There was a time when only 28% of businesses used social media for marketing purposes. But now, more than 91% of companies do.
Investing in a social media marketing strategy is a necessity in 2023 (and beyond). After all, Internet users are spending more time than ever on social media - an average of 151 minutes per day, to be exact. This means there's ample opportunity for your business to grab the attention of these potential customers!
As with all digital marketing strategies, social media marketing comes with its own pros and cons. Below, we'll go through 20 things you need to know about social media marketing, including potential blind spots so that you can plan ahead.
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Social media marketing takes your business's digital strategies to the social media networks customers are hanging out on. It makes use of different social media platforms and their various tools while ultimately growing sales, driving traffic to websites, and building brand recognition amongst potential customers.
But social media marketing advantages and disadvantages coexist. After all, there's no such thing as a social media marketing campaign that doesn't come with both its pros and its cons.
So, what are the things you should be looking out for? Keep reading to find out!
Social media marketing comes with plenty of advantages. But knowing exactly what those advantages are will help you make the most out of your social media marketing strategy.
One of the greatest assets any social media platform has to offer your business is the fact that it allows you to connect directly with customers. And this gives you the perfect opportunity to show off your excellent customer service skills.
76% of consumers expect a reply within 24 hours on social media.
But knowing these expectations can help you immensely in either converting potential customers or retaining existing customers. After all, all customers enjoy being well-cared for, and social media allows you to show them that you can follow through and deliver.
You may have a target audience in mind for your business (or, at least you should). But there's no harm in reaching a larger audience, especially when trying to generate brand awareness through your business account!
150 million new users joined social media since this time last year. That's an average rate of 4.7 new users every single second.
Suffice it to say, there's a massive audience social media allows you to engage with. While your social media marketing strategy should center on your target audience, don't forget those additional users who are likely to engage with your content nonetheless.
Brand loyalty is something every business owner is after. And luckily, with quality content, you can drive loyalty through the roof while showcasing your brand's unique voice.
84.3% of consumers are more inclined to be loyal to a brand that shares its values.
So don't be shy when creating content! Make sure your marketing efforts display exactly who you are as a brand. This way, you can track how your audience perceives you and you can engage customers who are more aligned with your brand's mission and core.
Ad campaigns are always an option. But it is entirely possible to pull off a successful social media marketing strategy with only organic content.
In fact, some digital marketing experts argue that organic content far outweighs paid marketing strategies as it sets your business marketing strategy up for long-term success.
Plus, a majority of businesses utilize organic social media posting as a means of amplifying their online marketing strategies overall.
73% of survey respondents shared they used organic social media channels to promote their content while only 53% invest in paid social media ads.
Again, paid ads are always an option. But the impact of organic social media content shouldn't go overlooked!
Increasing brand awareness is a key objective for almost every business out there. After all, how else are you going to reach customers if they don't know your business exists?
At this rate, social media marketing is a surefire way to ensure that potential customers know where to find you.
In fact, 90% of users follow at least one brand on social media.
So, make the most of this and ensure all of your social media sites are documented on your website as well. This way, you can craft a thorough digital marketing strategy while connecting all of your social media accounts together.
Social networking platforms have evolved immensely over time. And one particular advantage that social media marketing can offer your business is its ability to boost inbound traffic to your website.
75% of marketers credit social media marketing with increased web traffic, and almost 90% say it has improved business exposure.
While you may be generating content for your social media page, know that your efforts will similarly impact your eCom website too. There's a reason why "link in bio" has been a part of the Urban Dictionary vernacular since 2017!
Social media marketing campaigns aren't just about bolstering your brand. They also give you a competitive edge over others in your niche industry.
With greater insights into market trends, you can develop a social media advertising campaign that speaks more directly to your customers while filling in the gaps where other companies fall short.
57% of survey respondents shared that growing a social media presence and building better brand loyalty are their biggest investments for 2023.
But the only way these objectives can be fulfilled is by taking advantage of the free tools social media has to offer. These tools can help you track customer behavior while teaching you which social media posts best resonate with users.
And all of these insights can help to inform a more thoughtful strategy that boosts social media engagement in a fun and exciting way. In this sense, social media marketing goes deeper than traditional marketing ever could.
Most social media platforms offer their own advertising services. And any business would be crazy not to take advantage of them!
Facebook has the highest potential ad reach - 1.98 billion - out of all social media platforms.
But this isn't to say that other social media platforms don't also offer significant benefits. Boosting well-performing organic content with a paid campaign is the best way to leverage your marketing efforts.
As the paid ad helps you reach broader audiences, your organic content will act as the social proof potential consumers need to trust you as an authority in your market.
There are many social media benefits. But perhaps the most important one is your ability as a business to connect directly with your target audience.
81% of consumers want to form a relationship with a brand.
And you getting to know them better can similarly enhance your future social media marketing strategies. All of this free data should be put to good use. So don't sleep on the fact that you have a direct line to your target consumers and their data points!
If you're a small business owner, then you likely don't have a gargantuan marketing budget to pull from. But luckily, you don't need a huge budget to craft a quality blog post, then repurpose it into a social media tile.
