Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter
Alarm sounds. 5am. My eyes open. I grab my phone and instantly start scrolling…
There is no doubt in my mind that social media has changed the way individuals communicate with one another. We are constantly liking, commenting on, and creeping on everyone else’s shit. And it seems like we can’t get enough. The question is, how do we take advantage of this?
Facebook currently has over 1.23 billion monthly active users and Snapchat reels in a respectable 200 million monthly active users. With numbers like this, it’s hard to disagree that social media is where the people are. And if you know anything about business, you know that you should be focusing on where the people are and will be, not where you think they are or where they used to be.
Big corporations are just starting to realize the importance that social media has. Brands like Amazon, Mountain Dew, and Coca-Cola are just now hopping on the Snapchat and Instagram bandwagon, and they’re pleasantly surprised with the response.
Now you may ask yourself, “Instagram…Okay I guesssssss, but why would Coke want to go on Snapchat?” A year ago… hell, maybe even 6 months ago I would have agreed with you 100%. But the numbers speak for themselves, 45% of 200 million (90,000,000) Snapchat users are aged between 18–24 years old, and I’d estimate that roughly 85% of the 90,000,000 millennials like to drink Coca-Cola are on Snapchat. So it would be a huge mistake to not advertise on a platform with over 76 million users in their target market.
I also know that unless you’re a freshman in college, students save hundreds of dollars by buying books off Amazon, rather than getting ripped off by their school bookstore. And 90% of those students are also on Snapchat and Instagram. Companies that are willing to stick their necks out on the line and take a step back from a traditional marketing approach are currently REAPING in the benefits.
These social media platforms are becoming more and more powerful. Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for our generation are like CBS, NBC, CNN, and FOX for baby boomers. Young adults are spending more and more time in front of their phones and less time in front of their TVs (excluding Netflix). So how do you manage this transition correctly and leverage it to your advantage?
1. Concentrate on your users, audience, customers, and fans.
Figure out what they want. Develop a deep connection with them. Build Trust.
2. Improve your skill, expertise, competence, and product.
How can you get better? How can you make your product better for the people who use it?
3. Engage with your users
Reach out to your users. Interact through comments. Reply to them. Make sure they know you’re message is genuine.
By using these three steps, I was able to grow my Twitter following from 300 to over 1000 and my Instagram following from roughly 1000 users to over 4600 in just a 6 month period.
I’m a digital marketing consultant who helps companies profit through social media marketing to Millennials and Gen Z. Contact me today to get your free 1-on-1 consultation!
Email: brandonpoplstein@ntwomedia.com
