Technology and the internet have changed our lives beyond all recognition in countless ways, and now, in 2022, an entire generation of young people are growing up having never known a world without Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For those of us who are just a little bit older, such a thought is difficult to comprehend; it wasn’t such a long time ago when the thought of a computer in every home seemed preposterous.
People sincerely questioned why they would want or need a such a machine at home, and yet today, almost every one of us always carries a device in our pocket that is millions of times more capable than the room-sized behemoths that were the pinnacle of mankind’s technological prowess little more than fifty years earlier. As fantastic as our technological achievements have become, we must also remember that the instantaneous worldwide communication facilitated by our devices has locked us in to the biggest social experiment ever seen.
The Power of Social Media
Traditional marketing methods such as newspaper and television advertisements have always had to rely on their widespread ability to reach the target markets sought by advertisers. This is not the case with social media – the information posted by users allows these platforms to recognize which people are likely to be interested in specific topics.
If your company produces video games, you can request that your advert is shown only to users with a proven interest in gaming content. Or perhaps you operate an online casino and wish to promote your latest casino bonus – not only can you ensure that your ad is seen only be users with an interest in online gambling, but you can also ensure that only users of legal gambling age in territories where online gambling is permitted will be shown your advertisement.
Better still, surveys have shown that many users of social media check their feed multiple times per hour throughout the day. Such regular interaction between users and their social feeds gives marketing departments the ability to create short-term promotions that just wouldn’t be possible via traditional advertising methods. The moment you begin a new social media marketing campaign, you can be sure of reaching huge numbers of people within minutes.
When we say huge, we really mean it too – roughly 59% of the worlds population currently uses social media in some form. Television may still be ahead in terms of raw numbers, but it is impossible to make a fair comparison between these two forms of advertising, as you would have to advertise on every single network or channel worldwide in order to reach a greater number of people than is possible through Facebook advertising alone.
The Role of Social Media in Your Digital Marketing Strategy
Just as different television channels appeal to different demographics, the same is also true of social media. Facebook advertising may have the largest reach as far as the raw numbers are concerned, but there could be better options out there if your product is specifically targeted at younger individuals who prefer spending their time on TikTok, for example.
Perhaps you have a product which needs to be seen in action to be promoted effectively – in this scenario, simple banner adverts or 3 second graphics loops are never going to be enough to tell your story. There are now hundreds of social media influencers producing content on YouTube, many of whom have millions of devoted followers. Building partnerships with individuals who cater towards your target audience is far more cost-effective than television advertising and allows your product to be demonstrated in full.
An often-overlooked aspect of social media marketing is the fact that is allows for two-way communication between you and your customer base. When customers feel that they can connect with a brand directly, the effect on brand loyalty can be huge. Even those who are not personally engaging are likely to be impressed if they see you responding to customer feedback in a constructive and helpful manner, and such feedback can prove invaluable when creating new or updated versions of your products.
Even industry-leading brands can be toppled by failing to listen to customer feedback – the customer is always right may be a cliché, but as cliché’s go, there can’t be many which are truer than this. Your competitors will also be trying to make the most of social media advertising, so keep your eyes and ears open regarding them, too; where are they going wrong? What are they doing right? Remember, social media advertising is an extremely dynamic environment, giving you the ability to immediately both correct your mistakes and capitalize on those of your competitors.
Never before have businesses had such a powerful tool in their digital marketing armory – be sure to make the most of it.
