New Consumer Behavior Requires Updated Social Media Tactics

Consumers are once again changing how they use social media and you know what that means. Your client has to change their social media tactics to keep up with how consumers want to be interacted with. Here’s what you need to know.

Facebook has been the top social media platform for a while, but it has officially been unseated. According to data from Search Engine Journal, Instagram is now the number one platform among consumers.

Now, that doesn’t mean that your client should pull all their efforts from Facebook and focus solely on Instagram. Search Engine Land says that consumers usually have accounts on multiple social platforms. But which platforms and what social media tactics you should use depend a lot on the consumers’ ages:

Gen Z: Engages most with Instagram Reels (83%), Instagram Stories (81%) and TikTok posts (78%)
Millennials: Engage most with Facebook videos (67%), Instagram Reels (59%) and Instagram Stories (59%)
Gen X: Engages most with Facebook videos (67%), Instagram Reels (59%) and Instagram Stories (59%)
Baby Boomers: Engage most with Facebook videos (61%), Facebook Live (41%), Instagram Reels (41%) and Instagram Stories (41%)

Search Engine Journal also feels that it’s important to note that YouTube Shorts average more than 70 billion daily views. So, it’s kind of odd that YouTube Shorts didn’t make any of the lists above.

But which platforms your client should focus their social media tactics on depends on more than age. Your client’s target audience is more complex than how long they’ve been alive.

To learn which social platforms to focus on, check out their target audience’s profile on AudienceSCAN on AdMall by SalesFuel. There, you’ll be able to see which platforms your client’s target audience are most active on.

Knowing which social platforms your client’s target audience are most active on is only the beginning. Now you need to figure out what they should be posting to make the biggest impact and drive sales.

Search Engine Journal says that the types of brand content that consumers find the most entertaining are:

“Edutainment” (posts that educate consumers about a product or service in a way that’s fun): 65.5% of consumers agree
Posts that include memes: 40%
Serialized content (content that’s part of a series your client posts over time): 38%
One-off video skits: 38%
Interactive content (such as polls or stickers): 34%

How to Handle AI-Generated Content

AI-generated art and content are generating huge controversy among U.S. consumers. If your client plans on including any in their social media tactics, there are a few things they should know.

46% of consumers are less likely to buy from brands that post AI-generated content. But that doesn’t mean your client should lie about if they utilize AI. 31% of consumers don’t care if AI is used.

However, your client should disclose when AI helps generate content. Only 6% of consumers don’t believe that AI-generated content needs to be disclosed. So, to be safe, make sure to make note of when AI is involved.

Making Sure Your Client Isn’t Unfollowed

To make sure your client’s followers are happy and stay where they are, your client needs to:

Prioritize new and original content (consumers get bored of repetitive, unoriginal ads)
Partner with influencers that share your client’s target audience’s values. (For tips on choosing the right influencer for your client, check out this SalesFuel blog)
Find a good posting rhythm. Your client doesn’t want to post too much, but posting too little doesn’t keep them top of mind

Put these social media tactics in motion to ensure success in your client social advertising efforts.

Photo by: Vitaly Gariev

New Consumer Behavior Requires Updated Social Media Tactics