Why is it necessary to be constantly present on social networks? Do you know how many people are on social networks? Or how much time they spend on them each day? Find out how important social networks are for your business (and what to post on them).
Are you wondering why it’s necessary to be consistently present on social media? Is it worth the effort, and how important is it for your business?
Imagine this scenario: You open Facebook and notice a post that catches your eye. One of your friends has made a fantastic meal, beautifully arranged on the plate like a work of art. It looks so good you almost feel envious. You feel compelled to ask for the recipe. You just have to.
Another friend, for example, posts a picture of exercising in nature. They have perfect muscles, making it clear they know what they’re doing.
You’ve probably seen countless examples like this on your Facebook feed.
But have you ever felt the urge to ask a question on social media or Google something yourself? Your customers behave the same way...
See? That’s why it’s crucial to maintain a presence on at least one social network. Questions, research, recommendations... all of these things benefit your brand. That’s why we’ve gathered several tips below on how to overcome challenges and improve your social media management.
Every year (or so it seems), something changes on social media.
On average, users spend about 150 minutes on social media.
User counts by platform:
Although Facebook still holds the top spot in terms of users, Instagram, TikTok, and X are also popular social networks in Croatia.
Each network is different in several ways, primarily by user age.
While Facebook is more oriented towards people over 30, TikTok still attracts teens and those in their twenties.
Instagram is its own story, focused on visuals and users who prefer images and videos.
X (Twitter) is favored by those interested in news or posts containing updates.
Average age of users by platform:
As seen here, different social networks in Croatia can help you target your customers more easily.
Do you sell afternoon coffee cups? Targeting retired ladies? Then Facebook might be the right place for your webshop.
Is your brand clothing for young urban women? Then you should definitely consider an Instagram campaign.
Do you offer business consulting services? Why not use LinkedIn or even X? Both are excellent platforms for sharing news and engaging your audience.
If you own a skincare brand targeting young people with acne solutions, you should also think about TikTok.
Consider which age group your users or target audience belong to.
Another important factor is their preferences, as these are connected to your brand.
First, find out whether your end users prefer reading, looking at pictures, or watching videos. Experts agree that it's almost always good to include a visual element with a post, but you need to know what you will primarily be sharing.
For instance, you won't grab the attention of young women who love trendy clothing with links or text as much as you will with attractive images. They need to see the picture and subconsciously think: "I want to look like that model!" Then you've achieved something.
Depending on age and preferences, Croatians also have their favorite social networks. Since the user base surged around 2010, Facebook has firmly held the top spot, and the number of users continues to grow.
Facebook administrators are constantly working to improve the user experience.
What does that mean? Some things you could do, say, in 2011, you can no longer do today. Community standards are continuously being improved, and any prohibited behavior is quickly sanctioned.
This creates an additional opportunity for your brand and makes the entire environment favorable for its growth and development.
Now, let’s briefly return to the friend from the beginning of our story. If, along with their picture of the meal, they added a short caption like: "Vegetables from my garden that I grew myself," there's a high chance the post will receive a large number of reactions and plenty of comments.
On the other hand, something cliché like "You are what you eat" might get some reactions, but far fewer than with the meal photo. Why did the picture get more reactions?
It's simple. People have clear information about what it's about (a meal photo). They wrote: "Vegetables from my garden." What does that say about them? They enjoy organically grown, healthy food. Their followers likely appreciate the same. So, they've found common ground with them. It’s easy to conclude that they know their followers well.
A photo of fast food with the caption "Yummy" might not get the same reaction.
This example illustrates what matters on Facebook – knowing your friends/followers well and speaking to them in the same way they "speak," i.e., post their own content.
Another interesting point is the type of posts.
Social media experts agree that Facebook is highly personalized and favors posts that are either relaxing or thought-provoking.
To engage your followers, ask them a question or show what’s happening “behind the scenes.” In our meal example, this could be a video of preparing and cooking the same dish.
