12 Types of Social Media That Can Benefit Your Business in 2024

Know How to Grow Your Business Faster with Social Media Types

Types of Social media usage has exploded over the past decade. Statista reports that 4.55 billion people were active social media users in 2022, representing an increase of more than 490 million compared to the previous year.

Given social media’s massive reach and engagement potential, platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube have become imperative marketing channels for businesses of all sizes and industries.

However, with new social networks constantly emerging and existing ones frequently adding new features, it can take time to determine which platforms deserve your attention and marketing dollars.

In this comprehensive guide, we will overview the 12 most significant types of social media and how to leverage each one to benefit your business.

12 Types of Social Media You Must Know In 2024

#1 Video Social Media Platforms

Video content is hugely popular on social media. According to Oberlo, video posts generate 1200% more shares than text and images combined.

Platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram’s Reels enable businesses to engage audiences through visual storytelling, product demos, and entertaining or educational videos aligned to their brand and industry.

Paid promotional options help further amplify branded video content to reach targeted audiences across multiple platforms simultaneously. Short-form vertical videos that align with viral trends can also help the content gain traction organically.

Examples of Video Social Media Platforms

How People Use Video Social Media Platforms

How Video Social Media Platforms can Benefit Your Business

#2 Audio Social Media Platforms

Audio content consumption is massive. Spotify reports having 406 million monthly active users, including 180 million premium subscribers as of 2022.

Brands can reach audiences through audio content on music streaming platforms like Spotify, discussion formats like Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces, and podcast apps.

Sponsoring relevant podcasts, hosting branded playlists, running audio ads, and even launching branded podcast series are effective ways to connect with listeners. Participating in live audio discussions also enables direct conversations between brands and audiences.

Examples of Audio Social Media Platforms

How People Use Audio Social Media Platforms

How Audio Social Media Platforms can Benefit Your Business

#3 Business & Professional Social Media

Platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, and Twitter cater to business networking and thought leadership.

Businesses can leverage these platforms to connect with other professionals, build strategic partnerships, establish themselves as industry experts, and recruit top talent. Sponsored content and posts help expand reach to relevant audiences.

Employee advocacy programs that encourage employees to share work updates and achievements also help humanize brands on these networks.

#4 Shoppable Social Media

Many social platforms now integrate native shopping capabilities that enable users to view products and complete purchases without leaving the app.

Brands can add buy buttons to Instagram posts, tag products on TikTok, create YouTube videos focused on what they sell, and integrate their product catalogs into shoppable business profiles.

Social commerce opens new sales channels while providing a smoother user experience. Retargeting those who view or engage with shoppable content also helps turn platform visitors into paying customers.

#5 Private Social Media

Private social media channels enables brands to create member-only groups focused on specific topics, interests, and audiences.

Rather than broadcasting to a broad public, these closed spaces foster intimate communities for specialized discussions and interactions. They provide a channel to gather direct customer feedback while positioning your brand and employees as trusted experts.

Developing loyal followings within target audience niches helps drive brand advocacy and word-of-mouth promotion. Offering exclusive content and perks encourages ongoing participation and organic growth.

#6 Inspirational Social Media

Inspirational social platforms like Pinterest and Instagram thrive on beautiful imagery and immersive visual content. Users flock to these sites for lifestyle inspiration spanning cooking, travel, fashion, home decor, and more.

Businesses have huge opportunities to capture attention and drive discovery through inspirational content that is aligned with the interests and aspirations of their target audience.

Curating visually rich experiences that reflect brand values and culture while highlighting related products attracts and engages potential customers.

#7 Discussion Forums

Discussion forums feature focused communities united around shared interests, industries, topics, and brands. Users actively post questions and feedback, seeking solutions from fellow members.

While brands must tread carefully to avoid overt self-promotion, these platforms offer invaluable market research through real user discussions. Providing expertise through thoughtful contributions raises brand visibility and favorability organically.

