10 Types of Social Media & How They Benefit Your Business in 2024

There are several different types of social media out there, but what are they and how can you decide which one is best for your company?

On this page, we’re answering those exact questions! We’re taking a deep dive into ten types of social media along with examples and benefits for each to help you set your social media strategy up for success!

So keep reading!

P.S. If you don’t have the time to develop a strategy for these networks, contact us online or call us today at 888-601-5359 to speak with a strategist about our custom social media marketing campaigns.

Guide to

Social Media Marketing for Businesses

Recommendations and tips straight from our subject matter experts!

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10 types of social media formats and platforms you need to know about in 2024

Here are 10 popular types of social media you should know about in 2024:

1. Video social media
2. Audio social media
3. Business social media
4. Shoppable social media
5. Private or closed social media
6. Inspirational social media
7. Discussion forums
8. Review sites and platforms
9. Social media live streams
10. Social blogging sites and networks

1. Video social media formats and platforms

Examples

YouTube, TikTok, Facebook Watch, Instagram Reels and Stories

Use

Watching entertaining and informative videos, both in long and short-form.

How using them can benefit your business

Video is one of the most engaging forms of social media content out there.

You can use video social media types and platforms to create videos that increase your brand awareness, engage your audience, and highlight your brand, personality, and products or services in a way that photos and text can’t.

You can benefit from these types of social media by consider creating videos that explain how to use your product or the benefits of your services. You can use video platforms to educate and entertain your audience, discuss trending industry news or topics, and reach more members of your target audience.

2. Audio social media formats and platforms

Examples

Spotify, Twitter Spaces, Clubhouse, Amazon Music

Use

Listening to conversations about specific topics through podcasts, songs and albums, and more.

How using them can benefit your business

People use social audio platforms and networks to listen to podcasts or songs while they work or exercise, or even tune in to conversations and podcasts to learn about a new topic.

Your company can use this social media format to promote your brand to your audience and help them learn more about your business and industry by:

• Launching social audio ads that play in-between songs and podcasts
• Creating a podcast to discuss industry topics
• Announce business news, updates, and announcements
• Host Q&As or sessions with your audience

3. Business social media platforms and networks

Examples

LinkedIn, Twitter

Use

Connecting with industry professionals, partners, and clients, advertising and applying for jobs

How using them can benefit your business

Your company can use business social media formats like LinkedIn and Twitter to build business to business (B2B) relationships and connect with prospects, partners, and clients, which is a fantastic social media advantage.

You can also use this kind of social media to recruit top talent for your business by posting job advertisements and connecting with potential candidates.

4. Shoppable social media platforms and networks

Examples

Instagram, Facebook Marketplace, TikTok, Shopify

Use

Browsing, researching, and purchasing products directly from brands

How using them can benefit your business

Social media shopping platforms give your audience the ability to purchase directly from your brand without needing to leave their app. In just a few clicks, one of your products could be theirs.

Use these social media sites to upload your product catalog and allow your audience to buy directly from your social media page.

You can also use your social media store to add more information about your products and include links to your website to make it easier for your audience to research products, which can also help you drive more traffic to your website.

5. Private or closed social media platforms and networks

Examples

Slack, Discourse, Facebook groups

Use

Communicating and collaborating with a selective group of people

How using them can benefit your business

Private or close social media forms and platforms allow businesses like yours to create groups that bring together members of the same community.

For example, if you sell a cooking product like slow cookers, you can create a private group on Facebook that enables your customers to ask questions about your product and share recipes and tips.

These groups are a great way to build brand loyalty and help prospective customers learn more about your products or services.

6. Inspirational social networks and platforms

Examples

Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram

Use

Viewing photos, boards, and videos to find information and inspiration for a specific topic, like travel, decorating, weddings, and more.

How using them can benefit your business

Showcase your products for members of your target audience that are searching for some inspiration for their room decorations or event by creating more visual content tailored to their interests.

For example, if you sell vases, you can create a board on Instagram full of visuals that showcase your vases around different rooms of a house, like the kitchen and living room.

You can also create video tutorials for your products and how to use them for certain events or trips. For example, if you sell travel backpacks, you can create a video guide on YouTube for how to pack your backpack for a long hike, showcasing some of your backpacks in the video.

7. Discussion forums

Examples

Quora, Reddit

Use

Asking and answering questions and forming communities based around a shared interest or topic

How using them can benefit your business

Discussion formats of social media are extremely beneficial for helping you provide customer service to your audience and also answer questions or provide more information for your prospects.

For example, if you own a bank, you can create a subreddit for your bank. Your audience and then go here to ask questions or find solutions from your company about any issues or problems they’ve run into with their account.

You can also use discussion forums to show off your company’s expertise. For example, you can answer questions related to your industry and share information about your brand and products or services in the process.

8. Review sites and platforms

Examples

Yelp, TrustPilot, Glassdoor

Use

Leaving and viewing reviews about brands, products, and services

How using them can benefit your business

Review social networks are a prime example of social websites that impact your audience but depend 100% on them. Review networks allow people to find, review, and share information about brands and their products.

When you have good reviews, these platforms can bring positive social proof to your business and its claims. When you look at reviews, you understand how people perceive your brand. It’s an excellent way for you to understand their opinion and improve their experience.

Use review sites to look at the reviews people leave for your business and a get a better understanding of how they feel about your products or services and where they think you can improve.

You can use this information to improve your audience’s experience so you can earn more positive reviews in the future.

9. Social media live streams

Examples

TikTok, Twitch, YouTube, Instagram Live Rooms, Facebook Live

Use

Broadcasting and watching live video

How using them can benefit your business

Livestreams on social media give you the opportunity to interact with your audience in real-time. You can host Q&A sessions to answer questions from your audience live.

Social media livestreams also enable you to reveal new products live to your audience or announce new business updates or events.

Giving your audience more opportunities to engage with your brand is a great way to build brand loyalty.

10. Social blogging sites and networks

Examples

Tumblr, Medium

Use

Write and read stories, share information, photos, and videos

How using them can benefit your business

Blogging networks allow you to publish content for your audience and help them discover it. This type of social media is a great way to build engagement and get people familiar with your business. Social blogging networks are one of the more unique types of social media because they require creating constant content to publish.

Their content driven nature makes then excellent for sharing media and information with your audiences.

While they increase visibility, brand awareness, and generate leads, they need more work than other social platforms.

Growing your social presence with WebFX is a walk in the park.

“WebFX allows growing your social media platforms to be stress-free! They are knowledgeable and adapt to your company needs!”

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Start using different types of social media to grow your business today

Social media platforms create an excellent opportunity for you to expand your reach online and capture more leads. When you know the different types of social media platforms you can use, as well as the social media analytics and management tools available, you’ll open up opportunities to reach more members of your target audience.

If you aren’t sure how to get started with the different categories of social media, our team at WebFX can help you manage your social platforms. We’ve got a team of over 500 experts that will help you grow your presence on the social media platforms that your audience loves.

Want to learn more about how social media marketing and advertising can expand your reach on different types of social media platforms? Contact us online or call us today at 888-601-5359 to speak with a strategist about creating a custom social media marketing campaign!