Reaching specific audiences through local social media

Global platforms compared to local social media

In an era when large platforms like Facebook, TikTok, and X (Twitter) dominate online communication, local social media platforms like Blockdit and Lemon8 are getting more attention in marketing communication. The reason is that these platforms have specific communication approaches and respond to the needs of focused user groups more effectively.

Looking at the statistics, TikTok has over 1.5 billion users per day in 2023, and X (Twitter) has around 13.4 million users in Thailand, while Lemon8 has 17 million total downloads globally and Blockdit had around 5 million user accounts in mid-2022. The user base difference is substantial. Local social media still gets continued attention because of its ability to reach specific audiences effectively. Blockdit emphasizes business content and deeper analysis, while Lemon8 emphasizes creator content combining visuals with concise summary writing that's easy to scan. These are strengths large platforms can't match at the same level, because broad platforms have to serve everyone and end up serving no one specifically.

Local social media from around the world

Beyond Blockdit and Lemon8, several countries have their own local social media with significant communication roles. Weibo in China has over 573 million monthly users in 2023 and is often the channel where domestic news spreads faster than through other channels. KakaoTalk in South Korea has around 53 million users globally with use patterns similar to LINE in Thailand. VK in Russia has over 97 million monthly users in a Facebook-like format with faster access to domestic information than international alternatives.

Each of these platforms shows that having dedicated space for a specific user group enables communication more aligned with audience targeting than broad platforms can deliver. Brands operating in markets where these platforms have meaningful presence often see better performance by treating the local platform as primary and the global platform as supplementary, rather than the other way around.

The advantages of local social media

Specific and high-quality content: Platforms like Blockdit emphasize creating and exchanging quality articles, promoting learning and deeper analysis, which differs from large platforms that emphasize varied and high-volume content. The trade-off between quality depth and volume is real, and quality depth is often what brands actually need when the audience is specific.

Marketing opportunities aligned with the target audience: For brands wanting to communicate with specific audiences, local social media is a fitting channel. A clear example is when SUFFIX used Lemon8 to promote Persona Health, a health application. The approach selected hashtags within the Health and Wellness group to increase the chance that people interested in health could discover the content easily. The communication style emphasized multi-image storytelling and concise summaries of health points, encouraging interested users to read more and download the app through QR codes in the content. This approach reached the right audience more directly than broad Ads campaigns on global platforms would have, at a fraction of the cost per qualified install.

The disadvantages of local social media

Limited user base: Compared to Facebook with over 2.31 billion users globally, local social media has fewer users, which limits broad reach. For brands whose growth requires mass reach, local platforms alone aren't enough.

Limited resources and features: Smaller platforms may not have resources to develop new features or provide support coverage comparable to large platforms. For example, Lemon8 captions don't support clickable links, requiring QR codes as the only way to track conversion. Blockdit has algorithms that filter for Quality Content, which means content without analytical depth has lower reach, and the audience skews heavily toward Business and Finance interests, which may not fit every product category.

Choosing social media platforms should be based on the brand's objectives and target audience. For broad user reach, large platforms might be the right choice. For communication with specific audiences and building deeper relationships, local social media is another channel worth not overlooking, especially when budget efficiency matters more than total reach.