The best social media platforms for each generation

Each social media network offers something different and attracts different users. Which is part of the appeal of them! And with 81% of people in the United States on social media and 2.46 billion worldwide, you may be wondering how to “narrow the pool” to the specific demographics you’re trying to reach.

So what are the best social media platforms for each generation? Let’s take a look…

Facebook is the largest social media network worldwide at this point in time. Facebook is a great place to reach everyone from millennials to Baby Boomers. Here are some Facebook stats:

More than half of Americans in every age group say they are on Facebook
In the U.S., Facebook is most popular with millennials (those in the 25 to 34-year-old age range.)
82% of 18 to 29-year-olds have Facebook accounts.
79% of 30 to 49-year-olds have Facebook accounts.

What to do on Facebook: Repurpose blog posts. Drive traffic back to your website with links to articles and a clear call-to-action. Create a budget for Facebook ads so your posts can be seen by more users. Make sure that all of your posts add value!

LinkedIn is a place to build your professional network and make connections. Looking to recruit college graduates for your workforce, or connect with senior-level influencers? Go to LinkedIn!

61 million LinkedIn users are senior level influencers and 40 million are in decision-making positions.
13% of Millennials (15-34 Years old) use Linkedin.
40 million students and recent college graduates are on LinkedIn.

What to do on LinkedIn: LinkedIn is a great place to repurpose blog content into LinkedIn articles. You can also post blogs from your website onto LinkedIn to direct traffic to your website. Join industry groups to network, add value, and join the conversation.

Instagram is a very visual, user-friendly platform and a great place to tell stories through photos, videos, and small captions. Instagram attracts millenials and Gen Z as their primary users.

59% of internet users between the ages of 18 and 29 use Instagram.
33% of internet users between the ages of 30 and 49 use Instagram.
72% of teens use Instagram.

What to do on Instagram: Through photos and short (up to 1-minute) videos, show the highlights of living, working, and doing business in your city. Support local businesses and highlight local talent in your feed and through your Instagram stories.

On Snapchat, users can post or privately send photos and videos that are only available for 24 hours. If you want to reach millennials and Gen Z, Snapchat is a great way to become relevant and heighten your organization’s visibility within this audience.

71% of Snapchat users are under 34 years old.
People under the age of 25 use Snapchat for 40 minutes on average every day, more than Instagram’s latest stat for the same demographic.
45% of Snapchat users are aged between 18-24.

What to do on Snapchat: Share interesting photos and videos of your town that younger entrepreneurs might be interested in. Create filters, which will show up on a user’s home page within a particular area and during a specific time. This can be a great way to promote your brand during live events.

Twitter is the social media network where users post, reply and retweet 280-character messages, called “tweets.” With an active Economic Development community, this social media network is a no-brainer for Economic Development Organizations!

Want to reach “affluent millennials”? Twitter says this is the place!

36% percent of Americans aged 18 to 29 years old use Twitter, more than any other age group
22% of 30 to 49-year-olds use Twitter.
18% of 50 to 64-year-olds use Twitter.
6% of those aged 65 and up use Twitter.
Twitter itself says that 80 percent of its users are “affluent millennials.”

What to do on Twitter: Optimize your profile by including a brief description of your organization, key hashtags, and your website link or a call to action in your profile. Share and post regular content. Use hashtags to find other people tweeting about the same content as you, and to attract others to your tweets!

Pinterest is a place for users to post “pins” of images onto their “boards.” It’s sort of like a virtual scrapbook for saving all your favorite recipes, ideas, fashion tips, quotes, and more. Looking to reach female millennials? Pinterest is your place!

81% of Pinterest users are females. Men account for only 7% of total pins on Pinterest.
Millennials use Pinterest as much as Instagram.
The median age of a Pinterest user is 40, however, the majority of active pinners are below 40.

What to do on Pinterest: Figure out what businesses in your community are engaged on Pinterest and see what you can do to support their efforts. For example, you could share an image and article of farmers with food, recipes, or DIY ideas. Then, drive that traffic back to your website.

For more in-depth tips on what to do in the various social media networks, check out The #EconDev Social Media Guide: 30 Social Media Strategies to Nurture, Engage, and Expand Your Audience – free for you here!