Delve into online engagement as we embark on an exciting journey, exploring today’s finest social media platforms. Brace yourself for a captivating introduction to the diverse world of digital interaction, where connections flourish, and communities thrive. Unveiling the secrets of successful online engagement, we navigate a tapestry of cutting-edge platforms that empower individuals and businesses. Prepare to be astounded by these top-tier social media channels’ remarkable versatility, creativity, and sheer potential. Join us as we unravel the ever-evolving landscape, discovering the essence of connection in the digital age.
The Top 21 Social media platforms of 2024
The rankings on our list are based on the relevance to brands and creators and the number of Monthly Active Users (MAUs).
1. Facebook
- 2.96 billion Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Facebook is mostly used for social networking and connecting with friends and family.
Unlocking unparalleled global connectivity, Facebook is the largest social networking site, captivating the hearts and minds of nearly 3 billion monthly users. With an astonishing reach encompassing approximately 37% of the world’s population, it has become an indispensable virtual haven for individuals across the globe.
Embracing the inclusive spirit of entrepreneurship, Facebook has become the trusted sanctuary for over 200 million businesses, predominantly small-scale enterprises. A testament to its efficacy, more than seven million advertisers actively harness its power to propel their businesses forward, solidifying its status as the ultimate sanctuary for establishing a formidable social media presence.
Embarking on your Facebook journey is effortless, as the platform seamlessly accommodates an array of captivating content formats. Whether the written word, captivating imagery, dynamic video content, or the temporary allure of Stories, every medium thrives within Facebook’s digital realm.
Guided by an algorithm that champions meaningful connections, the Facebook experience thrives on content that ignites conversations and fosters profound interactions between individuals. It specializes in nurturing bonds with loved ones, whether cherished family or lifelong friends.
To embark on an enlightening exploration of igniting engaging conversations on Facebook, we invite you to peruse our comprehensive guide to market your business on this dynamic platform effectively. Unleash your potential and unveil the remarkable impact of your endeavors while effortlessly measuring your resounding achievements.
Also read : Facebook Social Media Management Services : Full Guide With Steps
2. YouTube
- 2.02 billion Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – YouTube, is mostly used for video sharing and content consumption.
Step into the captivating realm of YouTube, the esteemed video-sharing platform with an astounding viewership of billions of hours daily. As the second largest social media site, YouTube proudly bears the mantle of the second largest search engine, second only to its parent company, Google.
If leveraging the power of videos to propel your business forward lies within your marketing aspirations, then incorporating YouTube into your strategic arsenal is a crucial step. Embark on an exhilarating journey as we unravel the secrets of establishing a captivating YouTube channel that embodies the essence of your brand. Delve into the art of captivating storytelling, captivating audiences, and seizing the opportunity to leave an indelible impact on the digital landscape.
We encourage you to delve into YouTube SEO to ensure your videos reach a wider audience and achieve the recognition they deserve. By familiarizing yourself with optimizing your video content, you unlock the potential to captivate and engage viewers, making your brand a force to be reckoned with in the vast YouTube ecosystem. Additionally, contemplate expanding your reach by exploring the possibilities of advertising on YouTube, allowing your content to transcend boundaries and captivate an even larger audience.
Let the magic of YouTube propel your brand’s narrative to unparalleled heights, captivating hearts, and inspiring action as you embark on an exhilarating adventure in video marketing.
Also read : A Guide To Live Streaming On Social Media Like YouTube, Facebook and Periscope
3. WhatsApp
- 2 billion Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – WhatsApp, is mostly used for instant messaging and communication.
Immerse yourself in the ubiquitous realm of WhatsApp, the messaging app that has gained popularity in more than 180 countries worldwide. What began as a means to exchange text messages with loved ones swiftly evolved into a powerful communication channel between individuals and businesses.
With WhatsApp’s innovative business platform, enterprises now possess the means to provide unparalleled customer support and seamlessly share important updates with their valued clientele. From tracking purchases to addressing queries, the WhatsApp Business app caters to the needs of small businesses, while the WhatsApp Business API empowers larger enterprises to unlock its full potential.
Harnessing WhatsApp’s unparalleled reach and popularity, it emerges as a premium customer service channel for your esteemed business. Immerse yourself in the inspiring success stories of WhatsApp Business users who have transformed their customer interactions into triumphs. Witness the transformative power of streamlined communication and how businesses like yours seamlessly integrate WhatsApp into their customer service repertoire.
