10 Different Types Of Social Media Platforms

1. Conventional Social Networking Sites

Conventional Social Networking Sites
  • These are the types of social media platforms that focus on connecting people by amplifying your voice and reach. They are flexible and designed to help you share visual and textual content with whomever you want. Features of these sites include event organising, networking, and advertising.
  • They gather important details about their users. This allows you to run specific targeted ads and post content to connect with the right audience to run contests, promote local events, or share useful information. 
  • You can also use these platforms to engage with your customers directly using direct messaging tools.

2. Image Sharing Platforms

Image Sharing Platforms
  • You can directly sell to your customers by building a gratifying in-app shopping presence.
  • You can create a storefront using Instagram Shopping, tag products in your videos and images and mention the products in your profile bio.
  • Pinterest is one of the top social media platforms for shoppers that helps you connect your store catalogue and adds shoppable links to search results. Much like a blue tick on Instagram, you get a Verified Merchant badge on your profile, which increases your brand credibility amongst users. 
  • Snapstore, one of the best types of social media features on Snapchat for brands, lets you upload a catalogue and incorporate a ‘shop’ tag on the profile. 
  • You can also use the TikTok Photo Mode to showcase your catalogue, announce a giveaway, or tell a longer story.

3. Short-form Video Platforms

Short-form Video Platforms
  • With the rise of different trends, it has become easier for businesses to use short video content to promote their products and/or services.
  • However, brands must know that the short video content must be engaging, entertaining or inspiring. Users will not be enticed to engage with your brand if the content becomes too promotional.

4. Live Streaming Platforms

Live Streaming Platforms
  • Live Streaming popularity shot up threefold with the outbreak of the 2020 pandemic. By late 2023, nearly 35% of users aged 16-64 watched live streams weekly.
  • You can use live streams to interview well-known guests, host (ask me anything) AMA sessions, and launch products.
  • Live Streams include features such as polls and live chat, which allow users to directly interact with the hosts, increasing brand reach.

5. Discussion Forums And Communities

Discussion Forums And Communities

6. Private Community Platforms

Private Community Platforms
  • Private groups bring the community members closer together in a close-knit group. They bond over shared problems and help each other with solutions without having the ‘small talk’ of unrelated conversations.
  • You can also use your private community to encourage user-generated content, engage with new customers, and run promotions that add value to the community members. This can also be a welcome screen to ask members questions and learn more about your target audience.

7. Consumer Review Networks

Consumer Review Networks
  • When businesses use these review networking sites, it helps them conduct market research about the likes and dislikes of their customers.
  • This also helps businesses claim more credibility with positive reviews. Positive reviews influence users to engage with the brand and entice new users to purchase. 
  • Social media platforms such as Zomato and Yelp offer location-based reviews that help businesses run location-based social campaigns. 

8. Blogging And Publishing Sites

Blogging And Publishing Sites
  • Businesses that want to boost their content marketing strategies should use these sites to share content on various other social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.
  • The content used in these platforms further helps create a niche for your audience in search of specific information concerning your niche.

9. Decentralised Social Media Networks

Decentralized Social Media Networks
  • These sites help businesses connect with their users to carry out UGC and run UGC campaigns.
  • Decentralized social media sites such as Mastodon differ from other traditional social media sites. While traditional sites work on a centralized platform where one company makes all the decisions on its servers, decentralized networks distribute information across all servers. This means your information is not controlled by any entity or confined to a single server. 
  • While Mastodon does not allow advertising, Bluesky is a platform that remains ad-free and invite-only. Businesses can use this platform to conduct market research, create community, and increase brand reach. 

10. Social Shopping Sites

Social Shopping Sites
  • Businesses can use shopping networking sites to boost engagement, create brand awareness, and sell products on effective platforms.
  • These sites are highly result-driven for startups and small businesses to sell their products without a physical store. 

What Is The 555 Rule On Social Media? 

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Saswati Banerjee-image

Saswati Banerjee is a content writer with specialisations in different fields. Her niches vary from travel and food to fintech and games. A writer by day and a reader by night, she enjoys close company, a cup of coffee, and a guitar after a hard day at work.