How to Adapt Your Social Media Strategy for Your Audience
In the digital age, a one-size-fits-all approach to social media marketing rarely works. Audiences vary widely in their preferences, behaviours, and needs, influenced by factors such as age, location, and cultural background. To craft an effective social media strategy, you must tailor your content and approach to resonate with your specific audience.
One Voice Media is experienced at identifying the right audience for your campaign and adapting a strategy to suit. We explore what to consider when creating your social media strategy.
Understanding Your Audience
Before creating content, you need to understand your audience. Start by analysing demographic data to identify key characteristics such as age, location, income, and interests. Use tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, and Instagram’s analytics features to gather detailed information about your followers. Surveys and feedback forms can also provide valuable qualitative insights.
Once you understand who your audience is, consider how these demographics impact their social media habits. Younger audiences may prefer platforms like TikTok and Instagram, while older demographics might gravitate towards Facebook or LinkedIn. Similarly, geographic location can influence activity patterns due to time zones and cultural norms.
Adapting for Age Groups
Age is one of the most significant factors to consider when tailoring your social media strategy.
- Generation Z (1997-2012): This group favours visual and interactive content on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Create short, engaging videos and use trending sounds and hashtags to increase visibility.
- Millennials ( 1981-1996): Millennials are usually more active on Instagram, X, and LinkedIn. They value authenticity, so share behind-the-scenes content, user-generated posts, and thought leadership pieces.
- Gen X (1965-1980): Gen X are most active on Facebook and LinkedIn. Their social media use is primarily to connect with friends and family, as well as for entertainment.
- Baby Boomers (1946-1964): Baby Boomers often prefer Facebook for their social media interactions. Focus on informative content, community-building posts, and straightforward calls to action.
Adapting for Location
Geographic location plays a crucial role in determining your posting schedule and content style.
Local Audiences
If your audience is local, emphasise events, offers, and posts that resonate with regional culture. Consider tagging specific locations and engaging with local influencers to enhance visibility.
For our work with Stagecoach South West, we worked with local influencers from Exeter and Plymouth to promote the benefits of bus travel as part of people’s everyday lives, with video content posted on Instagram.
Global Audiences
For international audiences, research popular trends and cultural differences in each region. Adapt your posting schedule to match the time zones of your target markets, ensuring your content reaches them when they are most active.
Choosing the Right Platform
Each social media platform caters to a distinct audience. Selecting the right ones ensures your message reaches the right people.
The social media usage statistics mentioned are from Sprout Social 2024.
Instagram is best for visual content. Use Stories, Reels, and carousel posts for maximum engagement. Roughly two-thirds of Instagram users are Gen Z and Millenials, so this is a great platform for targeting younger demographics.
Facebook is ideal for community building and sharing detailed posts. It is great for connecting with older audiences but isn’t a good choice if you want to target Gen Z. The platform’s usage among 13-17-year-olds was only 4.8% in 2024!
TikTok
Perfect for fun, creative, and viral content, TikTok is one of the most used platforms in the UK and is ranked top for consumer spending, with TikTok Shop allowing users to buy directly through the platform from videos.
TikTok is most used by Gen Z, with users in the UK aged between 15-24 using the app for almost 30 hours a month on average, according to Statista research from March 2024. In comparison, the average time spent across all age demographics in the UK was approximately 14 hours per month.
Effective for B2B marketing and professional content targeting career-focused individuals. Millennials are currently the dominating audience on LinkedIn, which makes sense as this is the core working-age group at the moment.
X (formerly Twitter)
Excellent for real-time updates and engaging in trending conversations. X has a 63% male demographic, making it a good choice for campaigns that want to target men specifically.
Pinterest is a visual platform that presents inspiring ideas that users can collate. It is overwhelmingly a female platform, with 76.2% of users identifying as female. The platform promotes discovery, with 80% of weekly Pinterest users having discovered a new product or brand on Pinterest.
Timing Matters
Posting at the right time is critical to maximising engagement. Analyse your audience’s activity patterns to determine optimal times.
Consider specific demographic factors such as:
- Work and School Hours: For working professionals and students, aim for early mornings, lunch breaks, or after-work hours when they are likely to check social media.
- Parents and Caregivers: Mothers and fathers may engage more during mid-morning or late evening after their children are in school or asleep.
- Commuters: Content posted during typical commuting hours (7-9 AM and 5-7 PM) to target city workers using public transport can perform well on platforms accessed via mobile devices.
Crafting Content That Resonates
The type of content you post should also align with your audience’s preferences. Younger audiences may prefer memes and on-trend content, whereas older audiences may value high-quality imagery and authentic stories more.
Continuously Monitor and Adapt
Social media trends and user behaviours change rapidly. Regularly review your analytics to assess what’s working and adjust your strategy accordingly. Experiment with new formats, platforms, and posting times to stay relevant and ahead of competitors.
Adapting your social media strategy to suit your audience isn’t just a recommendation; it’s a necessity in today’s competitive landscape. By understanding the unique preferences and behaviours of your audience based on demographics like age, location, and gender, you can create targeted campaigns that drive engagement, build trust, and achieve your marketing goals.
To get the best results for your campaign, why not hand over the reins to an expert? One Voice Media is a social media agency in Exeter with years of experience in reaching the right audiences. Get in touch today to discuss how we can help make your social strategy the best it can be!