08/13/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/13/2024 02:21
Social media platforms are online tools or apps that let you share content (like text, images, and videos) and interact with other users.
Businesses can use social networks to increase brand awareness and reach, engage with their audience, and gather valuable customer and competitor insights.
Facebook is the most used social media platform in the world in terms of monthly active users (MAUs). Over 3 billion people log into the platform each month, according to Statista data for April 2024.
Want to know which platforms are most popular among your audience?
Enter your location and competitors into Semrush's One2Target tool. Then, head to the "Behavior" report to see the market's most visited sites.
These are world's most popular social media platforms as of April 2024, according to Statista :
Ranking |
Social Media Platform |
MAUs (in millions) |
1 |
|
3,065 |
2 |
YouTube |
2,504 |
=3 |
|
2,000 |
=3 |
|
2,000* |
5 |
TikTok |
1,582 |
6 |
|
1,343 |
7 |
(Facebook) Messenger |
1,010 |
8 |
Telegram |
900 |
9 |
Snapchat |
800 |
10 |
Douyin |
755 |
11 |
Kuaishou |
700 |
12 |
X (formerly Twitter) |
611 |
13 |
|
598 |
14 |
|
554 |
15 |
|
498 |
You can learn about all these platforms (and many others) below.
*WhatsApp has not published data in the past year, so this figure is less reliable.
We've rounded up some of the world's biggestsocial media apps and websites. And shared some marketing tactics for each.
To help your business take its social strategy to the next level.
Let's dive into our list of social media platforms, sorted from A to Z:
1. Clubhouse
Best for: audio content, B2B marketing, B2C marketing, community building, customer service, and niche communities
Clubhouse is an audio-based social media platform where users can join rooms to listen to or participate in conversations on various topics.
It's particularly good for reaching professionals and enthusiasts in specific industries, such as tech, business, and marketing.
Here are some tips for success:
2. Discord
Best for: audio content, community building, customer service, messaging, niche communities, and younger demographics
Discord was created to let people around the world communicate online. Users can join or create different communities (servers) and connect through text, voice chat, and video.
The platform is useful for brands looking to build tight-knit communities around their products or services. Particularly in industries like gaming, technology, and entertainment.
Here are some tips for getting started on Discord:
3. Douyin
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, ecommerce, influencer marketing, live streaming, regional focus (China), short-form video, and younger demographics
Douyin is the Chinese version of TikTok. Which means it's focused on short-form videos.
Some key features for marketers include:
4. Facebook
Best for: B2B marketing, B2C marketing, community building, customer service, ecommerce, live streaming, multimedia content, older demographics, and targeted advertising
Facebook allows you to create a page for your business. Where you can post text, images, videos, events, and more.
It's one of the best social media platforms for reaching older demographics and local communities.
To get started, sign up through Meta Business Manager. Then:
For help improving and executing your Facebook strategy, use Semrush Social.
The app allows you to schedule posts, track competitors, and analyze performance metrics.
Semrush Social also connects with other top social media platforms.
5. Imo
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, customer service, and messaging
Imo is a messenger app that supports audio and video calls, text messaging, stories, file sharing, and more. It's free, easy to use, and a simple option for international calls.
Imo also offers chat rooms and "big groups," where you can meet new people who share your interests.
Companies can create business accounts. These accounts allow you to run ads and connect with prospective and current customers.
Because Imo is on the smaller side, there could be less competition within your niche.
6. Instagram
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, ecommerce, influencer marketing, short-form video, targeted advertising, visual content, and younger demographics
Instagram is a social media platform where users share photos, carousels (multi-image stories), and reels (short videos).
It works well for sectors that rely heavily on visual appeal. Like fashion, beauty, travel, food, and lifestyle. And is particularly good for reaching younger audiences.
Here are some tips for success:
With Semrush Social, it's easy to schedule posts on Instagram. To ensure they're published at the perfect time.
The app also lets you track important metrics, monitor your competitors, and more.
7. Kuaishou
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, ecommerce, influencer marketing, live streaming, regional focus (China), short-form video, and younger demographics
Kuaishou is a social media platform where users create and share short videos. It's particularly popular in China and other Asian markets.
Kuaishou is ideal for brands aiming to engage with younger audiences and those interested in lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and entertainment.
