Social media marketing has brought new dynamics to be dealt with by all. Parents are now monitoring digital content their children see closely. People are more open to the public eye with private thoughts through platforms such as Instagram. “Viral” is now a term in common use. People are using the internet to keep up with their friends.
What Was Before Social Media Marketing?
Let’s go back in time. Remember when there was no social media? Ad campaigns are run through television commercials, billboards, and newspapers. Encyclopedias are the main form of research for school projects. Digital games (Farmville, anyone?) do not exist. Instead, people look forward to the newspaper crossword puzzle, or buy an entire book of them. Blockbuster still has more than one store open…
New Dynamics:
The internet also translates differently into the marketing world. Although social sites and major search engines have been around since the 1990’s, marketers were not aware of the power they held until recently.
Social media marketing is using social sites and search engines for ad campaigns. The five pillars to this marketing style are as follows: strategy, planning and publishing, listening and engagement, analytics and reporting, and advertising.
First, strategy is discerning goals the company wants to hit, the social channels that will be utilized, and content that is going to be published.
Second, planning and publishing are businesses drafting their content. Will they use photos or videos? Will any content be scripted? What platform is this content publishing on?
Third, listening and engagement leads into analytics and reporting. This is the “field phase” (so-to-speak) to analytics. Customers and users are monitored in relation to the brand trying to market themselves. What is said about each social media post? What is being written about the brand?
Analytics and reporting is knowing the reach of posts. Lastly, advertising. Companies can purchase ads on social media to promote themselves.
What Did We Do Without It?
Before social media, marketing companies had to rely on paper advertising. Newspapers, magazines, billboards, and even television. Larger businesses held most, if not all, of the capital. The finances functioned differently with the bigger corporations and television commercials were easily affordable. Smaller businesses had to rely on word of mouth for their name to be known.
It is more than possible for smaller brand names to be known without social media. The benefit to today is that marketers are able to shift their techniques to a way that reaches further.
What Would Happen if Social Media Didn’t Exist?
In conclusion, imagine if no social media existed. People market through newspapers. Newspapers sell for one quarter from machines on street corners. Billboards are painted on, not digital screens. One friend shares the word with another about a great product they own. People are not walking with their face buried in technology. Texting and driving is not a problem.
Most importantly to social media marketing is a viral video. This is the biggest downfall to this type of marketing. However, if no social or search sites exist marketers do not have the headache of videos going viral on social platforms. There is no damage control needing to be done to a video seen one million times claiming a product is faulty.
Although there is power to this marketing strategy there is also a downfall. Downfalls happen everywhere. Technology makes some aspects of them harder to handle.
Let’s Discuss Your Options!
If you are curious as to how you can grow your social media presence, V12 strategies is ready to assist! We specialize in marketing and business strategies that align with your business and your goals. Call us today at (918) 863-5856, or email jp@v12strategies.com.
