Social media is of many types and networks for people with various interests. Marketing and advertising on social media is economical and effective, helping you connect with a wider audience.
Learning about the different types of social media can help you create more targeted marketing campaigns. In this article, we will explain why social media is important and discuss its various types.
Contents
2 Types of Social Media
Why is Social Media Important in the Marketing Process?
Social media platforms help you build brand awareness, communicate with customers, build custom audiences and increase sales without spending excessive amounts.
Useful content can attract more potential customers, helping them remember your brand. Building a consistent brand across multiple social media websites allows you to create a successful presence while engaging with customers.
You can use social media to answer customer questions, troubleshoot problems they have, and let them know about upcoming special events or sales.
Also, read strategies for marketing your business on social media in this article.
Types of Social Media
Knowing the differences between types of social media can help you engage more effectively with prospects.
Here are some of the most common types of social media:
1. Social networks
Social networking sites help people connect with different brands and individuals. Users can share their thoughts, form groups based on their interests, create content, upload photos and videos, and participate in discussions.
You can reach your audience with ads and influence the right people with targeting metrics. You can also build connections with individuals, research customer preferences, and monitor online conversations about your business. Learning more about what people are posting about your brand on social networks can help you create a positive presence.
2. Discussion Forum
Discussion forums encourage people to answer each other’s questions and share ideas and news. Many of these types of social media sites focus on questions, and answering them can increase your credibility and send more traffic to your business website.
You can also use discussion forums to do market research by asking people what they think about your products and brands. This can help you create a more focused marketing campaign.
3. Image sharing site
These social media sites allow people to share photos and other content. They can start conversations, inspire creativity, make products look more appealing, and encourage customers to talk about your brand.
For example, a clothing company could give anyone who posts a picture of their gear on an image-sharing network an opportunity to win a gift certificate.
4. Bookmarking sites
Bookmark sites are platforms where users save ideas and content for later use. Many people also share links to lists of online resources.
The purpose of this website is to discover new content based on interests and discuss trends. You can use this network to drive people to your website and increase sales by sharing your own content for bookmarks.
5. Blog
This social media network gives you a place to publish your thoughts on your work, current events, hobbies, and more. You can enjoy the many benefits of having your own blog without having to host your own website.
You can also get new readers from people who visit the network looking for interesting content. If you already have a blog, you can repost articles on this platform to reach a wider audience.
Consider creating a blog post about how to use your product, or creating a post about your industry to drive more traffic.
6. Consumer review site
These sites feature customer reviews of businesses, giving users a full perspective on the types of services offered and their overall level of satisfaction.
Customer reviews can help you identify common issues that many people seem to have and make the experience better over time. Promoting positive reviews and dealing with negative reviews can make your business more popular.
7. Interest-based sites
Use this dedicated network to share your hobbies and interests with others. Sites related to your industry can also help your network.
For example, interest-based sites can allow people to discuss their favorite books and get recommendations on what to read next. Authors can create profile pages to promote their work and answer questions from readers.
8. Interest-based networks
These sites give people access to resources by encouraging them to share. They can help users make money and save more.
For example, interest-based networks that focus on pets can help you find someone willing to take care of your cat while you’re away on vacation. It will be less expensive than a cage and safer for your pet. If your company sells toys or pet food, you can get new customers by advertising there.
9. Social shopping networks
This site helps people spot trends, share great discoveries, make purchases, and follow their favorite brands. They focus on e-commerce, but the social element makes it more interesting and entertaining. This type of social media is ideal for building awareness and selling to a wider audience.
Many of them let hobbyists and small business owners sell art, jewelry, crafts, and other items. They allow sellers to reach customers who are looking for unique handmade products. Other social shopping networks offer many home-related products along with content about home improvement, making it an interest-based network as well.
Many social networks also have a shopping element. People can sell items to friends, followers, and other buyers near them, making it easier to get rid of old appliances and furniture.
1o. Video hosting site
Video hosting networks provide independent filmmakers, journalists, and other content creators with a way for their viewers to stream video quickly and easily.
Many people relax and follow local news by watching online content instead of turning on their TV. Brands can use paid advertising to reach new customers, or they can ask influencers to talk about their products.