Which social media platform will work best for your business? Different social networks have different user bases, so you don’t want to invest in one network if your core audience is on another.  Consider the following tips to find which of the big five platforms is best for your business:

Facebook

  • Best for: B2C, in some cases, B2B
  • Top industries: Fashion, auto, e-commerce, retail, entertainment, real estate, marketing, sports, health and wellness, news and information
  • Target age: 25–55+, both men and women
  • To note: Start with a Facebook page if you’re new to social media

Twitter

  • Best for: B2C, some B2B
  • Top industries: News and information, retail, e-commerce, health and wellness, travel and hospitality, telecom, finance, fashion, retail and sports
  • Target age:18–29, both men and women
  • To note: Good for customer service and demonstrating your expertise

 

Pinterest

  • Best for: B2C
  • Top industries: Retail, health and wellness, travel and hospitality, fashion, e-commerce, arts and crafts, food and beverage, beauty, home and garden and event planning
  • Target age: 18–45, mostly women
  • To note: Share visual products or visual planning (e.g., home remodeling project)

 

Instagram

  • Best for: B2C
  • Top industries: Travel and hospitality, fashion, health and wellness, arts and crafts, food and beverage, e-commerce, beauty, photography, auto and event planning
  • Target age: 18–35, primarily millennials and teens
  • To note: Use high-quality images or video content that tells a story

 

LinkedIn

  • Best for: B2B
  • Top industries: Financial, employment, science and technology, legal, manufacturing, marketing, education, professional services, health and wellness and IT
  • Target age: 25–45, both men and women
  • To note: Relies less on visual content and more on text-based updates

 

Keep in mind, compelling images and video are key for social media. More than half (58%) of people surveyed prefer “visual-first content, with graphics, images and produced video taking the lead.” This is particularly true on highly visual platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.