With over 80% of consumers reporting that social media—especially influencer content—significantly impacts buying decisions, marketers across industries are driving the evolution of social media marketing (SMM) from a stand-alone tool to a multipronged source of marketing intelligence on an increasingly important—and growing—audience.
Within 18 years, from 2004 (when MySpace became the first social media site to reach one million users) to 2022, the dramatic growth of interactive digital channels took social media to levels that challenge even the reach of television and radio. By Q1 of 2022, there were 4.6 billion social media users globally—over 58% of the world’s population—an increase of over 10% in one year alone.
As the use of social media trends upward, marketers are perfecting strategies to capture the significant competitive advantage that engagement with this key audience can deliver even more rapidly and more effectively than traditional marketing.
Key Takeaways
- Social media marketing (SMM) uses social media and social networks—like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram—to market products and services, engage with existing customers, and reach new ones.
- The power of social media marketing comes from the unparalleled capacity of social media in three core marketing areas: connection, interaction, and customer data.
- Social media marketing has transformed the way businesses are able to influence consumer behavior—from promoting content that drives engagement to extracting personal data that makes messaging resonate withusers.
- Because social media today is so ubiquitous, marketing techniques using these platforms are extremely important for businesses.
What Is Social Media Marketing (SMM)?
Social media marketing (SMM) (also known as digital marketing and e-marketing) is the use of social media—the platforms on which users build social networks and share information—to build a company's brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic. In addition to providing companies with a way to engage with existing customers and reach new ones, social media marketing (SMM) has purpose-built data analytics that allow marketers to track the success of their efforts and identify even more ways to engage.
Why Is Social Media Marketing So Powerful?
The power of social media marketing (SMM) is driven by the unparalleled capacity of social media in three core marketing areas: connection, interaction, and customer data.
Connection: Not only does social media enable businesses to connect with customers in ways that were previously impossible, but there is also an extraordinary range of avenues to connect with target audiences—from content platforms (like YouTube) and social sites (like Facebook) to microblogging services (like Twitter).
Interaction: The dynamic nature of the interaction on social media—whether direct communication or passive “liking”—enables businesses to leverage free advertising opportunities from eWOM (electronic word-of-mouth) recommendations between existing and potential customers. Not only is the positive contagion effect from eWOM a valuable driver of consumer decisions, but the fact that these interactions happen on the social network makes them measurable. For example, businesses can measure their “social equity”—a term for the return on investment (ROI) from their social media marketing (SMM) campaigns.
Customer Data: A well-designed social media marketing (SMM) plan delivers another invaluable resource to boost marketing outcomes: customer data. Rather than being overwhelmed by the 3Vs of big data (volume, variety, and velocity), SMM tools have the capacity not only to extract customer data but also to turn this gold into actionable market analysis—or even to use the data to crowdsource new strategies.
How Social Media Marketing Works
As platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram took off, social media transformed not only the way we connect with one another but also the way businesses are able to influence consumer behavior—from promoting content that drives engagement to extracting geographic, demographic, and personal information that makes messaging resonate withusers.
SMM Action Plan: The more targeted your social media marketing (SMM) strategy is, the more effective it will be. Hootsuite, a leading software provider in the social media management space, recommends the following action plan to build an SMM campaign that has an execution framework as well as performance metrics:
- Align SMM goals to clear business objectives
- Learn your target customer (age, location, income, job title, industry, interests)
- Conduct a competitive analysis on your competition (successes and failures)
- Audit your current SMM (successes and failures)
- Create a calendar for SMM content delivery
- Create best-in-class content
- Track performance and adjust SMM strategy as needed
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Compared to traditional marketing, social media marketing has several distinct advantages, including the fact that SMM has two kinds of interaction that enable targeted customer relationship management (CRM) tools: both customer-to-customer and firm-to-customer. In other words, while traditional marketing tracks customer value primarily by capturing purchase activity, SMM can track customer value both directly (through purchases) and indirectly (through product referrals).
Shareable Content: Businesses can also convert the amplified interconnectedness of SMM into the creation of "sticky" content, the marketing term for attractive content that engages customers at first glance, gets them to purchase products, and then makes them want to share the content. This kind of word-of-mouth advertising not only reaches an otherwise inaccessible audience, but also carries the implicit endorsem*nt of someone the recipient knows and trusts—which makes the creation of shareable content one of the most important ways that social media marketing drives growth.
Earned Media: Social media marketing (SMM) is also the most efficient way for a business to reap the benefits of another kind of earned media (a term for brand exposure from any method other than paid advertising): customer-created product reviews and recommendations.