Elevate your business to new heights by embracing WhatsApp’s unwavering connectivity and redefining customer service excellence. Explore the captivating world of WhatsApp Business, where success stories are woven and unforgettable customer experiences are forged.
4. Instagram
- 2.96 billion Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Instagram, is mostly used for photo and video sharing and social networking.
Immerse yourself in the visually captivating realm of Instagram, the ultimate destination for showcasing your products or services through stunning photos and captivating videos. This dynamic app presents many content-sharing possibilities, including fascinating features such as photos, videos, Stories, reels, live videos, and IGTV, catering to your diverse creative aspirations.
As a brand seeking to make an indelible mark in the digital landscape, Instagram allows you to create a complete business profile. It bestows you with rich analytics, enabling you to gain valuable insights into your performance and posts. Additionally, it empowers you to schedule Instagram posts through third-party tools. Witness the seamless integration of efficiency and creativity as you curate a captivating feed that leaves a lasting impression on your audience.
Moreover, Instagram emerges as a fertile ground for cultivating user-generated content, as users frequently share their experiences and tag brands they resonate with. Tap into the immense potential of this organic content, harnessing the power of authentic customer stories and experiences, thus amplifying the reach and impact of your brand.
We proudly present a comprehensive guide to Instagram marketing to equip you with the skills and knowledge to wield Instagram like a seasoned professional. Unveil the secrets to captivating your audience, fostering meaningful connections, and propelling your brand to the forefront of the Instagram community.
Embark on an exhilarating journey through the vibrant tapestry of Instagram, where creativity knows no bounds and your brand’s story unfolds in a visually stunning symphony of captivating visuals and immersive experiences.
Also read : 10 Powerful Tips to Increase Engagement on Instagram
5. WeChat
- 1.96 billion Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – WeChat, is mostly used for messaging, social networking, and a wide range of online services such as shopping, payments, and reservations.
Tencent, one of the largest technology corporations in China, introduced WeChat in 2011. WeChat began as a messaging program, similar to WhatsApp and Messenger, but has since transformed into a multipurpose platform. Users can shop online, pay bills, buy groceries, send money, make bookings, phone, and more in addition to chatting and calling.
WeChat is the most widely used social media platform in China and other areas of Asia? WeChat is a wonderful alternative to promote your company in China (where big social networks like Facebook and Twitter are prohibited)? You can run advertisements on WeChat Moments or the official WeChat account. Additionally, many influencers with a WeChat following might assist your business in reaching millions of Chinese consumers.
6. TikTok
- 1 billion Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – TikTok, is mostly used for creating and sharing short-form videos for entertainment and creative expression.
TikTok is a short-form video-sharing app (also known as Douyin in China). Despite only being introduced in 2017, it is one of the world’s fastest-growing apps and recently surpassed Google as the most popular website.
With TikTok, users can generate and share 15–60 second videos that can be enhanced with various sound effects, music clips, and filters to make them more visually appealing. Videos relating to virtually all interests are available, from lip-syncing, dancing, and challenges to do-it-yourself tips and makeup instructions. Ages 10-29 comprise about 47.4% of TikTok users in the United States. Therefore, TikTok is an excellent platform for your business if your target market is young.
Also read : How to Grow Up Your Business With TikTok Marketing?
7. Sina Weibo
- 573 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Sina Weibo, is mostly used for microblogging, news updates, and social networking in China.
Chinese for “micro-blog” is “Weibo” (). You guessed it—Sina Weibo, often known as Weibo—was introduced by the Chinese technology giant Sina Corporation in 2009 and is a microblogging service similar to Twitter and Instagram.
Users can publish photos, videos, and stories on Weibo, view popular topics, include hashtags in their postings, and use the network for instant messaging.
Sina Weibo has a younger audience than WeChat and provides more trending and informative content. Weibo is indeed the place to go if you “want to go viral” in China, according to The New York Times. Businesses can create official, verified profiles on Weibo to interact with followers and run sponsored advertising campaigns.
8. QQ
- 538.91 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – QQ, is mostly used for instant messaging, online gaming, and social networking in China.
Tencent launched QQ in China in 1999. QQ was the most popular Chinese chat program until WeChat was introduced. Users of QQ can customize their avatars, watch movies, play games, stream music, shop online, blog, and make payments in addition to using its instant messaging services.
