Top Social Media Platforms

Social media is an ever evolving landscape. Once dominated by MySpace (remember that)
FaceBook has reigned supreme and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down.
Network Marketers use social media in many different ways. Some use Facebook to post information about their companies’ products or opportunities while others may use Instagram to post a “success story” photo.
If you decide to “Build Your Brand” you will need social media to introduce your brand to an audience; an audience that you create through one or more of the top rated social media platforms listed below.
This is an overview of the top 10 plus one of my favorites: Periscope.

  1. Facebook
    No surprise here that Facebook holds the No. 1 spot. As of December 2015 there were 1.59 Billion monthly active users and over 1 Billion that log on daily. Facebook Messenger is also the second most popular messaging app behind WhatsApp. Facebook acquired WhatsApp in 2014. Facebook has recently introduced a calling feature and real time streaming video. This competes directly with Periscope. I use Periscope a lot in my business as it pings my followers when I am live. Facebook doesn’t have this feature…yet!
  2. Twitter
    Twitter is a real-time, public microblogging network where news breaks first. There is a 140-character limit on tweets but it appears that Twitter is looking to increase the character count in the future.
  3. LinkedIn
    This is a social network for Professionals. Anyone needing to make connections to advance their careers do so on LinkedIn. The user profile is set up more like a resume. Although LinkedIn is primarily for business-to-business contacts, I utilized LinkedIn when I was building my business in Asia. I utilized the various groups that they have and I was able to connect with likeminded individuals.
  4. Google +
    This platform had a rebirth in 2015.  Initially it was launched in 2011 and never had an impact in the social media world until new features were rolled out to differentiate the platform. Many people may think it is like FB or Twitter but it is much more robust. We will go into more detail on its own blog post.
  5. YouTube
    Where does everyone go to share video online? YouTube. It is the second largest search engine next to Google. Google owns YouTube but they are run
    autonomously. If you are branding yourself, you will want to set up your own YouTube channel.
  6. Instagram
    It’s the ultimate social network for sharing real-time photos and short videos while on the go. Many brands are now using this platform to advertise. Maybe you should too!
  7. Pinterest
    It uses a beautiful and intuitive pin board style platform to collect and categorize visual content. There is now a “Buy” button enabling you to purchase right off a pin.
  8. Tumblr
    This is primarily used by teens and young adults. Many of you may want to include this demographic in your marketing plan. This platform is best used for sharing visual content. This site is great for reblogging. If you post great content, you could end up with thousands of reblogs and likes if you get pushed out into this social network community.
  9. Vine
    This is a mobile sharing app owned by Twitter. This is great for people that don’t want to watch a full YouTube video. A great feature is that you can directly embed a video inline on your Tweet. They can also be embedded on a website. The video plays on an auto loop that lasts only 6 seconds. This can be a very fun way for you to expose your brand.
  10. Snapchat
    This is totally mobile based. It is an instant message that has built its popularity on the idea of self-destructing “snaps.” You can send photos or a short video message that will disappear a few seconds after it is viewed.

11. Periscope
Although this didn’t make the top 10, it is one of my favorite social media platforms. It’s another app owned by Twitter and it allows you to live web

         video broadcast from your mobile device. When you start a new broadcast you can send instant notifications to people so they can tune in to start interacting by
leaving comments or hearts. Broadcasters have the option to allow replays and you can also host private broadcasts for specific users.

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