As an organization founded upon the influence of social media, PRISM is excited to celebrate Social Media Day 2019! The globally recognized day was established by Mashable in 2010 to “recognize and celebrate social media’s impact on global communication.” Since the early 2000s — when Linkedin, MySpace and Facebook first introduced the idea of online social networking — social media has evolved into an integral part of daily life across the globe, allowing individuals and businesses to reach and connect with vastly broader audiences, and in more ways than ever before.
Recent findings from We Are Social’s 2019 Q2 Global Digital Statshot show that there are approximately 3.5 billion social media users worldwide today; a number that has grown by 6.1% since just last year. The average person spends about 2 hours and 22 minutes per day on social media and has an account on 8 social platforms, up from 4 in 2013.
With the demonstrated role that social media plays in the lives of so many people worldwide, it’s no surprise that it has become a powerful marketing tool for businesses. In honor of Social Media Day, let’s take a look at some key elements of the current digital marketing landscape:
Top Platforms
Facebook is still the world’s most popular social network in terms of membership, with 85% of social media users having an account, and a potential reach of 1.9 billion. YouTube falls closely behind Facebook in membership numbers but leads in terms of visitors/users (since some people use the service without being logged in or having an account at all), and in third place is Instagram. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and WeChat are the world’s leading messenger apps.
Mobile Marketing Strategy
Over 80% of social media use happens via mobile devices. With over 5 billion people accessing mobile devices worldwide, the most effective digital marketing content should be optimized to display well and provide a user-friendly experience on mobile platforms.
The Rise of “Influencers”
Influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful tool, particularly on Instagram. In fact, 34% of frequent Instagram users say they have purchased something based on an influencer recommendation. When brands make connections with influencers, and influencers interact with their followers through creative content, it builds trust between the consumers and the brand which increases engagement and ultimately, sales.
In the past two decades, social media has transformed global communication and continues to propel the world of business. Whether you use it to build your brand, follow your favorite celebrities and influencers or just to keep up with your network of friends and followers, social media has given us new lenses to view the world through, new channels to share ideas across, and new strategies for targeting and solving problems. Happy #SMDay 2019!