Of course, posts on trending topics are always popular on Facebook, like sharing posts or pictures of autumn produce (or meals made from them) on the first day of fall, for example.
Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has gained millions of followers worldwide. Today, those numbers are in the billions.
Instagram is primarily for sharing posts in the form of images or videos, like Stories or Reels.
Instagram is the leader in influencer marketing, surpassing even Facebook, where this type of marketing is also prevalent.
If you’re the owner of an unestablished brand, you’ve probably wondered what to post on this platform. The answer is simple: "What do you offer/sell?"
For example, let’s take a brand of clothing for young urban women. It’s April, and you’re about to launch your summer collection. First, it’s important to find a model to showcase your pants, dresses, swimsuits, sandals, and everything else in the best light.
Keep in mind that there’s a different reaction to a picture of clothing alone (no matter how well-arranged) compared to one where someone is wearing the clothes. Young urban women will always ask themselves: “How will I look in this – youthful, playful, sexy, refined...?”
What would you answer? But don’t actually answer. That’s the essence of your posts.
Don’t state the obvious. Let your models look how these women would want to look... and they’ll imagine themselves that way from your post.
Another important thing – where do you plan to shoot your campaign?
For example, if it’s swimsuits, it would be ideal to choose a location by the sea, on a boat, by a pool, etc.
Natural locations are always best, but if that’s not an option, the indoor space where you shoot should convey your message as professionally as possible.
Whether outdoors or in an improvised setting, one thing you always need to pay attention to is lighting.
Make sure your photos don’t have shadows or uneven backgrounds due to poor lighting, as this could quickly make your customers view you as unprofessional, which, of course, can harm your brand – such is the power of a single photo.
X (formerly Twitter) is about as old as Facebook, but these two networks are quite different.
The main difference is the character limit. On Twitter, you can post up to 280 characters (unless you have Premium, which allows up to 25,000 characters).
Microblogging is the essence of this platform – saying everything in a very short space.
No wonder X is a favorite tool for those sharing news. Besides news, this platform also offers an opportunity to present yourself in a fresh, original way.
Keep in mind that people interested in X mostly want to learn something new or see something novel. On X, you can also post videos and news.
If you have an X profile, note that the best-performing content is informative, educational, and humorous (or a combination of the three). Originality, however, is key.
When X was Twitter, posts were called "tweets," and you could share them, or “retweet.” Despite the name change, users still call it “tweeting,” even though it’s officially referred to as “posting on X.”
Regardless of the name, X is still an excellent way to get a large number of views and followers.
Like other social networks, you need to pay attention to what your followers are posting and engage with them accordingly.
For example, if your audience is interested in business consulting seminars, you’ll get the most engagement by tweeting about such topics.
Or, if you run a real estate agency and post news related to the field, you might notice that 99% of other agencies post articles like “How to Find the Best House for You?”
Why not post a picture of a happy family who found the perfect house (with the help of your agency)? Or a short caption where the couple explains how they found their dream home?
Originality is the key to success on X/Twitter and leads to high engagement.
Despite launching only in 2016, TikTok has achieved massive success among young people. Millions of teenagers (and even those slightly older) worldwide create short videos, mostly dance challenges, as well as fun and educational clips.
TikTok is undoubtedly a platform whose popularity is continuously rising, both globally and in Croatia.
This social network offers a highly creative and playful environment, providing new opportunities.
Many viral posts have been created on TikTok, and what's particularly interesting is that creating such posts doesn’t require a big budget, as many videos are filmed in bedrooms, garages, parks, and gardens.
Everything boils down to a youthful, lively, and relatively spontaneous approach.
While Facebook or Instagram requires a larger follower base to gain recognition, even an account with very few followers can reach a large number of views on TikTok, thanks to its viral algorithm.
Advertising on TikTok is booming, and since 2024, it has been possible to advertise through TikTok in Croatia as well.
It’s predicted that TikTok will become an essential part of every solid digital marketing strategy.
If you still have questions about why you "must" be present on social media or which platform is right for your business – contact us for a free consultation.
Sources:
Statista