Although WeChat dominates the Chinese market, younger consumers still like QQ. It is also used in 80 nations and is available in additional languages. You may sign up without a phone number, which is one of its benefits. This draws young folks who use the desktop version but need mobile devices.
However, most of QQ’s users come from the workforce. Because it is simple to use and supports file transfers larger than 25 MB, which WeChat does not, QQ’s desktop messenger is well-liked.
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9. Telegram
- 550 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Telegram, is mostly used for secure messaging, file sharing, and communication in online communities.
With no restrictions on media sizes, Telegram is a free chat software that functions on many different devices.
End-to-end encryption for all operations, including conversations, groups, and participant-shared media, differentiates Telegram from the competition. Since WhatsApp announced revisions to its privacy policy that would allow it to share information with parent firm Meta, its emphasis on security has attracted more users.
Along with one-on-one customer service, brands may use Telegram in various ways. For instance, businesses can build chatbots for the Telegram platform or use the channel function to broadcast messages to 200,000 users or more.
10. Snapchat
- 557 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Snapchat, is mostly used for sharing photos and videos that disappear shortly and for messaging with added multimedia features.
Snapchat focuses on sending snaps—short movies and photos—to pals. It helped popularise the vertical video format, which later spread to social media sites like Instagram and TikTok. However, the popularity of Instagram Stories, in particular, appears to have hampered Snapchat’s development and, more generally, advertisers’ enthusiasm for using Snapchat for their businesses.
However, 69% of American teenagers claim to use Snapchat. You should consider using the app if your primary target demographic is adolescents. Check out our introduction to Snapchat if you’re unfamiliar with the app. If you still need to decide between Snapchat and Instagram, check out this brief comparison of the two platforms for businesses.
Also read : How Does Snapchat Make Money – Snapchat Business Model 2022-23
11. Kuaishou
573 million Monthly active users
This Social Media Platform – Kuaishou, is mostly used for creating and sharing short videos, live streaming, and social networking in China.
Chinese competitor to Douyin or TikTok is Kuaishou. Like its rivals, Kuaishou lets users add sound bites, stickers, and text over photographs or videos. In addition, users can record lengthier movies or live-stream content to the platform’s users.
In rural China, Kuaishou is more well-liked by older audiences than TikTok. Additionally, the app depends more on e-commerce revenue than it does on ad revenue.
12. Qzone
- 553.5 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Qzone, is mostly used for social networking, blogging, and sharing multimedia content in China.
Another Tencent app with a Chinese focus, Qzone, combines social networking and blogging. Users can stream music, play games, keep diaries, blog, and submit multimedia.
Users can connect with friends, view a feed of updates, comment on, share, or otherwise respond to postings, and update cover or profile photographs, just like on Facebook.
13. Pinterest
- 544 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Pinterest, is mostly used for discovering and saving ideas, inspiration, and visual content, ranging from recipes and fashion to home decor and DIY projects.
Pinterest serves as a central hub for finding ideas and new items. Users “pin” images on Pinterest that point to websites, product pages, blog articles, and other online material. It’s a fantastic tool for increasing website traffic, and shoppers on Pinterest are 7 times more likely to buy after seeing an item they’ve bookmarked.
Fashion, beauty, home, gardening, and DIY are the social media platform’s most popular topics and themes. Therefore, consider using Pinterest marketing to promote your business if it works in any of those sectors.
14. Twitter
- 538 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Twitter, is mostly used for real-time microblogging, news updates, and social networking through short text-based posts called tweets.
Approximately 238 million people use Twitter each month (as of Q2), and it attracts users who enjoy posting news, entertainment, sports, and other topics. Twitter stands apart from most other social networking sites because it significantly emphasizes real-time information – events that are currently occurring and trends — in just 280 characters (140 for Japanese, Korean, and Chinese).
Twitter is a popular alternative customer support medium for many brands. More than 80% of social customer service inquiries originate on Twitter, claim Twitter’s advertisers. Salesforce refers to Twitter as the “New 1-800 Number for Customer Service.”
Visit our Twitter Tips for Beginners if you’re new to the service. Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, explore the 20 Hidden Ways to Use Advanced Search for Marketing and Sales.
15. Reddit
- 430 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Reddit, is mostly used for online discussions, sharing content, and exploring communities based on various interests and topics.
