As social media marketers, we can sympathize with the stress that comes whenever a new social media platform reaches the mainstream. Social networks continue to expand in numbers due to the demand from individuals looking for a social experience tailored to their needs and interests. The pressure to have a presence everywhere can often push brands to create and populate accounts while failing to execute an effective strategy for a particular network’s audience. Not every social network is right for your company or brand, BUT you may not realize a missed opportunity to reach a relevant audience if you don’t consider what’s out there.

To help you get started, we’ve identified two similar social networks that are currently growing at a rapid pace that you may want to consider for your brands. We’ve pitted them against each other in an ultimate benefits comparison face-off below!

IN THIS CORNER… we have Tumblr, a part blog, part social network that is all about sharing anything and everything with everyone! Using Tumblr, users can share anything from text, photos, quotes, links and videos in a way that some say is filtered much better than Twitter’s hashtag system. People like Tumblr because it is typically a visual content-sharing community, but it is organized differently from Pinterest’s boards and appeals strongly with Millennials and Gen Y. And with Yahoo’s recent acquisition of this platform, you can expect to see new features coming soon.

Reasons you may dig it:

• Very few brands are currently using Tumblr for marketing purposes. But since Yahoo recently acquired the platform, advertising opportunities for brands will become more appealing.
• One of the few platforms that accommodates popular animated .GIF files.
• It’s great for SEO – all Tumblr content gets indexed by search engines and is accessible to anyone on the web, not just users.
• It’s a content creation heaven. You can easily share relevant content from others without having to create your own all the time.
• A majority of Tumblr users are under 34 years old, a desirable target for FRESH brands to engage with.
• The Tumblr community is highly engaged and eager to interact with content they find interesting.

AND IN THIS CORNER… we have Reddit, which has dubbed itself the “front page of the internet.” Reddit is a news aggregator and social content sharing site. Reddit is a reflection of the rise of “citizen journalism” as Reddit users often use this site to make and break news and discuss trending topics. The site features user created “subreddits” or topics where “redditors” gather to discuss the topic at hand and post relevant content to each particular topic.

Reasons you may dig it:

If used properly, Reddit is basically a focus group on steroids. Redditors are eager to comment on posts and become involved in discussions in the subjects they are interested in.

• Reddit offers advertising for brands which allows focused targeting by interest over demographic, and also allows redditors to comment directly on your ad, giving you real-time feedback. Many brands report having much better results from Reddit ads than Facebook and Twitter advertisements.
• Reddit users are “anonymous,” making the posts more often than not more honest and real than any you would see on Facebook or Twitter, for example. Redditors are much more willing to share their opinions under their anonymity.
• One of the most popular subreddits is “I am a…ask me anything,” which is a gold mine for fresh produce brands. Simply make a post that you are a carrot grower, ask me anything, for example, and watch the questions flow in from potential fresh advocates. 4,000 of these posts in 2012 had more than 100 comments.
• Reddit users are predominantly men, ages 25-44. This is a demographic that can be harder to tap into on other social platforms, because men use social media in a different way than women, and much less frequently.

Now that you’ve seen that stats and what each of our competitors has to offer, who do you think will “win” this match? Do you see your brand having a place on Tumblr or Reddit? What social networks help you reach relevant audiences? Share your thoughts with us below.