With social media marketing becoming a more integral part of a company’s marketing strategy one can predict that it will acquire some attributes of traditional marketing. What does this mean for marketers and businesses alike?
It means (and we’re already seeing it) that businesses will have to invest in order to obtain a greater reach and more visibility. Complaining about this reality, won’t make it switch back. Also, it makes sense that social media platforms realize they have an opportunity to make some money (after all, that’s part of business). Some ways this change is already taking place is through Facebook ads and boosts; Twitter cards; as well as native advertisement. The one traditional marketing attribute that won’t be acquired by social media marketing is the not being social part; even though there are plenty of businesses who are on social media and not at all being social.
Since there is no way you can switch off the interaction or engagement part from your community, you can not or it is best if you do not, stop being social. Plus, why would you want to do that in the first place? One of the biggest pros of social media marketing is the fact that businesses can build long-term relationships and engage with their audience, as well as learn how to improve product and services thanks to the community’s input.
With all of that being said, how can businesses and marketers keep making the most with social media marketing?
For marketers
- Manage your client’s (or CEO’s, if you’re an in-house marketer) expectations by letting them know that if they want to reach more of their audience they will have to pay more.
- If you don’t want to vocalize the “pay to play,” you still need to calculate it in your management fees (especially if you’re looking to give the best to your client/company).
- Never stop being social. Just because you have to invest to get more out of your online presence, doesn’t mean you stop engaging with your community. The why behind your marketing efforts should always be to help the brand you represent to be that company everyone thinks of as a genuinely great business, with a friendly and welcoming personality (the care component).
For businesses
- If you want to do social media marketing right, you need a marketing specialist and you will have to pay management, plus advertisement space if you are looking to have a bigger reach.
- Remember that your online presence builds brand awareness, which you need with or without paid advertisement. The online world isn’t dying, so sooner or later you will have to be on some social media platform if you’re going to try and grow your business.
- What’s your business why? Are you around to make big bucks or provide a great service? Great businesses who have the desire to give, appreciate the opportunity to engage with their fans and clients. Of course sales have to happen to stay in business, so that’s a given. If you keep the care component in the forefront, you will achieve your sales. The only difference now is that you have to spend more to reach a wider audience online. However, when doing it right, you will see that return on investment.
I know there’s a lot of debate with the “pay to play” switch that social media platforms are applying, but resistance will not help you to work on your solutions and effectiveness when doing social media marketing. Efforts to try and fight it is something you can do, but in the meantime, if your clients are important, you will also want to look at how you can make the best of what you’re doing with your social media marketing.
How do you foresee social media marketing changing as it becomes an overall component of business marketing?