Sofia Kumpumäki
Feb 7, 2019 1:00:00 AM
It’s 2019 and in our ever-changing environment, it has never been more important to be accurate and relevant, especially if you’re working in marketing and with social media influencers. In order to accomplish the most and reach your marketing goals as quickly as possible, you need to maximize your strategy and focus on using the most efficient platforms and tools available. Nowhere is this as true as in social media marketing. By using the best and most efficient social media platforms, you will improve your reach on social media. Meanwhile, using the wrong social media platform can damage your potential drastically.
Therefore, we decided to evaluate all of the platforms out there to come up with a top list of the 5 most powerful social media platforms in 2019. Mind you, these are the platforms that are recommended to use for influencer marketing as well as your other marketing efforts.
1. Instagram
It should come as no surprise that Instagram remains the biggest and most useful social media platform for marketing. Influencer marketing was pretty much born on Instagram, and the platform has helped shape this new form of marketing into what it is today. One of the main benefits of using Instagram for marketing purposes is that the platform provides two types of very different content that are both very effective for different types of marketing.
- Instagram post
- Instagram stories
2. YouTube
For the last couple of years, videos have become an increasingly more popular format among consumers. People tend to spend less time reading and looking at images and more time following their favorite brands and influencers through video. Compared to Instagram’s regular format and stories format, YouTube enables users to upload longer and more detailed videos.
Lately, the growing podcast scene has started making use of YouTube, and many times you can watch and live stream some of the most popular podcasts directly on YouTube. In terms of marketing, the opportunities are endless, and for influencers and brands that have mastered the video format, YouTube is a total goldmine.
3. Pinterest
Pinterest is a social media platform that’s often overlooked when talking about marketing, but the truth is that it offers amazing possibilities for brands that use it correctly. With over 175 million monthly users and an average age of 40, Pinterest is different than all other social media. The way Pinterest works is by users putting up pins which are images and graphics that link to a website, landing page or similar with a short written description. Then other users that search for terms related to that post, or pin as it’s called on Pinterest, will find it and if they like it they can “pin it” or save it to their own profile. The pin will also show up in a user's feed based on an algorithm which evaluates other pins that the user has saved in the past.
Another great feature of Pinterest is that users and brands can create boards where they only pin certain pins. For example, “Fall Fashion,” “Travel Inspiration,” “Recipes,” etc. Because Pinterest is different compared to other platforms and one needs to use descriptions and keywords for the pins, some consider it to be more of a search engine than a social media platform. We really appreciate that a pin doesn't have to be super relevant and that certain pins can get new life and go viral several years after it was originally posted.
4. Snapchat
We’ve already mentioned Instagram’s hugely popular stories format, but no list of the most popular social media platforms of 2019 would be complete without a mention of their predecessor Snapchat. Snapchat is a social media platform where short, time-based videos are the main form of content. It has been used by celebrities, brands, and influencers for many years and it continues to grow in popularity. Similar to Instagram Story, Snapchat is great for branding purposes, and it offers opportunities for brands and influencers to connect with their customers on a more personal level. Generally speaking, Snapchat attracts a younger user base and has proven to be an excellent tool for brands targeting teens and young adults.
5. Facebook
Any brand or person working on establishing an online presences needs to utilize Facebook, it’s simple as that. You see, Facebook remains the biggest social media platform in the world and the sheer reach it can offer is reason enough to use it. Facebook is also one of those platforms that pretty much everyone uses daily, and having a great profile and a detailed business page on Facebook is a must, or you run the risk of missing a lot of potential clients. One aspect of Facebook that many marketers seem to overlook is Facebook groups, and we’re not only talking about your own groups but also about other groups. By being active in popular Facebook groups within your niche, you can boost your branding and increase your brand awareness quickly with minimal effort.
Final Words
That was a quick summary of the biggest and most important social media platforms of 2019 that you need to include in your marketing arsenal. Depending on what type of brand or influencer you are, certain platforms might work better for you than others, and it’s important that you evaluate the platforms’ demographics to maximize your potential. If you’re interested in knowing how this list has changed and updated from last year, we suggest you check out our list of the best social media platforms of 2018.
Header photo by Anastasiya Lobanovskaya from Pexels