Thanks to its blend of current events, celebrity “ask me anything” (AMA) events, and in-depth discussions on niche issues, Reddit, recognized for its widely used upvoting feature, has been dubbed the “front page of the internet.”
There are subreddits (i.e., specialized forums) for just about anything. It’s a good idea to do some research to see if there are well-liked subreddits that your company may be a part of because subreddits have varying levels of activity. For instance, you may sign up for r/beauty if your company is a beauty brand. Be warned that the majority of subreddits forbid self-promotion. The purpose is to interact with users in the relevant subreddits by posting questions and getting answers, offering advice and resources, and participating in debates.
You can advertise on Reddit in addition to posting your material there and taking part in discussions.
16. LinkedIn
- 424 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – LinkedIn, is mostly used for professional networking, job searching, and career development.
With almost 424 million active users each month, LinkedIn has transformed from a straightforward job search engine and résumé site into a business networking platform where subject matter experts share content, connect with others, and develop their brands. It has evolved into a venue for companies to develop thought leadership in their sectors and draw top talent.
We have created a straightforward five-step process to assist you in expanding your LinkedIn Business Page. LinkedIn also provides advertising options, such as the capability to deliver customized ads straight to users’ inboxes.
17. Quora
- 300 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Quora, is mostly used for asking questions, seeking answers, and sharing knowledge across various topics.
People can access information on a wide range of topics on the community-based Q&A website and app known as Quora. Users score the questions and answers based on views, votes, reviews, and shares.
As a brand, you can set up a Quora page for your company or employ employee advocates to respond to inquiries about your goods or services or issues about your sector. You can utilize Quora’s advertising platform to promote your company. Additionally, since 63% of consumers research big purchases online, it’s a terrific way to find those seeking a product or service.
18. Discord
- 150 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Discord, is mostly used for communication and community-building among gamers, creators, and interest groups.
Discord is a messaging app that is largely made for gamers. Users can build servers, join communities, and have real-time voice and text chats with others.
Due to its simplicity of use, adaptability to many devices, and customizable capabilities, Discord is well-liked. It is now utilized by businesses, educational institutions, and other organizations outside of the gaming community.
19. Twitch
- 140 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Twitch, is mostly used for live streaming and watching video game content, esports events, and creative arts broadcasts.
A live-streaming website for gamers is called Twitch. Along with other forms of entertainment, it provides video game material. Users can set up channels, stream gaming, and talk with viewers.
Twitch has become a focal point for the gaming and esports scenes. Many professional athletes, teams, and competitions use it to broadcast their games. The success of Twitch is attributed to its community-driven model, which enables creators to amass a devoted fan base and make money from subscriptions, contributions, and sponsorships.
20. Tumblr
135 million Monthly active users
This Social Media Platform – Tumblr, is mostly used for microblogging, sharing multimedia content, and exploring diverse communities and interests.
Tumblr is a well-known microblogging social media platform with 135 million monthly active users.
Users can share material in various media, including text, audio, video, GIFs, and links. Users of the website share information on every subject, specialty, and hobby imaginable.
You can also personalize the look of your blog on Tumblr. Due to this, many individuals decide to make their Tumblr account their website.
21. Mastodon
- 2.5 million Monthly active users
- This Social Media Platform – Mastodon, is mostly used for decentralized social networking, fostering community engagement, and sharing content in a user-controlled environment.
The popularity of Mastodon, a newcomer to the social media arena, skyrocketed in late 2022, going from 300,000 to over 2 million monthly active members.
Mastodon is a decentralized, open-source program that enables people to create servers for interactivity. Users can add images, audio, and video to posts they can write up to 5000 characters long.
Conclusion
In conclusion, social media platforms have become a transformative force, revolutionizing how we connect, communicate, and engage with the world around us. From the widespread popularity of Facebook to the visually captivating realm of Instagram and the creative expression found on platforms like TikTok, each offers unique opportunities for individuals and businesses. These platforms have reshaped the digital landscape, providing avenues for sharing, inspiring, and building communities. By understanding their strengths and purposes, we can harness their immense potential to forge connections, amplify brands, and foster meaningful interactions. One thing remains clear as we navigate this ever-evolving realm: social media platforms continue to shape our online experiences and redefine how we connect in the digital age.
Also read : Understanding Social Media: A Beginner’s Guide