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Social Media Plattforms – The most important in a nutshell |
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In social media marketing, it is not always easy to keep track of the numerous platforms. While a few years ago we were only familiar with Facebook, there are now several alternatives that are not only used for private purposes. Although Facebook still has its place among the most used social media platforms, Instagram and Co. are becoming increasingly popular and should therefore not be disregarded by successful marketers. Basically, the question is always which target group you want to reach with your product and on which platforms this audience spends time. To help you plan your marketing strategy and future campaigns in a targeted manner, the following provides a detailed overview of the currently most important social media platforms and their advantages.
Beschreibung | Zielgruppe | Aktive Nutzer | |
Facebook | Largest of all social media platforms | All ages | 32 million per month |
Instagram | Photo and video sharing | Younger between 20- and 29 years | 21 million per month |
TikTok | short videos | Very young target group | 1.4 million daily |
Snapchat | Snaps, one time or max. 24 h visible | Very young user base | 3.5 million daily |
LinkedIn | Recruiting and Employer Branding | Professionals between 20 and 49 years | 15 million per month |
Xing | Networking with colleagues | Majority of users between 30 and 39 years | 18.5 million per month |
Pinterest | compile virtual pinboards | female target group between 25 and 34 years | 13 million per month |
Twitter | short text messages "tweets" in real time | male users between 18 and 34 years | 12 million per month |
WhatsApp | Messenger service | All ages | 58 million daily |
YouTube | Video platform | most diversified user statistics (75+) | 30 million weekly |
Facebook should be a household name by now. The network was founded by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004 and is still at the top of the most popular social media platforms in Germany today. The largest of all social media platforms has 32 million monthly active users in Germany alone, and over 10 million of them even use the network on a daily basis. But what about the user distribution?
Age distribution Facebook users 2021/22
The diagram shows that Facebook has by no means become unimportant. The platform is still used daily by all age groups and thus provides a good basis for social media marketing for most companies. However, you as a company should always keep your own target group in mind. In the case of products that are mainly aimed at young people, it may well be debated whether the advertising budget here would not be better off on another platform.
It is not for nothing that most companies profit immensely with Facebook marketing. With their huge reach, Facebook campaigns help promote image and positioning. Due to the variety of new marketing approaches as well as creative and innovative ways to market products and services, the network offers enormous potential for your success. As a business, it is therefore advisable to create a Facebook business page and place targeted ads on the platform.
On the Instagram network – operated by Meta Platforms and founded in 2010 – the focus is on photo and video sharing. With over 21 million monthly active users in Germany, Instagram is a good deal behind Facebook, but should still not be disregarded, as the platform has become more popular, especially among younger generations. You shouldn’t just associate beauty products and influencer marketing with Instagram, either, because the network has much more to offer. But which target groups are active on Instagram in the first place?
Age distribution Instagram users 2021/22
The chart also shows: Compared to Facebook, the platform is particularly well received by the younger generation between the ages of 20 and 29, with 81%. From the age of 60, there are only a few users on the network. The group of 16 to 29-year-olds, on the other hand, is much stronger.
For companies in particular, Instagram offers many advantages as a marketing tool. With an Instagram business account and the right marketing concept, the network becomes particularly lucrative if you want to generate reach and attention and reach new potential buyers. You could also plan targeted collaborations with influencers or sell products directly via Instagram.
TikTok is now a household name not only among the young. The app, which was launched by the Chinese company ByteDance, is currently the fastest growing social media network in the world. In Germany, 1.4 million people use the platform every day. However, TikTok is also frequently associated with certain prejudices. It is often said that the TikTok audience is too young for marketing to be worthwhile in this age group. But what does the user base on the platform look like in reality?
Age distribution of TikTok users 2021
Looking at the user structure of TikTok, it is clear that the target group is very young, especially compared to networks like LinkedIn or Facebook. It is also highly likely that this age group does not have the same financial resources as older generations. But that doesn’t stop many companies from marketing on TikTok. After all, the platform is extremely well suited for brand loyalty. Large companies like BMW have already successfully launched major campaigns on TikTok. It may seem unusual at first that a car company is marketing on a platform where many users don’t even have a driver’s license. However, the company is banking on the brand loyalty effect here.
The idea behind TikTok – to inspire as many people as possible with short, entertaining videos – is promising. With a good idea and relatively little effort, the community can be won over within a very short time. One of the biggest advantages of the platform is that, with a little luck, it can achieve enormous reach. Companies have used TikTok so far, for example, in the form of challenges that run under individual hashtags. This allows them to ask users to actively participate, which increases interest in the company.
Snapchat should not be an unknown term either. The network is particularly popular due to its popularity especially among the very young target group. With 3.5 million daily active users within Germany, Snapchat is now one of the most popular social media platforms in this country. Founded in 2011, the platform allows users to send each other short videos or photos (“snaps”) that are either visible to the other person for 24 hours or disappear immediately after the first viewing. In addition, groups can be formed in which content is also shared among each other. But is Snapchat only suitable for companies with a very young target group?
Age distribution Snapchat users 2021/22
The diagram confirms that the platform has a predominantly very young user base and is therefore almost exclusively suitable for marketing to young people. However, Snapchat is not only suitable for private use, but also as a platform for companies to increase awareness, generate new customers, and thus increase sales. With Snapchat marketing, paid content is displayed on a special page (“Discover”) and is not automatically played out to the user. Organic content is only displayed to the user if they have connected with the company. Snapchat offers the opportunity to show one’s company from an authentic and creative side.
