Social media platforms have become an important part of doing business in Ireland. With over 80% of Irish adults using social media regularly, platforms like Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn offer unparalleled opportunities for businesses to reach, engage with and sell to customers.
But with new platforms emerging all the time, it can be challenging for companies to determine where to focus their social media efforts. In this post, we’ll break down the top 7 social media platforms that Irish businesses should be leveraging in 2024.
Why Social Media Platforms Matter for Businesses in Ireland
Here are some key reasons why you need to make social media marketing a priority:
- Reach new audiences. 72% of Irish internet users are on social media. With targeted ads and organic content, you can get your brand in front of relevant audiences.
- Build brand awareness. 51% of Irish social media users follow brands on social platforms. Being active on social media helps establish expertise and trust.
- Drive website traffic. Social media is the top referral source for websites, sending 31% of the overall traffic. Populating platforms with links drives visitors.
- Generate leads and sales. 60% of social media users have purchased a product they first saw on social media. Converting followers into customers is critical.
- Improve SEO. Social signals and engagement help boost domain authority and search rankings. Users search for brands on social media they see mentioned online.
- Provide customer service. Responding to comments, queries and complaints in real-time improves satisfaction and loyalty. 62% expect brands to offer social CX.
- Analyze performance. The analytics and metrics built into social platforms give invaluable insights to optimize efforts.
The benefits are clear. Now let’s look at the top platforms to consider.
1. Facebook
With over 3 million daily active users in Ireland, Facebook remains the dominant social media platform. It’s essential for Irish businesses for the following reasons:
- Huge existing user base you can market to
- Advanced targeting options for ads to reach specific demographics and interests
- Ability to create shoppable Facebook business pages and products
- Tools to run both branding and direct response campaigns
- Retargeting options to reconnect with website visitors
- Easy lead generation with Lead Ads and Messenger integration
Facebook lets businesses of all sizes promote their products, run campaigns, engage customers and analyze performance. While other platforms have younger users, the breadth and depth of Facebook make it the top platform.
2. Instagram
Instagram now has over 1.3 million users in Ireland, skewing younger than Facebook. Its visual nature makes it perfect for lifestyle brands, though all types of businesses can benefit. Reasons to use Instagram for marketing include:
- The user base has huge purchasing power, with 62.7% making impulse buys from Instagram ads
- You can build a following and get direct feedback with Stories and posts
- Inspirational visual content captures attention and builds relationships
- Shoppable posts allow selling directly within the app
- Ads can drive site traffic or app installs with clickable links
- Use relevant hashtags to join larger conversations and reach new people
Because it’s so visual, Instagram requires high-quality photos and video content. But the engagement it drives makes it a must for brands in 2024.
3. LinkedIn
With Ireland’s workforce active on LinkedIn, it’s a crucial platform for B2B companies targeting professionals. Benefits include:
- Targeting options allow for the pinpointing decision-makers by industry, job role and interests
- Companies can establish thought leadership with informative content
- Build relationships directly with contacts using personalized messaging
- Follower numbers indicate brand authority in your space
- Advertising to reach audiences during their workday mindset
- Analytics provide insight on which content and offers convert contacts
As professionals spend more time on LinkedIn, its advertising and content marketing capabilities make it ideal for lead generation.
4. Twitter
While smaller in user base than other platforms, Twitter’s immediacy and engagement make it valuable for real-time interactions. Brand benefits on Twitter include:
- Monitor hashtags and keywords to join relevant conversations
- Quickly distribute news updates, offers and company announcements
- Engage directly with customers and influencers via tweets and replies
- Opportunity to go viral with compelling content or creativity
- Paid ads can amplify tweets to relevant topics and interests
- Analyze tweet impressions, engagement and lead generation
Twitter requires dedication, but clever and consistent engagement drives brand personality and authority.
5. YouTube
YouTube sees over 4.5 million monthly users in Ireland viewing videos daily. As a marketing platform, it offers these advantages:
- Videos optimize for organic search, driving views from relevant Google queries
- Pre-roll and mid-roll video ads reach audiences in a sight, sound and motion format
- Tutorials and how-tos build credibility and can convert viewers into leads
- YouTube mastheads and bumper ads gain visibility and brand awareness
- Analyze audience retention, clicks, shares and conversions
Video marketing requires more production but drives engagement. For certain businesses, YouTube advertising and optimized video SEO can be extremely effective.
