At this point, everyone knows just how important social media is to marketing - it is truly an essential element of every business' marketing strategy, regardless of the business size or industry. In fact, social media is so important that it is extremely rare to find a company which does not have at least some form of active social media.
While social media marketing is now considered to be an essential aspect of every digital marketing plan, it obviously was not always like this. Social media platforms certainly have not been around forever and the popularity of different platforms for marketing ebbs and flows. For example, many companies were putting money into Facebook advertising budgets about ten years ago but now would consider investing in Instagram or the TikTok advertising industry.
This article will pick apart the why and how of social media marketing and explain why it is so important, plus how you can successfully integrate it.
Why is social media so important?
Social media is a must-have aspect of every digital marketing campaign because, simply put, it is incredibly popular. These platforms are popular in two different and distinct ways. First, there are hundreds of millions of people who are on these platforms with active profiles and high engagement levels - that is a large captive audience.
Second, many people spend quite a bit of time on their social media and are frequent users. Unlike when someone might happen to pass by a certain sign on a street once a week, with social media, many of us spend upwards of one to two hours a day on these platforms. When ads are heavily invested in, users are likely to see the adverts at least once or twice a day, if not more.
Smaller audience, better selection
One of the biggest advantages of digital marketing on social media is that it is much easier to target audience. Traditional marketing typically involves more of a "spray and pray" approach in which large swathes of the population are targeted, the hope being that the intended demographic will also end up seeing the advertisement.
Consider a billboard used for marketing as an example. Billboard marketing has been popular for hundreds of years as an effective traditional marketing tactic - these massive signs can be seen by hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of people every single day, depending on where they are placed. This is ideal for marketing campaigns which are targeting broad demographics such as telecommunications, energy, banking services, and car companies.
However, consider the marketing needs of a small to mid-sized vegan ice cream brand. This company clearly will not appeal to everyone, and they likely cannot afford to regularly pay for billboard marketing. In cases such as this, it is much more effective and cost-efficient to instead invest in social media marketing.
Getting down to details
One of the benefits of having a smaller audience is that the reach is much more targeted. When you pay for an ad on radio, TV, or in the newspapers, you are not quite sure who you will be reaching. However, with social media marketing, you can create ad campaigns which target individuals based on their location, age, gender, interests, level of education, and more.
This level of specificity means that you are more likely to reach customers who are interested in your product or service, rather than attempt to paint wide brush strokes over large swathes of the population.
You have likely also experienced the power of social media marketing on the other side, as a consumer. If you have ever viewed the Instagram profile of an activewear or sporting goods company, you are sure to find a series of different activewear companies advertising to you across Instagram in the future.
While this might be somewhat annoying, it is arguably less annoying than being targeted by random ads that have absolutely nothing to do with you. Perhaps you have even bought something which was advertised to you on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok - while the ads may seem annoying, the targeted nature can enhance the user experience of the app itself.
Gaining an edge on the competition
There are many different aspects to a successful digital marketing campaign, it is not possible to grow a following by holding bi-annual giveaways anymore. If you are looking to truly gain an edge in the market, hone your craft, and develop skills you can later use in digital marketing, then it may be time to consider an online master's in marketing or business.
The world of social media is constantly growing, changing, and adapting, and it is not possible for a single degree to teach you everything you need to know about social media marketing. However, studying marketing at the master's level will help you to develop the skills, experiences, and mindset to recognize a good opportunity when you find it and take advantage of it in an efficient and effective way.
Other business uses for social media
There are several other uses social media can have for businesses other than marketing, which are just as important and useful. Good quality social media profiles can be time consuming to launch and keep up to date, so you might as well take advantage of all the different uses possible.
Small companies such as mom and pop shops and local cafés, bars, and restaurants may not have the time, energy, or resources to create and maintain a website. Some smaller businesses have opted to use their Facebook profile as the website for the shop or restaurant and it is where they post their opening hours, updates, specials, and events.
Other platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn may be difficult to advertise on, but they are excellent for networking and recruiting. The algorithms on these platforms continue to improve and this boosts the overall platform experience and makes it easier than ever before to find like-minded individuals and similar company pages.
