Battle of the Microblogs

Understanding the different types of platforms and tools you can use to engage in social media marketing helps you choose the ones that are right for you. While it makes sense to have a presence on the more popular social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, it could be beneficial to engage on a microblogging site.

The definition of a microblog is a site that is designed for publishing brief posts, often with character limits that dictate the post length. A microblog is similar to a text message or instant message - short and concise. While it could be argued that any social network is a microblog versus a standard blog where you can post much longer content, most of the bigger social networks don’t have extremely tight character limits.

Facebook, for example, allows over 63,000 characters or about 10,000 words, in post captions. Even though Instagram’s character limit is 2,200 and LinkedIn allows 3,000, these counts are still greater than sites such as X, Threads, and Bluesky. Here’s a breakdown of the character limits of some of the more well-known microblogs:

X (formerly Twitter) 280, but if you pay for X Premium, 25,000 characters

Threads - 500

Bluesky - 300

Mastadon - 500

Character limits aside, these microblogs also offer social networking features including setting up profiles, having connections or "friends," and being able to post not only text but multimedia including photos, graphics, animations, and videos.

Is it a good idea to microblog?

Adding a microblog to your social media mix could potentially help you engage with a new audience or connect in a different way with your current audience or customer base. There are other things to consider however, before starting to use microblog.

While it might seem easier to develop content and post to a microblog than to a regular social network because of the content length limit, it could prove more challenging to reduce your post captions down to the smallest number of words while still getting your message across. Keep in mind that microblogs are often most effective if you post more frequently than you do to other social networks, such as multiple times a day versus once a day or a few times a week.

Some people prefer the short, quick posting style of microblogging and the immediate access to information on the fast-moving news feed. Others find microblogging difficult or burdensome so opt to avoid them.

If you are thinking of trying microblogging, use the usual criteria for choosing a new social media tool, including:

1. Are your current customers using it or does it help you reach a new, potentially valuable audience?
2. Do you have the time and resources to handle another channel?
3. Does the microblog integrate with the social media management platform or dashboard you’re using for scheduling, posting, and monitoring?
4. Does the microblog allow you to post, engage, advertise, and/or transact business in a way that suits your company’s brand image and helps you reach company goals?

If you determine that microblogging could enhance your social media marketing efforts, the next step is to choose the right microblogging platform.

Which microblog is right for you?

One way to decide which microblog to use is to pick the one with the largest audience. More users could translate into more opportunities to find your target market, however, knowing the demographics of the users of that microblog could also influence your decision. Here’s how the four microblogs mentioned above compare in terms of size, demographic breakdown, benefits, and downsides.

X - Approx. 650 million users; 58% 35 and under; 2:1 male to female split

The largest microblog, thanks to the early entry of Twitter (it’s original incarnation) on the social media scene, with a high percentage of males in their 30s

Benefits: Real-time or near real-time engagement, rapid response customer service, general brand awareness, a self-serve ad platform

Downsides: X has become increasing political and polarized, potentially making it a challenging place to post, requires multiple posts per day to gain visibility

Threads - Over 320 million users; 58% male/41% female; mostly in the 8-24, and 25-34 age range

The large size of its userbase can be partly attributed to the direct integration with Instagram, a younger audience almost evenly split between male and female

Benefits: Building community around your brand, augmenting your reach to the Meta audiences on Facebook and Instagram, integrating well with Instagram

Downsides: Deleting a Threads account requires deleting your Instagram account since they are linked, owned and controlled by Meta which means less control for your business

Bluesky - Over 27 million registered users; 62% male versus 38% female; high population of younger users 18-24

Developed as a direct alternative to Twitter by former Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, reaches a younger, male audience

Benefits: Reach a new audience or find former Twitter users who may have migrated there, greater customization options for your user experience, custom domains

Downsides: Smaller user base, no ad platform, newer and less well-known

Mastadon - 10 million registered users; 71% male; 25-34 age range

A smaller, more niche, microblog with higher Gen Y and Gen Z male population

Benefits: Niche community building, reaching a younger male audience

Downsides: Smaller and narrower user base, no ad platform

Before you set up a microblog account, check with your current customers to see which one they use and pay attention to, if any. Being able to connect with and serve your current customers is a great way to launch any new social media platform, including microblogs.

There is no single right answer to whether or not you should microblog or which one you should choose. Choosing should be based on research, strategic decision-making, and if you have the time, experimentation.