It also offers great potential to try out oneself as a company. Since not many German companies are represented on Snapchat so far, the competition is accordingly low, which means that the attention belongs primarily to you. If your target group is young, Snapchat can definitely contribute to marketing success. In addition, the trainees of tomorrow can be reached in the network and inspired for your company.
The social network LinkedIn, based in California, was founded in 2002 and is particularly well known in this country as an alternative to XING and as a work network. The platform offers the opportunity to network with work colleagues or industry members and to exchange scientific articles. It also has a large number of subject-oriented groups that users can join. With over 15 million active users in Germany alone, there is definitely no longer any question of it being a small, unimportant platform. But what does the age and gender distribution on LinkedIn look like?
Age distribution of LinkedIn users 2021/22
LinkedIn is particularly popular with professionals, with the 20-49 age group being the most represented. As a company, you have very good marketing opportunities on the largest social media platform for jobs and careers, especially in B2B business. Various business goals can be achieved with the help of LinkedIn. Whether employer branding, increasing brand awareness, acquiring new customers, or successful recruiting, this network offers great potential for achieving your goals.
The XING network, headquartered in Hamburg, was founded in 2003 and has around 18.5 million users in Germany. This makes the platform one of the most important business networks. XING is ideal for companies looking for new employees in German-speaking countries or wanting to network with contacts in the B2B environment.
According to its own information, almost half of all members work in the IT, services, media, industry and commerce sectors and already have professional experience. In addition, many freelancers and freelancers can be found here. Just as on the international platform LinkedIn, recruiting, employer branding and new customer acquisition can be carried out here. But which target group actively uses the network? At 38%, the majority of users are between 30-39 years old.
Age distribution Xing users 2021/22
Pinterest is better known for appealing more to the female audience. With about 13 million monthly active users in Germany, Pinterest is also one of the most popular networks. But what does the user group for Pinterest actually look like? Is the platform really only something for young women?
Age distribution Pinterest users 2021/22
The diagram shows that the Pinterest platform is also frequented by younger generations; after all, 84% of the target group is under 45 years old. However, Pinterest is particularly popular with 25-34 year-olds. In fact, 67% of users here are predominantly women. However, other genders also stray onto the platform from time to time.
With more than 12 million active users in Germany, Twitter should definitely be considered in your marketing strategy. Founded in 2006 in the US, the network is one of the most popular social media platforms and offers great opportunities to build your brand, increase sales and generate new customers. However, unlike other social media channels, such as Instagram, Twitter is not a medium that impresses with visual content. Here, it works with short text messages, the “tweets,” which are displayed to users in real time.
However, with over 500 million tweets sent worldwide every day, it is necessary to be strategic if you want to capture the attention of your target audience. Companies should combine their content with viral content. To get attention, it therefore helps to comment on trending posts, for example. But showing a certain attitude as a company is also an approach that can go down well, especially on Twitter.
But what exactly does the target group on Twitter look like? Just under half of German users are between 18 and 34 years old and are in the popular advertising target group of millennials. More than 80% of German Twitter users are male. One in four users is an executive. Compared to the overall user base, German users of the platform are relatively young, have an above-average income and a high level of education. In addition, they generally have a pronounced brand awareness.
Almost 58 million people in Germany use the messenger service WhatsApp every day. Founded in the USA in 2009, the platform offers enormous potential not only for private use, but also for business. More than 65 billion messages are sent worldwide every day. This makes the platform one of the most popular social networks. But which target groups are active on WhatsApp?
Age distribution WhatsApp users 2021/22
The chart clearly shows that the platform is not only popular among a certain age group. Young generations, middle-aged people and over-60s are all represented on WhatsApp. However, the distribution shows that usage is nevertheless highest among young people.
WhatsApp can also be used by companies as a marketing channel. The network makes it possible to support customers in their everyday lives. Customer relationships can be strengthened through personal contact. However, WhatsApp serves more as a consulting and service platform and less as a classic advertising platform.
YouTube has been the most popular platform for publishing videos for years. So popular, in fact, that two billion registered users worldwide now visit the network every month, which is almost half of all Internet users. In Germany alone, more than 30 million people are active on YouTube every week. The platform is available in 80 languages and has regional versions in 91 countries. But which target groups can be reached via YouTube?
Age distribution YouTube users 2021/22
YouTube is not only used by young age groups; even people over 75 are active on the platform. No other network can boast such a broad range of user statistics. The potential for successful advertising on YouTube is huge. Nevertheless, there are some companies that do not take advantage of the large reach. After all, YouTube marketing costs time and money. In contrast to Facebook or Instagram, the effort required on a video platform is significantly higher. Even normal content is produced with high quality these days. Companies must therefore create and upload advertising that is at least as qualitative in order to meet the demands of users.
Whether Facebook, YouTube or Instagram: social media platforms are used by countless millions of Germans. Many companies now also greatly appreciate the networks and use them as a marketing tool for a wide variety of goals. However, it is also clear that not all social media platforms can be lumped together. Each network is individual, which is also reflected in their users. If you are planning a new campaign, it is advisable to look at the individual platforms in detail. Perhaps one of them offers as yet undiscovered potential for achieving your goals. One thing is certain: social media will continue to grow in the future and become even more firmly anchored in the corporate sector. If used correctly, enormous corporate successes are not far away.