Viral Marketing: Another SMM strategy that relies on the audience to generate the message is viral marketing, a sales technique that attempts to trigger the rapid spread of word-of-mouth product information. Once a marketing message is being shared with the general public far beyond the original target audience, it is considered viral—a very simple and inexpensive way to promote sales.
Customer Segmentation: Because customer segmentation is much more refined on social media marketing (SMM) than on traditional marketing channels, companies can ensure they focus their marketing resources on their exact target audiences.
Tracking Metrics
According to Sprout Social, the most important social media marketing (SMM) metrics to track are focused on the customer: engagement (likes, comments, shares, clicks); impressions (how many times a post shows up); reach/virality (how many unique views an SMM post has); share of voice (how far a brand reaches in the online sphere); referrals (how a user lands on a site); and conversions (when a user makes a purchase on a site). However, another very important metric is focused on the business: response rate/time (how often and how fast the business responds to customer messages).
When a business is trying to determine which metrics to track in the sea of data that social media generates, the rule is always to align each business goal to a relevant metric. If your business goal is to grow conversions from an SMM campaign by 15% within three months, then use a social media analytics tool that measures the effectiveness of your campaign against that specific target.
Even in the digital age, people appreciate the human touch, so don't rely only on social media to get the word out.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media Marketing
Tailored social media marketing (SMM) campaigns that instantly reach a range of target audiences are clearly advantageous to any business.
But—like any social media content—SMM campaigns can leave a company open to attack. For example, a viral video claiming that a product causes illness or injury must be addressed immediately—whether the claim is true or false. Even if a company can set the record straight, false viral content can make consumers less likely to purchase in the future.
What Is Sticky Content in Social Media Marketing?
Sticky content is the marketing term for attractive content that engages customers at first glance and then influences them not only to purchase products but also to share the content.
What Is Viral Marketing in Social Media Marketing?
Viral marketing is an SMM strategy that attempts to trigger the rapid spread of word-of-mouth product information—a very simple and inexpensive way to promote sales.
What Is Earned Media in Social Media Marketing?
Earned media is a marketing term for brand exposure from any method other than paid advertising, e.g., customer-created content ranging from product reviews and recommendations to shares, reposts, and mentions.
What Are Some Examples of Social Media Marketing Strategies?
Social media marketing has grown to include several techniques and strategies to engage users and market products and services. These include audience-targeted advertising, the use of interactive chatbots, creating personalized experiences for customers online, the use of social media influencers, building an online audience, and so on.
How Can One Get Started in Social Media Marketing?
To start working in social media marketing, it is good to have at least a bachelors degree in marketing or a related field. Then, it's critical to gain a good understanding of how marketing campaigns work on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. After that, showcase your talents by creating compelling and effective content. Follow influencers and other social media marketers to learn what they are doing well and where they fall flat. Together, use these steps to create a personal brand that you can use to sell yourself and your work.
The Bottom Line
Social media marketing (SMM) is the use of social media platforms to interact with customers to build brands, increase sales, and drive website traffic. As social media usage grows around the world, both via computer and mobile devices, the ability to drive sales from certain user populations is a growing business, rife with competition for views and clicks.
FAQs
Social media marketing (SMM) is a form of internet marketing that uses social media apps as a marketing tool. These social media platforms enable brands to connect with their audience to: build a brand; increase sales; drive traffic to a website; and.
Why is social media marketing? ›
Social media allows marketers to connect and engage potential customers where they are at: LinkedIn, Twitter, Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and even some of the younger platforms like TikTok. With a strong social media strategy and the ability to create engaging content, marketers can engage their audience.
What is social media marketing SMM framework quizlet? ›
What is a SMM Plan? A SMM Plan details an organization's social media goals and the actions necessary to achieve them. Key among these actions is the understanding of corporate and marketing strategies and the creation of promotional strategies.
What is the meaning of media marketing? ›
Media marketing refers to marketing initiatives that focus on reaching audiences through different types of media outlets. This can include radio stations, television networks and websites found online.
Which social media marketing is the best? ›
- 1. Facebook. Facebook has more than 2.27 billion active monthly users, which makes it your number one choice. ...
- Twitter. Twitter has an average of 186 million daily active users. ...
- LinkedIn. LinkedIn is known as the primary social networking site for professionals. ...
- Instagram. ...
- YouTube. ...
- Pinterest. ...
- Reddit. ...
- Snapchat.
One of the main reasons social media marketing is so effective is that brands can hyper-target ideal clients based on exact demographics. Showing ads to the right individuals is a critical part of the marketing process and must be taken seriously to avoid wasted ad spend.
