The food industry has been capitalizing on social media marketing over the past few years but an expert pointed out that too much reliance on this particular marketing tool could hurt businesses that are not exploring other marketing methods.
CEO of Manzor Marketing, Jane Manzor, said in her commentary for FORA that having an eye-catching Instagram page will not help boost sales if consumers can't find food products or services in relevant shops.
While Manzor acknowledged that social media marketing has helped food companies establish brand awareness and boosted demand, there are other issues that could arise from a lack of leveraging power when other marketing tools aren't utilized at the same time.
"The food sector is a highly competitive space and numerous brands have faltered in recent years because they failed to give sufficient attention to all elements of the marketing mix," Manzor wrote.
Manzor explained that the marketing theory has four core elements: product, price, place, and promotion. Social media falls under the "promotion" category but that's about it. This marketing tool is unable to answer other key questions involving distribution channels, product quality and uniqueness, competitive pricing, and more.
Manzor recommended that food businesses should learn to depend on all marketing elements to boost revenue and at the same time raise brand awareness. Instead of focusing solely on photos that will catch the attention of social media users, Manzor stressed the importance of integrating distribution channels, pricing, and packaging, and other factors that affect a potential buyer's purchasing behavior.
Overall, Manzor said social media will only fit in the puzzle if food industry specialists allow for this marketing tool to complement all other marketing activities. She added that proactive communication on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms, will help provide customers with a better understanding of how they can get the product.
In the U.K., the government has already started deliberating on whether or not junk food advertisements on social media should be banned. The move was initiated due to concerns about promoting food that does not help in alleviating the country's obesity crisis.
While social media is a great channel with which food giants can raise awareness about their products, analysts pointed out that some content should be filtered to help curb health problems, especially among children.
Despite some opposition about the use of social media in marketing strategies, other food industry experts believe that Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media channels, actually help with sales. "The Instagram Effect" is a popular term that marketing teams use when brainstorming on plans for selling products through social media.
