Nowadays it seems that everyone and their mother has either a Twitter or Facebook account. Social media networks are incorporated into practically every area of our lives, making it easier and more accessible to connect and communicate with others.
Small wonder that the corporate world is looking at ways to utilize the power of social media to its benefit. When designing a marketing campaign for your organisation, there are many social media-friendly strategies that can be employed.
To broaden your reach and make gains in clientele, you must use the mediums your clients are using when they look for your product or service. This will not only ensure you get a great return on investment but also enable you to communicate with the right audience.
In a recent interview, Adam Davies – founder of Show Clicks and a regular speaker on social media – stated that “People these days want up-to-date information and want to connect with each other in a more effective and efficient manner. Social media platforms allow people to stay connected in ways that were not available before.
With conversion rates you can already see social media taking over other forms of advertising. Obviously you can reach a lot of people through a TV ad but then again you will have to pay the price whereas with social media you don’t.”
Nowadays, traditional marketing is regarded somewhat as old and out-dated by many industry leaders. In fact 24 of the 25 largest newspapers are experiencing record declines in circulation. With 50% of the world’s population under the age of 30 and 96% of them using social networks to connect, it is no wonder that social media marketing is becoming the next big thing.
Let’s go ahead and look at the top five key differences between the two styles:
• Traditional marketing relies on the advertising itself to get the gist of its message to the potential consumer. Social Media Marketing engages potential and current consumers with you on a more personal level. This results in an increase of customer service and word of mouth.
• The results of social media marketing can be seen almost instantaneously, whereas with traditional marketing campaigns, companies need to wait for the numbers to come back for them to be analysed and to track results.
• Purchasing ad space in print publications and airtime on either radio or television networks can be pricey. The same is true of billboard rentals and direct mailing. When traditional marketing and social media marketing are compared, there is no competition in this department.
• Social media is a two-way marketing platform. In traditional media, it’s impossible for customers to voice their opinion and connect with a company in real time, whereby with social media, you are able to have a dialogue with potential customers.
• Most traditional marketing campaigns are restricted to a certain timeframe and can have limited impact. But with social media the impact of your message is unlimited due to your customers’ capability to share your message with their friends and family at any point in time.
In saying all this, one of the best ways to measure and weigh up your options is to study your market and compare which option is more targeted to your demographic: social media marketing, traditional marketing or a combination of both? You will find that in most cases, an ideal marketing campaign will consist of both traditional and social media platforms.