Why is social media is important? ›
It is a valuable communication tool with others locally and worldwide, as well as to share, create, and spread information. Social media can influence consumer's purchase decisions through reviews, marketing tactics and advertising.
What are the benefits of social media? ›
Here are five benefits of using social media:
- Build relationships. Social media is not just about brands connecting with their customers. ...
- Share your expertise. Social media gives you an opportunity to talk about what you know and what you want to be known for. ...
- Increase your visibility. ...
- Educate yourself. ...
- Connect anytime.
Key components of an organizational social media policy: policies may include standards of conduct, disclosure requirements, and standards for posting intellectual property, financial info, and copyrighted info.
What does it mean to say that social media is customizable quizlet? ›
The electronic, two-way communication that allows users to share information, content, ideas, and messages to create a customizable experience is known as. social media. What does it mean to say that social media is customizable? The content you see on social media is based on your media profile and prior usage.
According to the text, SMM employs word-of-mouth marketing. Only large corporations have been successful in measuring the return from their social media marketing efforts. It does not employ traditional marketing methods in the usual way. It does not control the content of the message.
Is social media marketing a skill? ›
Although you're using social media as the tool, you're still marketing, which means a must have social media skill is marketing and you need a solid understanding of basic marketing principles. You don't need a marketing degree, but you do need good foundational knowledge about how marketing works.
What are the 3 types of media in marketing? ›
The 3 Types of Media in Marketing: Paid, Earned, and Owned.
Why is social media important for business? ›
Social media can help your business to: attract customers, get customer feedback and build customer loyalty. increase your market reach, including international markets. do market research and reduce marketing costs.
What are the five most effective social media marketing strategies? ›
The five most effective social media marketing strategies are:
- Always educate and give value to your audience.
- Create varied content.
- Leverage customer loyalty, reviews, and user-generated content.
- Focus on the best social media channel that works for your strategy.
- Connect with other influencers in your niche.
10 Steps to Getting Started in Social Media Marketing
- Determine your goals. What do you want to get out of your social Web participation? ...
- Evaluate your resources. ...
- Know your audience. ...
- Create amazing content. ...
- Integrate your marketing efforts. ...
- Create a schedule. ...
- Adopt an 80-20 rule. ...
- Focus on quality, not quantity.
How To Start Your Own Social Media Marketing Agency
- Choose a niche.
- Determine the services (and pricing) you want to offer.
- Determine your unique selling points and prepare a business plan.
- Start pitching clients.
- Track your progress in a portfolio and turn it into social proof.
What Are the 6 Types of Social Media? The six types of social media, though this can be broken down in many ways, include social networking, bookmarking, social news, media sharing, microblogging, and online forum sites.
How popular is social media marketing? ›
More than half of the world now uses social media (59%) 4.70 billion people around the world now use social media, 227 million new users have come online within the last 12 months. The average daily time spent using social media is 2h 29m.
How successful is social media advertising? ›
On average, 28% of people who use the internet found new products after viewing social media ads. Social media advertising plays a big role in consumer behavior. According to a report from GWI, 49% of internet users say they are likely to purchase from brands they see advertised on social media.
What is Social Media? Social media refers to the means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks. The Office of Communications and Marketing manages the main Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube accounts.
What are the 10 benefits of social media? ›
Top 10 Benefits of Social Media in the Digital Era
- Generate Online Traffic.
- Staying Alive.
- Better Conversion Rates.
- Increasing Brand Loyalty.
- Partnering up with Influencers.
- Assessing the Competition.
Social Media Helps to Reach Out to a Bigger Audience. Almost 90% of marketers say their social marketing efforts have increased exposure for their business, and 75% say they've increased traffic. It an ideal way to create brand awareness and stay in contact with your customers.
What is social media and advantages and disadvantages? ›
Top 10 Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media
| Pros of Social Media | Cons of Social Media |
|---|
| People Can Connect Through Social Media | Reduces Face-to-face Communication Skills |
| Good Source of Up-to-Date Information | Fake News |
| Social Media Is Beneficial to Education | People's Addiction to Social Media |
7 more rowsHowever, multiple studies have found a strong link between heavy social media and an increased risk for depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts. Social media may promote negative experiences such as: Inadequacy about your life or appearance.
What are the three elements of a social media plan? ›
Build your social media strategy around your personal brand with authenticity, focus and consistency.
...
To build your social media strategy, integrate these three essential elements:
- Be Real. Personal branding is based in authenticity. ...
- Be Focused. The web is vast. ...
- Be Consistent.
The first step in writing a report is to begin your research. Make a trip to the library, search the Internet for viable, academic resources and look for information in newspapers. Use a variety of research materials that are relevant to your topic and take notes.