Here are some tips for getting started on the platform:
8. Line
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, customer service, ecommerce, messaging, and regional focus (Asia)
Line is a messaging and social media platform widely used in Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan. It offers unique tools for direct communication and promotion.
Here are some tips for getting started on the platform:
9. LinkedIn
Best for: B2B marketing, community building, customer service, older demographics, and targeted advertising
LinkedIn is a social networking platform for businesses and professionals. This means it's a great place for B2B marketing.
You can create a company page and publish various types of content, including:
Posting thought-provoking, relevant content about topics in your niche can help you build an audience. And connect with other top voices in your industry.
You can also post content through your personal profile. To engage target audiences on a more personal level.
For more advice, check out these LinkedIn marketing tips.
10. Mastodon
Best for: B2B marketing, B2C marketing, community building, niche communities, and privacy focus
Mastodon is a decentralized microblogging platform.
Decentralized means that it's made up of servers run by different people or organizations-not a single company. This structure allows for more control over data privacy and content moderation within each community.
Mastodon is particularly useful for reaching tech-savvy, privacy-conscious audiences and communities centered around specific interests.
Here are some tips for success:
11. Messenger
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, customer service, messaging, and targeted advertising
Messenger (commonly called Facebook Messenger) is a popular messaging app that allows users to send messages, share media, and make calls.
For marketers, it's a good platform for directly engaging with prospects and customers. By offering personalized support and running targeted campaigns.
Here are some tips for success:
12. Picsart
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, visual content, and younger demographics
Picsart is a photo and video editing app that allows users to share their creations with each other.
As with other social platforms, you can use hashtags to increase your content's reach. Or run advertising campaigns.
One of the features we like most is the ability to participate in challenges. Which involves submitting your creations and engaging with other people's work, so you can increase brand awareness.
13. Pinterest
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, ecommerce, targeted advertising, and visual content
Pinterest is a visual discovery platform. It allows users to save images and curate (or "pin") them on virtual boards.
Here are a few tips for pinning as a business:
14. QQ
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, messaging, regional focus (China), and younger demographics
QQ offers instant messaging, voice and video calls, and various multimedia sharing features. And is one of the most popular social media platforms in China.
QQ is particularly good for brands targeting younger demographics and tech-savvy users.
Here are some tips for success:
15. Quora
Best for: B2B marketing, community building, customer service, niche communities, and targeted advertising
Quora is a platform where users can ask questions, provide answers, and engage in discussions on a wide range of topics.
It's particularly effective for B2B marketers, industry experts, and thought leaders who want to build credibility and reach a niche audience.
Here are some quick tips for success on Quora:
16. Qzone
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, live streaming, multimedia content, regional focus (China), and younger demographics
Qzone is a Chinese platform that allows users to write blogs, keep diaries, send photos, listen to music, play games, and watch videos.
The platform's audience skews younger. Which means they probably don't have a lot of spending power.
But many celebrities and influencers use Qzone to connect with their fans. So, there are opportunities for influencer marketing campaigns.
Marketers can also run a variety of ads for brand or product promotion.
17. Reddit
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, customer service, niche communities, and targeted advertising
Reddit is a social media platform where users create and join communities (known as subreddits) centered around specific topics. For example, there are subreddits dedicated to wedding planning and ethical fashion.
This allows for targeted marketing and community engagement.
Here are some tips for success:
Reddit has guidelines on how to properly self-promote, but some subreddit moderators are more strict about it than others. Ignoring these guidelines can result in your account being banned.
For more advice, check out our Reddit marketing guide.
18. Rumble
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, influencer marketing, live streaming, and video content
Rumble is a video-sharing platform that allows users to upload, share, and monetize their content.
It's particularly useful for reaching audiences interested in diverse and independent content.
Here are some tips for success:
19. Snapchat
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, influencer marketing, short-form video, visual content, and younger demographics
Snapchat is an instant messaging app where users can share pictures and messages that disappear after a short period of time. It's most popular among Gen Zs and millennials.
The platform offers many advertising options. You can create:
20. Stack Exchange
Best for: B2B marketing, community building, customer service, and niche communities
Stack Exchange is a Q&A-style social platform. The site hosts 180+ communities where users can ask and answer questions.
Users can vote for the best answers. And the person who asked the question can mark their favorite answer as "accepted."
Stack Exchange recommends that users avoid opinion-based questions that don't match a community's area of expertise.
To use Stack Exchange for business purposes, answer questions within your business's niche. This will help put your name out there and boost your reputation.
