Social media usage increases again in 2020

We tweet, app, like and share like no other! Both in the Netherlands and worldwide the use of social media has increased. The user numbers of the five largest platforms. WhatsApp, Facebook, Youtube, Instagram and LinkedIn, are increasing. Instagram shows the largest growth with an increase of 14%. In this extensive article from HubSpot, you can see all the figures per platform in a row.

Of all platforms, WhatsApp continues to be seen as the most important social media platform among the Dutch. WhatsApp is also the absolute winner worldwide, which means that the platform is used more often than Facebook.

In all age categories WhatsApp is by far the most important platform. In addition to private use, Whatsapp also offers business opportunities and benefits. The official WhatsApp Business Solution offers opportunities for organisations. With a company profile, you provide service directly through your organisation’s phone number (this doesn’t have to be a 06 number), and you lower the threshold for customers to contact your organisation and you offer personal and fast service. There is no doubt this will do wonders for your customer satisfaction!
You can read about all the benefits and opportunities WhatsApp has to offer for webcare in this article.

In addition to the rapid response time, the fact that WhatsApp is a private channel can also play a role in consumer choice. It appears that people prefer a private messaging channel instead of public social networks. Also, 53% of consumers say they become frustrated when there is no human interaction.

With the increased use of WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger, there is a shift from public channels to messaging channels. Instead of considering the channels as separate elements, the messaging channels can reinforce each other and create an effortless customer journey between your public social channels and private messaging channels. A central tool, that connects all channels, offers a solution for this.

It is fairly easy to let conversations flow smoothly from public to private, without the consumer noticing. For example, you can use public feeds to direct customers to your private channels. Think of Facebook or Instagram ads that send you directly to a private conversation with your company on Messenger or WhatsApp.

By scheduling social media messages on your channels, you can easily direct your customers from the public feed to a private conversation. Automating social posts also helps to reduce the workload of webcare or marketing staff.

The explosive growth of TikTok cannot be denied. It was the most installed app in the first quarter of 2019, and now has more than 800 million monthly active users, according to a Hootsuite trend survey. Both in the Netherlands and worldwide, children between the ages of 6 and 14 are active on the platform and among them are more girls than boys. 66% of TikTok users worldwide are under the age of 30. So for organisations with a relatively young target group, it is certainly worth trying out the app.

Source: Oberlo.com

In order for your organisation to really benefit from TikTok, you can address your target group in several ways, next to the ‘normal’ advertisements. Creating a free account, creating your own content, designing a branded filter and using influencers are handy ways to bring your product or service to the attention of TikTok users.

Although the future of TikTok may be uncertain, it’s a shame to completely ignore the app, according to Hootsuite’s research. With Generation Z still fully in ‘the driver’s seat’, TikTok can be an invaluable source of insight into the motivation of the next generation in the social field!

Are you curious about the extensive possibilities of social media for your organisation? Then read this whitepaper, reach your target group and increase the ROI of your social media efforts!