What should you do before writing the report? ›
How to write a report in 7 steps
- 1 Choose a topic based on the assignment.
- 2 Conduct research.
- 3 Write a thesis statement.
- 4 Prepare an outline.
- 5 Write a rough draft.
- 6 Revise and edit your report.
- 7 Proofread and check for mistakes.
Establish Goals
The first step to a successful social media marketing plan is to establish what you want to achieve. With any good marketing plan, you need to assess your current situation and establish your goals. Make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.
What is the first step of developing a social media marketing campaign? ›
Step 1: Create clear and actionable goals
Plus, your goals will guide your decision making as you put together your social media marketing plan. In this case, you'll want to determine exactly what you're hoping to accomplish through your social media marketing efforts.
Rogers talked about some of the most popular types of digital marketing, providing a brief overview of each:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ...
- Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ...
- Social Media Marketing.
Step 1. Choose social media marketing goals that align to business objectives
- Set S.M.A.R.T. goals.
- Track meaningful metrics.
- Create audience personas.
- Gather data.
- Conduct a competitive analysis.
- Use social media listening.
- Look for impostor accounts.
- Decide which networks to use.
Although you're using social media as the tool, you're still marketing, which means a must have social media skill is marketing and you need a solid understanding of basic marketing principles. You don't need a marketing degree, but you do need good foundational knowledge about how marketing works.
Is social media marketing a good career? ›
Is Social Media Marketing a Good Job? Yes, it's one of the fastest-growing career opportunities because of the increasing number of businesses growing their online presence. It's a high-responsibility job and comes with an above average paycheck.
How do I become a social media marketer? ›
How to Become a Social Media Marketing Manager: 5 Steps
- Close skill gaps. ...
- Learn Social Media Platforms and Marketing Analytics. ...
- Gain Relevant Work Experience. ...
- Develop a Portfolio. ...
- Market Yourself to Potential Clients.
As free and easy as each platform may be, a solid social media marketing strategy requires multiple platforms and often a mix of organic and paid methods. This can be resource-heavy, and while it's a good problem to have, the more you grow your audience using social media, the harder it will be to keep up.
How social media become successful? ›
5 Tips to Successful Social Media Marketing
- Create a Strategy. Each platform needs its strategy. ...
- Be Consistent. While posting consistency depends on the platform, posting content regularly is always a good rule of thumb to follow. ...
- Create Engaging & Interesting Content. ...
- Engagement. ...
- Track and Analyze Metrics.
With consistent updating, the right social media marketing strategy will lead to increased traffic, better SEO, higher conversion rates, improved brand loyalty, and much more. There are virtually no reasons not to implement social media into your marketing strategy.
What are the characteristics of a successful social media marketer? ›
Successfully managing a brand's social media accounts and their overall strategy is incredibly important in the digital age. Social media managers who know how to connect and engage with people, leverage monitoring, and listening tools, and align their insights with a brand's goals will be the most successful.
What Does a social media manager do daily? ›
On any given day, a social media manager might be responsible for setting the strategy for an upcoming product launch, creating a video, analyzing data across platforms, designing viral GIFs, coordinating messaging with PR & Communications, runnings paid advertisem*nts and lots more.
A good Social Media Manager needs skills like data analysis, a strong writing and storytelling sensibility, an awareness of key trends, and the ability to create effective social media strategies.
How much money does a social media marketer make? ›
The average Social Media Marketing and Communications Manager salary in the United States is $110,772 as of September 26, 2022, but the range typically falls between $96,828 and $124,129.
How long does it take to learn social media marketing? ›
How long does it take to learn social media marketing? It is possible to learn social media marketing in as little as three months, though six months is more common with full-time effort. Social media marketing uses several platforms, each with specific content requirements and success strategies.
How can I become a social media marketer without a degree? ›
How to get a job in digital marketing without a degree or experience
- Finding your specialty.
- Building your soft skills.
- Starting a personal brand.
- Running A/B tests.
- Building your marketing portfolio.
- Surrounding yourself with people in the industry.
- Dedicating time to learning.
Social media marketing won't work for everyone, and no one should see it as an easy, low effort way to make money. The best strategies take planning and tie into a company's overall strategy. Different approaches work for different businesses, but we'll come to that.
Which is better social media marketing or digital marketing? ›
While social media marketing relies on social media channels, digital marketing covers more of the digital medium and even the offline world extending to SMS, radio and TV. Digital marketing is important to any brand strategy.
How much do social media marketers make per hour? ›
If you're a new freelancer, hourly rates usually range between $15 and $50 per hour, again depending on how advanced the project is and how much experience you have under your belt. For more advanced freelance work, you can charge upwards from $120 per hour.
