There is no doubt that since the advent of social media, the idea of using it as a marketing platform has become one of the hottest topics. People of all stripes now claim to be social media marketing (SMM) experts who can assist you with your SMM needs. But, is it really worth all the hype that it has garnered?
What Makes a Marketing Campaign Successful?
The message you come up with for your campaign is likely the most important part; it needs to present a clear image about what your product or service is. But, it also needs to be a message that your target audience will be able to easily relate to. If the message does not make sense, or use references that are going to go over the heads of your audience, then it will be a far from successful campaign.
This is why your target audience is another important factor. Knowing exactly what demographics your desired audience falls under will help you to come up with more successful messages. Knowing exactly who it is you want to attract will also make it easier to determine what media outlet will be best to present your message. If you are aiming for college aged students, they are more likely to be using social media than anything else.
The Upside to Social Media
But, that does not mean you cannot benefit from social media at all. It is a great way to gain a better perspective on how people perceive your company, which will allow you to change things as you see fit. It is also a truly great way to connect with your audience on a more personal level. When a person feels like they are interacting with another person rather than a company, it makes them more open to being to doing business with you again.
Social media ads can also appear virtually anywhere you think they would do well. Now, even apps like Instagram contain sponsored posts for various companies, be they local or global.
The Downside to Social Media
While making sure you choose a media outlet that reaches your target audience is important, the social media channel you go with needs to make sense for your business as well. Going with the wrong outlet can cause more harm to your campaign than good. Another downside to SMM is the fact that it is time consuming; you have to go through the different outlets to continually create new posts. Of course, there is also the fact that this is not necessarily a new marketing method; in order to reach a larger part of your audience, you have to pay.
When it comes to SMM, there are a lot of things to consider. This is just a very brief look at the benefits and downsides. Because, keep in mind, it is not for everyone. Talking with your marketing department will help you decide on just how valuable SMM could be for your company. But, if done right, it can make a big difference for your company’s ability to reach it’s target audience.
