LinkedIn May Not Be The Coolest Social Network, But It's Only Becoming More Valuable To Businesses

Each social media platform has a unique identity based on who uses the network and how they're engaging on the site. LinkedIn has developed a special identity - and utility - as the social network for professionals. But it has come a long way from when it was simply a forum to make your resume visible to employers and your job postings searchable for recruitment.

Engagement is rising fast on LinkedIn, as the social network becomes a content destination. The social network is also high-income and highly educated, and it has a big international presence. These factors will make LinkedIn increasing compelling to marketers. Already, a survey from Cogent Research finds that LinkedIn is the preferred social network by a wide margin for building a brand identity.

$4, we break down the demographics of each major social media platform and what sets each one apart in terms of audience makeup and usage patterns.

$4 The report also spotlights the opportunities that lie ahead for each social network, and how social media usage compares between the U.S. and international markets.

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Here are where some of the biggest opportunities lie on the major networks:

• Facebook>$4's users skew younger, and that means brands that advertise luxury goods and services are still finding more success advertising in magazines than on social media. $4
• People tend to use Twitter>$4 for news consumption. In 2012, .>$4 For brands, the best time to post on Twitter is Monday through Thursday between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The worst time is after 3 p.m. on a Friday.
• LinkedIn>$4 has the advantage of being the place for white-collar professionals to network, meaning its population is highly desirable since it is a high-income and highly educated user base. $4
• Pinterest>$4 is riding the wave of mobile. It's really the breakout tablet-first social network. Pinterest users already account for 48.2% of all social media sharing on iPads>$4$4 They're primarily sharing food and drink-related content and family and parenting-related items. $4
• Over 90% of people who use Instagram>$4 are under the age of 35, which makes it $4
• Tumblr>$4 is strong with teens and young adults interested in self-expression. What's more, the teens who do use Tumblr, use it a lot - $4, according to a study conducted by Y Combinator Partner Gerry Tan.

In full, the special report:

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