6. Snapchat
Snapchat is still an up-and-coming platform in Ireland, but worth consideration given its rapid growth among younger demographics. Marketing possibilities on Snapchat include:
- 10-second ads in Stories reach an active, engaged daily audience
- AR lenses and filters offer creativity to catch user attention
- Discover section provides a platform for branded content
- Influencers can be tapped to promote products to followers
- Snap Pixel aids retargeting across devices
- Snapchat Ads Manager provides performance tracking
Snapchat requires a nuanced approach tailored to reach its Millennial and Gen Z users. But with the right strategy, it offers opportunities.
7. TikTok
Like Snapchat, TikTok skews young but is growing quickly across Ireland. Its addictive short videos make it perfect for creative campaigns. Marketing advantages TikTok offers include:
- Hashtag challenges can go viral and raise brand awareness
- Fun music, filters and effects engage Gen Z audiences
- Tailored hashtag targeting means reaching relevant viewers
- Influencer collaborations expand reach to new followers
- Ads are still relatively affordable on the platform
- Strong click-through rates compared to other social platforms
TikTok takes commitment but encourages innovative and engaging content that followers love to engage with.
Make Social Media Marketing a Priority in 2024
As these top 7 platforms show, there are myriad options for businesses to leverage social media and engage audiences in Ireland. But with so many choices, it’s essential to:
- Audit your audience. Determine where your target customers are most active online.
- Set concrete goals. Whether brand-building or lead generation, set SMART objectives.
- Develop content strategies. Create personas and content that align with each platform’s users.
- Schedule regular postings. Consistency and quality content are keys to success.
- Track progress. Use the analytics within each platform to see what content and tactics work.
- Refine over time. Continuously test new strategies and find ways to improve performance.
Why Choose Hybrid Tech Solutions for Social Media Marketing?
- Over 10 years experience managing successful social media campaigns
- A data-driven approach based on in-depth audience analysis
- Tailored content strategies crafted for each platform
- Management of branded profiles and posting schedules
- Expertise running and optimizing paid social ad campaigns
- Ongoing performance reporting and optimization
Other Hybrid Tech Solution Services:
- Website Design and Development: We create high-converting websites optimized for lead generation.
- SEO: Our SEO services help improve website traffic, rankings and visibility in search engines.
- PPC Advertising: We manage targeted pay-per-click campaigns on Google, Facebook and more to drive leads.
- Email Marketing: We help build email lists and craft campaigns that nurture leads and boost sales.
- Conversion Rate Optimization: We optimize website pages and user funnels to increase conversion rates.
- Analytics and Reporting: We provide in-depth reporting and analytics across channels to track performance.
Our full range of digital marketing services helps businesses boost brand awareness, traffic, leads and sales online.
By tapping the reach and capabilities of these top social platforms, businesses can drive real results. To execute effective social media marketing in Ireland, leverage the expertise of Hybrid Tech Solution.
Hybrid Tech Solution is an award-winning digital marketing agency with over 10 years experience helping Irish companies maximize their social media ROI. Our data-driven approach includes:
- Conducting social media audits to map your starting point
- Creating targeted messaging and content strategies tailored to each platform’s users
- Managing your brand profiles and executing posting schedules
- Running paid social ad campaigns optimized for your goals
- Reporting key metrics and optimizing based on performance data
We stay on top of the latest social media algorithm changes, ad formats, targeting options, and more. Get in touch to learn how Hybrid Tech Solution can elevate your social media marketing on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok. Our team of online marketing experts will help you cut through the noise and turn followers into long-term customers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Social Media Marketing for Businesses in Ireland
What are the top social media platforms I should be on as a business?
The top platforms in Ireland are Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok. Focus on the ones where your target audience is most active.
How much time should I dedicate to social media marketing?
Plan to spend at least 1-2 hours per day creating content and engaging your followers across platforms. Outsource if you lack the time.
What type of content should I post on social media?
Post a mix of content like industry news, behind-the-scenes, employee highlights, special offers, helpful tips, entertaining videos and more.
When is the best time to post on social media?
The best times are generally before 9 a.m. or after 5 p.m. on weekdays when people are commuting, and from 12 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends.
Should I use hashtags on social media posts?
Yes, relevant hashtags help people outside your followers find your content. Research the hashtags used by your target audience.
Is it worth investing in social media advertising?
Paid ads are highly effective for increasing reach and engagement. Use them to promote content, offers, events and more.
How do I track the performance of my social media efforts?
Each platform provides analytics on followers, engagement, clicks, etc. Use Google Analytics to track site traffic referred from social.
How can I improve engagement on social media?
Ask questions, run polls and contests, respond to comments quickly, post exclusive content and have team members take over.
Should I have one unified brand voice across platforms?
Yes, while tailoring content to each platform, your core brand voice should remain consistent.
What’s the single most important social media marketing tip?
Be helpful, engaging and authentic; people follow brands that add value and interact like a real person, not a corporate robot.
