Social media is now a means of communication that, over recent years, has been increasingly used by various brands, individuals, and companies to communicate with their audience. Whether they are family and friends, loyal fans, or company employees.
We have not always lived in this technological age, where speed and ease of response are at our fingertips in seconds. Who remembers MSN? Or Hi5? Or even MySpace? They allowed us little more than to send messages, make comments, share photos, and create lists or groups of friends.
In 2003, LinkedIn appeared, which in its early years was only used to establish professional contacts, and today its scope is much broader.
In 2004, Facebook appeared, followed a year later by YouTube, then Twitter, WhatsApp in 2009, Pinterest and Instagram in 2010, followed by Snapchat, and finally TikTok.
Why use social media to communicate?
We have all heard the expression “If it’s not online, it didn’t happen,” and indeed, nowadays, brands that do not have a digital presence are as if they did not exist. But why is it so important for brands to have a digital presence?
It allows us to get to know our audience
The ease of contact allows us to detect consumer dissatisfaction, enthusiasm, or liking for the brand and its services/products almost instantly. The ability to analyze and segment information is practically absolute. It determines very precisely where the company’s target audience is, what type of content is most interesting to them, their age, gender, or habits. Without a digital presence, it is practically impossible to define this complete information.
Increase website visits
With the right segmentation, it is possible to launch campaigns that meet the interests of the target audience and, as such, direct the target audience to a specific website.
Always-on interaction with the community (improved customer support)
One of the advantages of brands having a digital presence is that they can be contacted 24/7 by their consumers. This allows for real-time interaction with consumers to exchange information, requests for clarification, criticism, or praise. This proximity allows the brand to understand the consumer’s “pain points” and act accordingly.
Get to know the competition better
Virtually all brands have a digital presence, as does their competition. Analyzing the competition’s communication is a way to anticipate strategies and analyze what works best with the competition so that you can improve.
The most widely used social networks in Portugal
Data published by Meta indicates that Facebook had 5.90 million users in Portugal at the beginning of 2023.
This network continues to grow, not only in Portugal but worldwide, and aims to aggregate information, bring people together, and create spaces and groups for interaction. There is also a strong commercial and business aspect to Facebook.
YouTube
Google’s video platform has over 2 billion global users and currently has 7.2 million active accounts in Portugal.
On YouTube, we find a duality of approaches, from the most professional to the most amateur.
It has over 2 billion active monthly users worldwide. In Portugal, it is used by 61% of active Internet users, or around 4.9 million people.
It belongs to the Facebook group (Meta) and is an instant messaging platform.
It has surpassed 1 billion monthly active users worldwide. In Portugal, 61% of Internet users in our country have an active account on this social network, i.e., 4.9 million users.
Stories, cross-posts, reels, IGTV, and Lives are some of the features that most attract Instagram users.
Digital Trends for 2023
1. Short, concise videos are here to stay
Creating content that is less than 60 seconds long increases the likelihood that the content will be viewed in its entirety.
2. TikTok will continue to grow
There are more and more content creators on this network, producing quality content.
3. Partnerships with digital influencers will continue to be a safe bet
Influencers are increasingly becoming a calling card for brands, which makes them a good bet, as long as they match the brand’s strategy and tone.
4. Employee Advocacy
There is nothing better than using your own resources. Giving brands a face is a way of humanizing them, which creates an emotional connection.
5. Focus on relevant content
And make sure it is timely content.
One thing is certain: all brands that want to be successful in the 21st century will need to have a strategic presence on social media. At EDC, you will find a team specialized in social media management, ready to help you define your digital strategy and improve your positioning in the minds and on the screens of consumers.
