Social Media Explained With Donuts: How to find your audience on the top 5 social networks

Originally published on Agency Nation on June 30, 2015 By Sydney Roe

Find your audience.
We hear this phrase a lot when discussing social media marketing. And it sounds intuitive, right? You have to find the people who will want or need your insurance services and target your efforts towards them. But putting this phrase into practice can be a bit daunting.
You might be asking yourself: “Where is my audience? How do I find them?”
The first step to answering these questions is simple. You must understand the environment of each social media platform. Certain people are more attracted to certain platforms for certain reasons. Not everyone who uses Facebook uses LinkedIn.
Some people like sharing photos on Instagram, while others would rather use text to Tweet. Not only does the type of communication available on each platform differ, but the expectations for communication differ as well.
So, let’s break this down and take a look at the social mechanics of each site.
Facebook: Who are you?
A quick look at someone’s timeline and you’ll have a rough picture of who they are – or at least what they want you to know about who they are. Do they have a big family? Where do they live? What are their interests?
While Facebook supports text, images, video and links, visual content is more likely to be liked and shared. As Kim Garst, the CEO of Boom Social, explains: “Visuals are ideas expressed in a snackable manner.”
According to a recent Pew Research Study, Demographics of Key Social Networking Platforms, Facebook is also still the most popular social media site with just over 70% of internet users being engaged. Basically – everyone uses Facebook.
In fact, there’s been quite an increase from the 65+ internet community in the last few years with engagement at almost 60%. Grandma is getting more Facebook savvy and bringing her friends along too.
Twitter: Quick, Concise Updates.
I’ll be honest. It took me much longer than it should have to break into the twitt-o-verse. I thought it was a space reserved only for the wittiest of the human race – I mean, who else can say something interesting in 140 characters?
My co-worker and avid tweeter – who isn’t among the wittiest of them all – quickly dismissed that idea. She showed me how easy it is to stay up to date on current events and news when all you have to read is 140 characters. People don’t just want entertainment here; they also want informative and useful in a quick bite.
Remember what I said about visual content for Facebook? Well, Twitter is the opposite. Text is more likely to be retweeted than imagery; imagery is more likely to be retweeted than video.
23% of online adults currently use Twitter with the most engaged segment being college-educated young adult ages 18-29 who makes $50,000 or more.
See Also: Boring to Bodacious: 10 Benefits of Social Media Marketing for the Boring Business
Instagram: Show me a picture.
Instagram is the king of visual content. You feel more connected to those around you when they show you pictures and videos of their life – whether you see a baby’s first few steps (sidenote: babies are the social media visual jackpot), group pictures of an important event or just some smiles and laughter.
The other unique element about this space is that it’s all mobile. Sure – Instagram has a website, but no one uses it. It’s an on-the-go, at-your-fingertips platform.
26% of adult internet users are plugged into Instagram with a slightly higher female audience. More than half of these are young adults ages 18-29 with some college experience. While this crowd is young now, they will be the next wave of insurance consumers. Their high valuation of mobile-optimized spaces and visual content is crucial to keep in mind!
Just because I rarely see insurance agents who are so successful on this platform, check out the Instagram profile of this independent insurance agent for ideas.
Pinterest: Aspirational scrap-booking.
I venture into the Pinterest world with caution. Why? You might ask. This space has the power to suck me in faster and keep me there longer than even Facebook.
It’s an entire digital community that revolves around cataloging anything from decadent recipes, DIY remodels, breath-taking model homes, crafty projects and gorgeous hair styles to the latest fashion. It’s the world of aspirations.
Needless to say, imagery is the focal point. Imagine the difference between seeing the words “beautiful 3 story house” versus a professional photo of a gorgeous 3 story house in the country. One describes; the other inspires.
Steadily increasing annually, Pinterest has now captured the attention of 28% of adult internet users with a huge skew in the female audience. 42% of women engage, while only 13% of men do.
A substantial number of users have also reported incomes of greater than $75,000. In a time when women make approximately 80% of healthcare decisions for the family, this space could be an effective tool for independent insurance agents.
LinkedIn: What are your skills?
Don’t just tell us what you can do; show us what you’ve done and the confidence that your professional community has in you. LinkedIn is an online, public resume that allows you to interact with other professionals and vice versa. It’s the business boom-sauce of social media.
28% of online adult users are linked in – with most engaged segment being adults ages 30-64 who have a college education and make more than $75,000 a year.
Finding Your Audience
A rough understanding of each social media environment? Check. A quick look at the expectations for communication? Check. Data on primary user demographics? Double-check.
You’re already a few steps closer to finding your target audience. Don’t stop now. Check out Hootesuite for reports on consumer engagement with your profiles or Demographics Pro to take a deeper dive into demographics analytics. Or just start surfing and exploring.
Happy Networking, folks!
Sydney Roe