Social media marketing offers so many free ways to boost your company's reputation and credibility.
In fact, more than 200 million businesses use Facebook's applications and free tools.
When you sign your business up for a social media account, you're not just getting free digital space to advertise your products and services. You're also equipping yourself with the digital tools necessary to track your performance - and all at little or no cost!
Every marketing campaign requires a well-thought-out plan. And luckily, social media marketing gives you the tools necessary to evaluate your past performance to inform smarter strategies for the future.
Over 50% of marketers who have been implementing social media marketing tactics for at least 2 years have reported improved sales.
So, don't make the mistake of thinking that a social media marketing strategy will produce immediate results. Instead, gradually accrue credibility online and you'll start to see those upward trends with consistent energy and effort.
At this point, social media is both a hub for content consumption and online shopping. And when you match that intent with quality content, you greatly increase your chances of converting potential consumers into loyal customers.
76% of social media users have purchased something they saw on social media.
After all, social media gives potential consumers an inside look into the product through customer testimonials as well. Nowadays, customers like to know a company inside and out.
So, make sure that your social media marketing strategy showcases transparency at its core. This way, you can leverage the conscious consumer's intent to buy from a brand that has more than just their own interests in mind.
Bonus: How To Write Blogs That Are SEO-Friendly In 2023
Is there anything social media marketing can't do? Unfortunately, yes. But if you understand these disadvantages beforehand, you're sure to remain ahead of the curve.
Putting your brand out there online requires a lot of vulnerability. After all, you're going to be marketing to a number of users, and not all of them will turn out to be the loyal customers you hope for.
That being said, your social media should never give in to negative feedback, no matter how negative it can get.
67% of people use social media for customer service.
And, as we all know from personal and professional experience, sometimes there are negative customer service interactions. So long as you remain true to your brand's voice and conduct yourself professionally, the negative feedback will never be enough to fully "cancel" you.
One big social media disadvantage is the amount of time and effort it takes to pull off a successful campaign.
In fact, 22% of all social media marketing activities are done by social media marketing companies.
While it's entirely possible for an individual or small business to adopt a successful social media strategy, you might find it easier to hire a social media marketing company to do the work for you.
Running a business is time-consuming enough. So, if you have the funds, be sure to employ the best in the industry to get your business off the ground and running in the digital space.
Producing organic content often comes at no cost. But paid advertisements are where things can get costly.
Social media advertisers spent $262.5 per Internet user on average in 2022.
No matter the size of your business, that's a big investment. Luckily, there are plenty of SEO companies like ours ready to take on those challenges while delivering sustainable, organic results.
From 2020-2021, we managed to 35x one luxury beauty company's organic visitor growth, resulting in 605 unique organic sales in 10 months and ranking them for 6,500 keywords in Google's Top 100 results.
Combining SEO with your social media marketing efforts is a surefire way to make sure you dominate all digital channels. And this type of exposure simply leads to greater benefits down the line.
Algorithm updates happen whether you like them or not. And sometimes, it can be difficult to keep up when social media platforms are changing seemingly at the speed of light.
But keeping up to date with these algorithm shifts will deeply enhance your ability to remain flexible.
51% of weekly Instagram users prefer to see funny content on social media platforms.
So, if you see funny content being favored more on social media feeds, consider how your social strategy can play into that trend. You may be able to keep up with the algorithm this way, but it's also best to get the advice of those with substantial experience in the industry.
Boosting your business over social media has many benefits. But when you start to depend on a social media platform for the sake of your success, things can get a little dicey.
With little control over the platform itself, you might find yourself too dependent on these free tools. That's why having a digital strategy aside from social media is important for making sure that your efforts aren't slowed down or hindered.
As we said earlier, consistent effort is key to social media marketing. While many things can go viral, that's not to say that "virality" is a sustainable way to expand upon your business.
52% of businesses express dissatisfaction with social media ROI.
But this simply means that there may be other channels with greater ROI for you to invest in. There's no question that social media remains an integral part of business nowadays. But when it comes to ROI, be sure to expand your digital strategies elsewhere.
Using social media for marketing purposes means that everyone can see your content - including your competition. But this isn't necessarily a disadvantage in and of itself.
77% of businesses use social media to reach customers.
And this means you can also look at the competition for insights into your own digital strategies. Putting yourself out there comes with the risk of vulnerability. But focusing on how to best leverage that vulnerability will be key to your brand's success.
Anything can go viral nowadays - the good, the bad, and the ugly. So make sure you double-check everything you post!
81% of users report that social media increases accountability for businesses.
And this can be both good and bad. But when it comes to the potential for embarrassment, just make sure you “okay” everything that goes onto your business’s social media feeds.
Social media marketing can open up your business like no other digital strategy. Just keep these 20 tips in mind when navigating this new terrain!
Keep Reading: What Is SEO And How Does It Work For Your Business?
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Up Inc. eCommerce Agency is a digital marketing agency based in Los Angeles, CA. Founded in 2021, Up Inc. specializes in eCommerce, generating growth for brands by focusing on visibility, customer loyalty, and digital revenue. For more SEO tips and industry insights, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