Identifying and engaging key influencers also seeds valuable brand advocacy. Discussion sites present opportunities to promote news, conduct outreach, and position your company as an attractive employer.

#8 Review Sites & Apps

Review platforms allow users to evaluate brands, products, businesses, and services, amplifying word-of-mouth at scale.

Monitoring reviews provides real-time insight into brand reputation and customer sentiment. This enables identifying service issues and opportunities for improvement. Promoting new offerings through reviews helps attract early adopters.

While brands can’t control user reviews, they can cultivate positive feedback loops through proactive customer experience efforts. Review generation and monitoring tools help manage brand presence across review sites.

#9 Live Streaming Social Media

Live streaming offers unfiltered real-time interaction that helps humanize brands and experts. Viewers feel uniquely connected through direct conversations and behind-the-scenes access.

Through engaging live broadcasts, businesses can conduct product demos, make announcements, host events, run workshops, and more while enabling audience participation.

Developing a streaming schedule on trusted platforms keeps followers engaged, similar to appointment-based TV programming. Maintaining archives also maximizes the value beyond the initial broadcast.

#10 Blogging & Publishing Social Media

While most social platforms emphasize brevity, blogs enable in-depth subject development through long-form content. Brands can establish authority around topics that resonate with target audiences. Promoting blog posts across other social channels extends reach while directing traffic to your site.

Influencer collaborations further boost credibility and distribution. Employee blogger programs also help humanize your brand. A strong content strategy focused on search optimization and engagement fuels organic growth on publishing platforms.

#11 Photo & Image Sharing

Visual content performs extremely well across social media. Posts with images see higher engagement across metrics like likes, comments, and shares compared to text-only updates.

Photo and image-focused platforms like Instagram and Pinterest provide expansive reach through discoverability and viral sharing. Businesses can showcase products visually, curate shoppable inspiration, and develop unique branded image content.

User-generated visual content and branded hashtags expand visibility. Compelling graphics and videos also help educational and inspirational marketing content resonate with audiences.

#12 Messaging & Chat Apps

Messaging apps enable ongoing conversations with customers through highly personalized direct communication. Instant access helps companies provide time-sensitive support.

Integrating services like chatbots on these platforms also delivers helpful automated assistance. Businesses can share exclusive deals and new offerings with subscribers while targeting promotions based on messaging data and conversation history.

Private messaging groups facilitate specialized brand communities and advocacy through exclusive access. Given their intimate nature, messaging platforms need highly strategic coordination to avoid nuisance outreach.

Final Thoughts

Social media encompasses a diverse array of platforms, each catering to specific user motivations. Determining the right networks and strategies for your business goals and target audiences is crucial. Video, audio, business, shoppable, private, inspirational, discussion, review, live stream, blog, and messaging platforms all enable distinct opportunities for market research, brand building, engagement, promotion, recruitment, sales, and customer service.

By developing thoughtful, tailored content and engagement approaches optimized for each channel, businesses can leverage social media’s immense potential for connecting with customers and driving growth. Regular performance tracking and flexibility to adopt new platform features and capabilities help ensure social media marketing success.

Frequently Asked Questions

What social media is best for small businesses?

LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram are best for small businesses that are starting on social media. LinkedIn facilitates professional networking, while Facebook and Instagram enable engaging broader audiences.

How do I choose the right social media platforms?

Choosing social media platforms involves aligning networks to your business goals, target audience demographics, and resources and tracking performance data to optimize and focus your social media presence.

What are examples of social media?

Popular examples of social media platforms include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, Snapchat, WhatsApp, and Nextdoor.

How many social media platforms should I use?

Aim for 3-5 social media platforms aligned to your goals and audience. More networks split your efforts, while a single channel limits reach. Measure to optimize your mix over time.

Why is social media important for business?

Social media enables businesses to engage audiences, build brand awareness, generate leads, promote products, provide customer service, and gain consumer insights at a massive scale.