Semalt Presents 10 Effective Social Media Platforms Businesses Should Use In 2022  

New social media platforms and apps are continuously being developed. Businesses are expected to follow these developments and evolve with these changes, so they don't get forgotten. 

To stay updated on these changes, we've designed this article to show you how you can make the most from the leading social media platforms in 2022. If you haven't begun exploiting the many advantages of being on social media, this should be your cue to reconsider that decision. 

Customers around the world use social media for entertainment, education, and to earn a living. According to an April 2022 study, 58.7% of people around the world use social media. With new social media platforms popping up regularly, that number is bound to continue growing. 

For content creators and brand managers, keeping up can be a challenge and a little overwhelming, to say the least. This is why we created an easy-to-understand breakdown of the latest developments around social media.

One of the most difficult things to do as a social media manager is to shift the focus from top social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and WhatsApp. These services also evolve to include new services such as live streaming, stories, highlights, YouTube Live, and more, which have helped further the growth of these apps and platforms. 

Audio-based social networking is another social media trend that has become popular and is getting a lot of attention from both established and newer apps. Audio-based interactions allow users to host meetings, share music, and discuss different topics. 

Since social media plays a critical role in connecting brands to their audience, it is critical that you have dynamic and informed strategies on how to maximize your social media reach. Now more than ever, businesses should be interested in finding newer social media opportunities and taking full advantage of new audiences and interests. Each app or platform offers something different and is worth looking into. 

Here is a short list of social media apps and platforms you should keep an eye on.

In 2020 and 2021, TikTok was the fastest growing social media app in the US, and it continues to establish itself as one of the major players in the industry. Established in 2016, TikTok saw little to no major user adoption until October 2021. 

Just months after its product was released, the app blew up. By the end of 2021, TikTok had accumulated up to 1 billion monthly users worldwide. 

TikTok is a simple-to-use video streaming platform where users can create and share video content. This makes it the perfect platform to publish content you want to go viral. For this reason, many businesses and users use TikTok to create brand followings and update viewers on new products / services or news. 

TikTok also has a shopping feature that allows viewers to make purchases without leaving the app. 

Twitch is a live streaming service originally designed for export and video gaming. Ever since its launch, it has expanded to offer creative content for just about anything. 

Owned by Amazon, many influencers use Twitch as a source of income. There are numerous monetization opportunities that brands and users can take full advantage of. With over 140 million active monthly users, we believe Twitch is another platform brands should pay attention to for new marketing opportunities. 

Twitch allows content that spans numerous industries and topics such as food, games, travel, music, and sports, to name a few. Amazon did an amazing job in creating various ways for marketers to reach their target audience. 

Brands partner with Twitch streamers and influencers to promote their products and share tips on their live stream. Twitch also has a feature that allows marketers to create in-video ads and banners to increase brand awareness. 

Twitter is one of the leading social media platforms, with over 229 million daily active users. Our interest, however, is in Twitter Spaces, a new addition to the platform that saw massive user adoption. It allows users to have live audio conversations on Twitter. 

It was only a matter of time before brands and influencers began using Twitter spaces to interact and engage with their target audience. These spaces are also used to share news, product updates, giveaways and more. 

Twitter found an interesting way to make these spaces more lively by including a co-hosting feature and allowing non-speaking audiences to engage in conversations by sending messages and using emojis. 

Launched in 2013, Paterson hasn't had the fastest growth rate but is gradually growing in the number of users. It currently has over 8 million monthly users made up of freelancers and brands. 

The platform allows brands and creators to produce content exclusively for their followers. Patreon allows users to make money by charging a subscription fee that gives people access to different kinds of content and bonuses. 

The Clubhouse is another social audio hangout app where you meet new people and interact by discussing topics you find interesting. Currently, Clubhouse has 10 million weekly activities globally. 

Users can follow topics, brands, celebrities and entertainers, which makes Clubhouse an interesting place for marketers to learn new trends in the industry and pick up marketing tips. Brands use Clubhouse to find communities to connect with and interact with. 

What Are The Benefits Of Social Media For Businesses? 

Thanks to social media, customers can contact customer support teams and get replies in short periods. Businesses can exchange direct messages with customers to get as many details as possible regarding whatever challenges or questions customers may have. 

Before social media, the line of communication between brands and customers was challenging. Customers usually wait days before getting replies. Communication now is faster and better because customers can contact the right people oftentimes with few clicks on the phone. 

Brands can communicate in real-time with customers, receive reviews, chat and interact with their audience. 

Social Media Is Great For Promoting content. 

Brands sharing valuable content on social media is a great way to show the idea behind the brand. Being on social media doesn't end with cool and catchy photos. It also involves creating amazing content that pushes your brand towards achieving its goals. 

Whatever content you create should be on par with your audience and your goals. This will build long-lasting relationships with your customers and promote your brand, furthering your authority and audience reach.

Managing a brand isn't always the best job, especially when you have to deal with bad press. Social media is a great way to manage the image of a brand and control the expectation and news at any given moment.

As businesses promote and share content, they are bound to have bad experiences along the way. It is part of life. The idea is to manage these bad experiences, so they don't ruin years of hard work. Brands can use social media to capitalize on the bad press to learn from them and show their customers that they are dependable even during tough times. 

Companies that understand this and have learned how to overcome bad days always stand out from the rest. Keeping an open line of communication helps reassure customers to remain with a brand. 

Most successful marketers understand that social media is a great tool to get to know people. You can use it to show your audience products and services and help them understand how they can benefit from making a purchase. This makes it one of the most effective tools for generating leads both directly and indirectly. 

As social media platforms have evolved over the years, they have become more powerful lead-driving tools. They make it easy for leads to convert by allowing marketers to include a clear call to action, posts, brand pages, and more. 

Each business has different goals and strategies for achieving these goals. In our experience, social media is always a step in the right direction. Choosing any one of the platforms or apps mentioned above improves your chances of finding new leads and making the most of your marketing resources.

Social media can help your brand achieve its goals, but most importantly, it creates a convenient way for brands to interact and learn about their audience. Every brand is unique, and what better place to show just how special you are?