Social Media Means
Photo by cottonbro studio Pexels Logo Photo: cottonbro studio

How many types of social networking are there?

5 Types Of Social Media Networks And The Benefits Of Each One.

How much house can I afford on a $200 000 salary?
How much house can I afford on a $200 000 salary?

between $400,000 and $500,000 That said, if you make $200,000 a year, it means you can likely afford a home between $400,000 and $500,000.

Read More »
What industry pays recruiters the most?
What industry pays recruiters the most?

Which company pays recruiters the most? Google typically pays recruiters the most as recruiters earn an average salary of $159,290, per year. They...

Read More »

People use social media to share pictures and videos, post updates, and connect with family, friends, and brands. However, as social media evolves, it can be difficult for brands to determine where to focus their attention. And who has the time to engage on all social media platforms and apps effectively? No one. So then, which ones should your brand use to connect with its audience? Well, that depends on a couple of factors. Most brands don’t have the resources or, to be honest, the need to be on all social media platforms, sites, and apps. In this guide, I’ll discuss the evolution of social media and the top social media networks. I’ll also get into the different brand benefits of each network type. This will help you strategize where to put your focus, what you want to keep in-house, and areas you might want to outsource.

Evolution Of Social Media

Social media platforms have become an integral part of today’s marketing atmosphere.

They play a significant role in businesses connecting and engaging with current and potential customers.

From sharing information to building relationships, these platforms provide endless opportunities.

But even among these major social media platforms, there are subtypes.

Learning each platform’s different features and potential opportunities can help brands create a more effective social media marketing strategy. So let’s begin with the old-school platforms. LinkedIn and Facebook (originally Facemash, but who remembers that) launched in 2003. The second wave brought Instagram and Pinterest in 2010. Pinterest’s growth started slow before gaining more traction – today, the platform has over 86 million followers in the U.S. alone Then, what some consider the first iteration of TikTok – Vine – launched in 2013. Vine’s surge in popularity was short-lived, as the platform shut down in 2017. But that doesn’t mean we didn’t learn about where people’s attention lies: short-form videos.

Social Media Today

As we see today, social media networks have been competing to keep up with each other and adding more features to keep people on their platforms. Now that I’ve covered how platforms compete to evolve and captivate their user’s attention, let’s get into what I mean by a social network.

What Is A Social Network?

A social network is a category or group of a specific type of social media platform or app. There are many types and sub-types of social networks – more than you might think.

Traditional Social Networks.

Is Android Safer Than iPhone?
Is Android Safer Than iPhone?

So what is more secure: Android or iOS? Studies show that mobile malware targets Android much more than iOS, so for this reason, and all the others...

Read More »
Who is the loudest introvert?
Who is the loudest introvert?

Meg White Is The 21st Century's Loudest Introvert : NPR. Sep 21, 2018

Read More »

Media Sharing Networks.

Discussion Networks.

Social Blogging Networks.

Review Networks.

1. Traditional Social Networks

We talked a lot about traditional social networks, so I won’t go too much more into that type. But, as I talked about, there are some shifting trends in how brands use traditional social networks. This isn’t to say that short-form posts have gone away; we see short-form posts across all traditional social networks. LinkedIn, on the other hand, has been a significant player in online professional networking. These traditional social networks offer opportunities for brands to use ads to target their audience and conduct market research through Insights and analytics tools.

2. Media Sharing Networks

There are many forms of visual content across media sharing networks, such as infographics, images, and short-form and long-form videos. While this network type includes video and picture media sharing, most are now multimedia, utilizing audio, video, and pictures. People use these sites for entertainment, finding information, and sometimes even shopping. This creates ample opportunities for your brand to reach its audience. Many products have recently gone viral through TikTok. When people can easily purchase through an app, it gives them a direct way to buy before second-guessing. Brands also use these sites to disseminate how-tos for their products, collaborate with influencers, promote discounts, and more. Visual content is an engaging way to connect with customers and intrigue them to follow and learn more about your brand – and, eventually, buy your products.

3. Discussion Networks

Examples: Discord, Reddit, Quora.

There can be many reasons why people view and create content across platforms. But when it comes to sites like Discord or Reddit, users are typically there for answers and to connect with communities of people with similar interests.

People also tend to go to these platforms for research.

Discussion Networks allow brands to answer questions and connect with their communities.

Discord alone offers opportunities to create customer community groups, events, and live streams. Sometimes, hopping into a discussion about your brand or industry can help clarify topics and show you’re willing to engage with your audience. Your effort to meet your audience where they like to communicate can go a long way in creating long-term customers.

4. Social Blogging Networks

Examples: Medium, Tumblr, Blog Meets Brand.

When a picture or video isn’t the correct form of content for a particular topic, blogs can be an excellent way to share information with your audience. Sometimes information is better shared through a blog. For example, it may better explain a subject and help readers understand more complex topics.

Which type of digital marketing is most profitable?
Which type of digital marketing is most profitable?

5 Most Effective Digital Marketing Techniques Paid Search Advertising. This could be anything from media buys to display ads. ... Email Marketing....

Read More »
How to make him feel guilty for ignoring you?
How to make him feel guilty for ignoring you?

15 tips to make him regret ignoring you Express your feelings (to him) One of the most direct ways to learn how to make him regret ignoring you is...

Read More »

Blogs are beneficial for content from thought-leaders. They can expand upon important information or news. Your brand can also repurpose, expand upon, or share what it creates on its site through social blogging networks. For newer brands, it’s a great way to develop your voice and build your audience. These are additional platforms, besides their websites, for brands to share their insights on what matters to them and their target audience.

5. Review Networks

The most important thing for brands regarding review networks is online reputation management. Quickly responding to both positive and negative reviews – in a polite and empathetic way – is crucial for retaining a positive online reputation. Claiming listings across various review networks and creating a plan to manage them can help improve your brand’s image. It can also show potential and current customers how your brand responds to critiques. It can also provide insight into areas of improvement. As a result, it’s an excellent and sometimes underutilized resource. Check out these Yelp strategies for inspiration on how to optimize your listing. Reviews are also a critical part of local SEO since when people search locally, they tend to assess the reviews for the businesses in their area before making a purchase. People often use a mix of Google and Google Maps to find businesses around them. Optimizing your Google Business Profile for local search is essential for reaching more potential customers.

Final Thoughts

Social media has become an overwhelming but incredibly valuable marketing component for brands. But categorizing the types of social media networks and identifying which ones your brand wants to engage with can help simplify things. Then, your brand can allocate the right resources, people, and time to create a social media strategy. Some brands may outsource components of social media management, such as online reputation management, blog writing, social media post creation, ad creation, and customer service across platforms. After reviewing your brand’s goals, it will be easier to assess which platforms you’ll put effort towards and which are worth skipping, at least for the time being.

More resources:

Featured Image: Khosro/Shutterstock

Which AI is used in Instagram?
Which AI is used in Instagram?

Filter Spam Instagram uses Facebook's artificial intelligence algorithm DeepText that is able to understand the context of a message nearly as good...

Read More »
How do I set up a referral program?
How do I set up a referral program?

How to Create a Customer Referral Program Start with customer referral templates. Set your goals. Research how referrals are coming to your...

Read More »
Why is recruiting so exhausting?
Why is recruiting so exhausting?

The top reason why many companies have difficulty recruiting new employees is that the talent pool is drying up. The pool of candidates means the...

Read More »
Will the IRS catch a missing 1099?
Will the IRS catch a missing 1099?

Since the 1099 form you receive is also reported to the IRS, the government knows about your income even if you forget to include it on your tax...

Read More »