Social media usage is bigger than ever and only continues to expand. In fact, almost 80% of Americans have a social media profile.
As a business, this means there's great potential to reach your audience through these platforms. But with so many options out there, it can be tough to know where to start.
Today we'll focus on two of the biggest networks out there: Facebook and Twitter. Of these two options, which is the right one for your company?
Keep reading to learn if Facebook or Twitter is best for you.
Twitter vs. Facebook: An Introduction
First and foremost, let's talk about these two platforms and their differences. As an overview, here's what you need to know.
Facebook is primarily designed for connecting with family and friends. Yes, you can follow business accounts and celebrities, but the main point is bringing people together.
Twitter, on the other hand, is a place to share ideas. The latest news, pop culture updates, and interesting insights are common here.
You can also advertise on both of these platforms, and there are benefits to each of them from a paid standpoint as well.
The Demographics
Now, let's dive into the details of each platform. First, the demographics.
Facebook is simply much more popular. 70% of American adults are on the platform compared with only 24% of U.S. adults on Twitter. So when it comes to reaching the largest amount and widest variety of people, Facebook definitely wins.
It's also important to think about the age of users. Twitter skews toward a younger audience. 40% of Twitter users are in the 18-29-year-old range. And only a small percentage of users are over 55.
Facebook has a wider range of appeal between age ranges. In fact, 65% of people over 65 have a Facebook account in the U.S. And more than 75% of the 18-29 age group does as well.
Both of the platforms are used by both men and women. Facebook has a larger percentage of women, but not by much. Twitter is the opposite--more men use it than women, but only slightly.
The Engagement
When you're thinking about investing time into social media, engagement levels are a key metric that you need to consider. Simply put, to what degree do users interact with posts on the various platforms?
This can be measured in various ways.
These could include:
• How much time do users spend daily on the platform?
• What's the average click-through-rate on posts or tweets?
• How many shares or retweets can you expect?
• What number of likes can you expect?
Let's discuss Facebook's engagement metrics first. On the whole, you can expect more engagement on Facebook than Twitter.
In fact, for every one million Facebook followers, brands will receive around 700 interactions. This includes likes, shares, and comments. On Twitter, this number drops to 300.
People also check their Facebook feeds more often than Twitter.
But don't count Twitter out. Certain types of brands thrive on Twitter. This is especially true If your content aligns well with Twitter's fast pace.
Celebrities and journalists use Twitter to communicate news and updates and this information is being shared all day every day. Many people use Twitter to get national and international updates every day.
If you have content that matches up well with this quick pace, it's a great idea to utilize Twitter for your brand.
The Usage
Last but not least, let's consider the normal usage of the two platforms.
On Twitter, you have just 280 characters to get your point across. You have to convey your message as succinctly as possible.
But this doesn't have to be a bad thing. In today's digital world, where people see at least 4,000 ads every single day, people are completely oversaturated with content.
In this way, Twitter's brevity can be a big advantage because you don't lose people's attention.
But what if you have longer messages to share? Facebook might be better for you. Here, you can share text, of course, but also include images, illustrations, infographics, GIFs, and video that people are more likely to watch.
Find out more about social media's impact here.
Facebook Or Twitter: Deciding Which Channel Is Right For You
So you're starting out with social media and you want to know which platform is best for you to utilize first: Facebook or Twitter.
Facebook has a wider reach, but Twitter boasts the ability to stay current and relevant.
Both of these platforms have strengths and weaknesses and depending on your business social media marketing goals.
Here's our advice.
Start by thinking about your business' goals on social media. Do you want to generate leads? Do you want to engage your current customers more? Are you trying to get your users to purchase additional products or add-ons?
Then think about your impressions. After going through this information, which platform seems more promising for your audience?
Next, experiment. Don't be afraid to create a test strategy for both platforms. Take some time to create posts that are tailored for each and then let your audience give their feedback based on the interaction you receive.
Then once you've tested, you'll have a better idea of the direction you should go. Soon, you'll be on your way to utilizing social media to further your business.
Facebook vs. Twitter For Social Media Supremacy
There you have it: the answer to the Facebook or Twitter debacle. Now that you have this information, you'll be able to make the best choice for your business at this time.
Want additional social media marketing tips and insights. Check out our social selling blog posts. It's full of great ideas to optimize your social media marketing on Facebook, Twitter, and the other top platforms.