21. Telegram
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, customer service, messaging, and privacy focus
Telegram is a messaging app known for its end-to-end encryption (secure messaging) for secret chats.
It also allows users to create messages that self-destruct after a set period of time for certain chats.
For marketers, creating channels and posting in them can be an effective way to reach a large audience.
Plus, you can use Telegram for customer support, feedback collection, and more.
22. Tieba
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, niche communities, and regional focus (China)
With Tieba (or Baidu Tieba), users can interact with each other in different "bars" (forums). Each bar covers a different topic.
Tieba is similar to Reddit. And provides an opportunity to observe or communicate directly with your audience.
The platform is hosted by Baidu, the biggest search engine in China.
23. TikTok
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, ecommerce, influencer marketing, live streaming, short-form video, targeted advertising, and younger demographics
TikTok is a social media platform where users create and share videos.
The app uses powerful algorithms to tailor content to users' interests. Which means you can reach large audiences before you build a following.
Here are some tips for success:
24. Triller
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, influencer marketing, live streaming, short-form video, and younger demographics
Triller is a social media platform where users create and share short videos. It's particularly popular in the music industry.
Here are some tips for success:
25. Tumblr
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, niche communities, visual content, and younger demographics
Tumblr is a microblogging and social networking platform where users create and share multimedia posts.
It's particularly effective for reaching younger demographics, artists, writers, and those with niche interests.
Here are some tips for success:
26. Twitch
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, influencer marketing, live streaming, video content, and younger demographics
Twitch is a live streaming service that focuses mainly on video gaming. But some users live stream music, cooking, or vlog-style content.
There are three main ways to do marketing on Twitch:
27. Viber
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, customer service, messaging, and regional focus (Asia)
Viber (or Rakuten Viber) is an instant messaging app that lets users send messages, make voice and video calls, start group chats and calls, join communities, and more. And it's popular in Eastern Europe and parts of Asia.
Viber prioritizes safety by using end-to-end encryption on all messages, offering "disappearing" messages, and allowing users to delete and edit any message.
You can set up a Viber Business account that allows users to interact with your brand.
If people connect with you, you can send individual messages or broadcast messages to a larger group.
28. WeChat
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, customer service, ecommerce, messaging, and regional focus (China)
WeChat is a social media platform that combines messaging, social networking, and mobile payment services. And it's quite popular in China.
Here are some tips for success:
29. Weibo
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, influencer marketing, live streaming, multimedia content, regional focus (China), targeted advertising, and younger demographics
Weibo (formerly Sina Weibo) means microblog in Chinese. Users can post images, send personal messages to followers, post stories, follow trending topics, and more.
The platform appeals to younger users. And is often compared to both Xand Instagram.
Weibo also offers opportunities for businesses.
Companies can grow and raise brand awareness through influencer campaigns, sponsored posts, and lotteries that let followers earn prizes.
30. WhatsApp
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, customer service, messaging, and privacy focus
WhatsApp is a messaging app that provides a direct and personal way to communicate with customers and prospects.
Here are some tips for success:
31. X
Best for: audio content, B2B marketing, B2C marketing, community building, customer service, multimedia content, and targeted advertising
X is a social media platform used by many of the world's most influential brands and people.
You can communicate with your target audience by posting public messages. These can be up to 280 characters long (for regular accounts) and include photos, polls, and other content types.
Customer service teams also use the direct messaging feature to engage with customers.
To make the most of this platform, check out our guide to building an X SEO strategy.
And sign up for Semrush Social. It lets you schedule X posts, check performance metrics, and much more.
32. YouTube
Best for: B2C marketing, community building, influencer marketing, live streaming, targeted advertising, video content, and younger demographics
YouTube is a video sharing platform that allows users to search for content. And subscribe to their favorite channels.
Create your YouTube business channel to get started. Then:
Monitor your views, subscribers, and other metrics with the Social Tracker (part of Semrush Social). And use insights to guide your future strategy.
You have a lot of options when it comes to connecting with your audience on social media.
While it can be overwhelming to keep up with even a few of them, the right tools make it easier.
Semrush Social comes with everything you need to streamline social media management and get better results.
Need help with actually creating your social media content?
Use Semrush's Social Content AI tool to generate ideas around your chosen topics.
And generate engaging content for Facebook, Google Business Profile, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and X.