Consumers go to these social media platforms for info and advice before buying.
The simple answer is that you want to be active on the social media platforms that your idea client or customer uses most.
But it goes deeper than that, because most people don’t just use social media these days for entertainment or to connect with friends, but as a valuable tool before they make buying decisions.
More than ever, people are going to Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and more to research products, see authentic reviews and testimonials, witness demonstrations, and ask important questions – all precursors to consumer action (buying your product or service).
Of course, Google may be the biggest portal to reach all of them, spinning off not only to YouTube, Google My Business, and individual social media accounts.
It’s estimated that 77% of consumers do some form of research (or just “poking around) online before pulling the trigger on a purchase, and a whopping 90% read online reviews before buying!
And the bigger the purchase or service, the more likely they are to go online for background and the longer they’ll spend.
Therefore, it’s vital that your business not only has a presence on the major social media platforms, but posts and engages frequently.
Some of the best consumer-focused content to post includes:
- Real reviews and testimonials
- Bite-sized About Us, stats, and facts
- Photos and quotes/videos by real people in the company
- Photos or videos of the actual brick-and-mortar business or office
- Videos that demonstrate the service or product
- Breaking down frequently asked questions
- Talking honestly about objections
- Any content that focuses on solving the client’s problem or filling their need
But there are only so many hours in the day and you can’t be active on all social media platforms all the time, so where should you focus your efforts?
It all depends on your ideal customer and target demographic, of course. I came across some great research that breaks down WHICH social media platforms each age group turns to for info and research before making a buying decision.
When someone is going online to find out more information, read reviews, see the product or service in action, etc. in advance of an important buying decision, these are the most common social media platforms:
- Facebook 92.9%
- YouTube 90.6%
- Google My Business 64%
- Instagram 56.3%
- Tik Tok 31.8%
- Pinterest 10.7%
A full 51% of consumers go on Facebook to do some digging before making a purchase, 49% go on Google (or Google My Business), and 30% go on YouTube!
That’s incredibly powerful.
To break it down further, here is a matrix of the most popular social media platforms FOR CONSUMER RESEARCH by age group.
Gen Z
(Age 16-23)
YouTube 59%
TikTok 30%
Snapchat 23%
Instagram 15%
Facebook 12%
IGTV 9%
Millennials
(Age 24-37)
YouTube 61%
Instagram 25%
Facebook 25%
Tik Tok 16%
Snapchat 16%
IGTV 9%
Gen X
(Age 38-56)
YouTube 48%
Facebook 20%
Instagram 14%
TikTok 9%
Snapchat 7%
IGTV 4%
Boomers
(Age 57-64)
YouTube 32%
Facebook 10%
Instagram 4%
TikTok 2%
Snapchat 1%
IGTV 1%
*A big note: This data is from 2020 through the start of 2022, but TikTok has really emerged even in the last six months. So, expect these numbers to shift dramatically in TikTok’s favor going forward, especially for the younger age groups.
The big takeaway:
Focus your social media content and outreach on the platforms that your target audience is actively using to make buying decisions. Make sure to offer the substantive information and content they’re looking for.
And no matter who that is, you’ll want to make sure your YouTube account and Google My Business platform is active and strong!
Contact me with any questions or help.
Your friend,
Norm 🙂