What’s the Best Platform for Influencer Campaigns?

As an influencer or marketer, figuring out where to invest your time and resources for a successful product promotion can be time-consuming and overwhelming. With the ever-growing number of social media platforms, brands are now faced with the task of choosing which platform will provide the biggest ROI. And according to our recent research, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram are leading the race. But which of these three is the best platform to market your product with influencer campaigns? The answer depends on your goals and audience. We’re exploring the results of a recent study to help you choose the best platform for your marketing campaign.

What’s the best platform for influencer campaigns?

One of our latest studies, Trust in Influencer Marketing, found that 31% of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 said TikTok was the best platform for marketers and influencers to promote products to them. YouTube followed at 26%, and Instagram came in third at 24%. Facebook and Twitter were further down on the list, with only 8% and 3%, respectively. Only 1% of respondents said LinkedIn was their go-to platform for product promotion.

But why TikTok? For starters, the app’s algorithm works so that it quickly promotes new users with unique and quality content. TikTok also provides more organic reach than platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and Gen Z increasingly turns to TikTok as a search engine vs. Google. TikTok also has more than 150 million U.S. users, making it an excellent platform for reaching a broad and diverse audience.

While TikTok is a popular choice, it isn’t necessarily the best platform for everyone. If you are trying to market a product or service to a particular demographic group or in a niche market, YouTube may be the better option. IZEA’s Trust in Influencer Marketing found that 33.6% of male respondents chose YouTube as their No. 1 platform to promote a product through an influencer. 

YouTube is beneficial to those looking to showcase in-depth video tutorials, product reviews, and educational content since YouTube is one of the largest social media platforms globally, and it is perfect for researching products. Marketing to customers with specific interests is easier on YouTube, as people go there to seek out specific content instead of browsing aimlessly.

Instagram, on the other hand, has a more extensive audience range than YouTube, which makes it appealing to marketers. Instagram is a platform that is built on images and short videos, which makes it perfect for visually stunning product promotions. Leveraging Instagram could be beneficial if you rely heavily on visual merchandise such as clothing, jewelry, or beauty products, which perform exceptionally well on Instagram. In our Trust in Influencer Marketing report for 2023, female respondents were more likely to prefer Facebook and Instagram for promoted products, at 26.9% and 24.4%, respectively.

TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram are popular platforms for promoting your product if you want to reach 18- to 29-year-old social media users. Each platform has specific advantages that meet different marketing goals. TikTok works better for those targeting younger audiences using creative content. YouTube is the platform for in-depth video tutorials and reviews. Instagram is the best visual platform and preferred platform for women, making it ideal for brand promotion, especially if you rely heavily on visual merchandise.

It is essential to understand your audience and, most importantly, track which platforms perform best for you when conducting product promotions. Choosing the right platform is vital to a successful campaign, and it is worth investing time and resources to maximize your return. Knowing which platform to focus your marketing efforts on can help you achieve your business objectives while remaining relevant in today’s ever-changing marketing landscape.