almost every target group is reached here. It is important to note that the contributions are designed in such a way that they offer added value for the user. Facebook can score as a suitable communication platform for every company thanks to its user-friendliness and exchange options.
The social media channel Instagram is a subsidiary of Facebook and was able to gain a large number of users last year . The platform is growing, and at an ever faster pace. As the second largest network, it is therefore becoming more and more interesting for companies. Communication takes place via images, small text descriptions and time-limited videos.
In addition to these options, the stories can be used to communicate. With this special function, the communicator can record a video that is deleted after 24 hours. This results in a fleeting character, which gives the communication via the stories function an exclusivity. Users may be more likely to look in order not to miss anything. The nature of the contributions therefore seems much more personal and intimate, in a certain way it is looked “behind the scenes”. If you decide to communicate on this platform, you should definitely use this function. Authenticity and credibility are very important here.
The microblogging service Twitter is also one of the most popular social media channels worldwide and is the platform with the third highest number of users. Each user of this channel can now send out so-called tweets in a maximum of 280 characters. By the end of 2017 there were only 140 characters – for a long time the trademark of Twitter.
The idea behind Twitter: communication in real time. Fast, direct and live. Therefore, it should be “twittered” several times a day, so that each tweet offers added value for the reader. The hashtags, which enable networking on the network and increase the reach, are particularly important. Therefore, individual communication that is specifically geared towards this channel is of great importance.
Although Twitter has a large number of users, the platform is not one of the most used in Germany . Here, companies haven’t really realized the power of short tweets. But it is precisely through the short messages that companies can expand their information service so that they can address customers quickly and directly and thereby increase customer loyalty.
TIKTOK
The take off of the last time is TikTok and that especially with the younger generation. There is nowhere better to achieve this than with TikTok. In short, this platform works just like Instagram, only with music clips instead of photos. Self-made videos with filters, special effects and with the function of lip-synchronizing songs are uploaded there or videos of other users are consumed.
With well-placed advertising, TikTok can be integrated into any marketing strategy as a social media channel . But the production of your own videos should also be considered and, for example, carried out with influencers . Hashtags used then encourage the community to shoot videos with similar content. This not only creates a direct interaction between the company and customers, but also the possibility of generating a high reach with a good campaign and connecting the users with the company’s brand.
SNAPCHAT
The Snapchat platform combines many of the previously mentioned functions of the social media channels. It is an image messaging app. Snapchat allows you to send pictures as messages that delete themselves after a few seconds. Edited photos with filters, short texts or small animations can be sent directly to friends or shared with the entire community. Here, too, users have the opportunity to create stories and use them to tell stories. In addition to the images, there is also a chat function that enables textual exchange.
The target group here is also young and therefore needs to be addressed differently. The content on this platform should be as private, humorous and creative as possible so that the communication fits the channel. In order to be able to be found here as a company at all, references to it can already be communicated on the other platforms so that users can be addressed across platforms.
LinkedIn has about as many users as Twitter and is one of the most important business networks in the world. Here, all kinds of content are visible to all contacts. However, communication on this social media channel is primarily aimed at corporate partners or employees . This platform offers users the opportunity to build their own network, to use it for professional orientation or as a news service and knowledge exchange.
The more intensive the use of the platform, the more it is worth investing in purchasing the functions of a premium account. Content should be created here on a regular basis for the continuous development of the corporate image. But just as TikTok and Snapchat are geared towards a younger generation, LinkedIn is more likely to reach older or working people. This fact should therefore be taken into account in the content orientation of the communication.
This platform differs significantly from the way the other social media channels work. In simple terms, Pinterest serves as a very large pin board on which the user can pin pins from other users. This interactive pin board is used by many as a source of inspiration and an idea finder. The creation of your own pins and sharing them is also possible as a user. The contributions can be found under different categories and displayed on your own pin board.
This social media channel gives companies with attractively designed pins the chance to use users who like the posts as multipliers and promotional ambassadors. Because posts that have been saved appear on the private pin board for everyone to see and are therefore figureheads for the company. If this succeeds, Pinterest can be used as a suitable channel for strengthening customer loyalty and the corporate brand.
YOUTUBE
Most companies are already familiar with the YouTube video platform . This interactive platform allows you to upload your own videos and to consume and comment on other videos. The platform is particularly good if you want to set up a video-based marketing strategy. Uploading content is quick and easy here.
Companies use this platform to expand their audiovisual corporate image. Since moving images reach a lot more people and the communication of information is much more successful, the example of this channel can bring great advantages for some companies and is therefore one of the most important social media channels of today.
VIMEO
Vimeo is also a video platform that your company can use for online marketing . The focus here is on professional, high-quality video material that exudes creativity. Basically, it offers an alternative to YouTube, but if you want to publish more than a prescribed maximum amount of content, you have to pay. In return, the platform appears to be of higher quality and more serious, which may give the customer an equally higher image of the company. The functions of the social media channel are the same as those of YouTube. The choice of platform therefore depends largely on the effort involved in preparing the content.
Many do not have the social news aggregator Reddit on their radar yet. At the moment, this platform is mostly only used by a large community in the USA . The purpose behind Reddit is to distribute social news via forums, the so-called subreddits. The users create the content of these. Other users, who act as moderators, manage the forums. There you can find shared pictures, videos, texts and links – everything that interests users.
Since the content of this platform comes from the relevant target groups , market research can be carried out using Reddit. Here it is easy to enter into a dialogue with users and also to place advertising on this channel. Reddit offers various opportunities for companies, but above all getting to know potential customers. At first glance, the program may seem confusing, but if you get involved more intensively, this platform offers many advantages and is one of the most important social media channels in 2020.
Conclusion: social media channels for companies in 2021
It is important for companies that they do not try to communicate on every channel. Rather, you should limit yourself to a few platforms so that communication is individually adapted on each channel. It is important to note that it is more important for your own customers to receive good contributions with added value than to be swarmed around on multiple platforms with mediocre content. Therefore, the most important rule for communication on social media is that the users are addressed with high-quality and regular posts that fit the target group of the company.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about social media channels for companies
Which social media channel is the biggest?
According to statistics, Facebook is still the most popular and largest social network in the world. Facebook currently has over two million users worldwide.
Which social media channels are the most important?
The most important platforms for companies include:
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, Vimeo and Reddit.
Why are social media channels important for companies?
One of the main reasons companies have a presence in social media is their wide reach. In addition, users reveal quite a lot of information about themselves through their profile settings, likes, etc. This means that almost every conceivable target group can be found here in some form and you can address precisely this target group by means of targeted.
How do I find the right social media channels for my company?
To find the right channel for your company, you need to know your target audience. How old are your customers What content are you interested in? What are the best platforms for you to address them on? In the second step, the platform should also suit your company. Where can you best present your content? Would you like to appear more visually or purely textually or informatively? Appropriate networks can then be found on the basis of these questions.