Apr
When marketing your website or products, you need to know your who your target market is and how to reach them. Your ideal customer demographic is probably only a certain section of the diverse group of people that make up the general Internet population, which is composed of men and women of various ages.
You need to learn where the demographic that represents your target market congregates, in order to get maximum results in the minimum amount of time and the best return on your investment.
Two New Major Traffic Sources: Pinterest and Google+
For years, Facebook and Twitter have been the kings of social media websites. Facebook has reached people of all ages and demographics, and it is one of the most popular websites on the planet. The majority of users check their Facebook account daily, and many check it multiple times a day. Many brands and businesses use Facebook to reach their customers, so your message easily gets buried under hundreds of other messages.
Two newcomers to the social media scene are Google+ and Pinterest. Google+ is the search giant’s answer to Facebook, but it is mainly used by bloggers and small businesses. Users post status updates that their followers can see in a news feed, much like Facebook’s news feed.
Pinterest has a format unlike any other social media website. Users create virtual bulletin boards where they can pin pictures from their favorite websites. Each pin is a picture from the website, a short description and a link to the original website. It is very visual, so it appeals to many users. Users can repin from other users to save the website for later viewing. Users use these boards to plan home improvement projects, make wish lists for themselves or family, recipes, or just fun or innovative ideas.
Google+ Users Are Male, Pinterest Users Are Female
Estimates vary slightly, but Google+ is about 70 percent male. Over 40 percent are single, and just over half are between the ages of 18 and 24. This data suggests that the majority of Google Plus users are college students or recent grads. Just over 30 percent of users live in the United States, and the next two most popular countries are Brazil and India.
Pinterest users, however, are nearly 70 percent female. Half of the users have children, and nearly 30 percent have an annual income of $100,000 or more. The highest percentage of users fall between the ages of 25 and 35, and the second highest age group is 35 to 44.
These figures show that these two websites have drastically different demographics, so you should plan your marketing campaign accordingly. Articles and products that appeal to men, especially young, single men should be marketed on Google+, but if women are your target market, Pinterest is a better match for your website.
Different Demographics Affect Your Targeting
This doesn’t mean you should completely ignore the other website. Google+ has a large potential to affect website traffic with Google’s new personalized search results. When you post links on the social networking website, your link is seen at the top of your friends’ Google search results.
Even if your target demographic is predominantly male, Pinterest still has potential. Pinterest users spend nearly 16 minutes per day on the website, which is more than the average time on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter or Google+. Even more impressive, websites report that Pinterest is responsible for more traffic than YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn combined.
Know your target market before you start marketing your product or website and keep in mind the different demographics social media sites attract when deciding where to spend your time. Naturally you want to spend the most time on the social site that gets you the best results, whether that be Pinterest, Google+ or elsewhere. At the same time don’t completely ignore other websites, as each offers unique benefits.
Guest Post by Juliana Payson
Juliana is a Social Media Analyst specializing in small business and web hosting provider InMotion Hosting, based in southern California (Los Angeles). Follow her on Twitter @JulianaPayson.
