Social Media Marketing, Strategies, Benefits

Social media marketing is a powerful way for businesses of all sizes to reach prospects and customers. Your customers are already interacting with brands through social media, and if you’re not speaking directly to your audience through social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest, you’re missing out! Great marketing on social media can bring remarkable success to your business, creating devoted brand advocates and even driving leads and sales.

Social media marketing is the use of social media platforms and websites to promote a product or service. Although the terms e-marketing and digital marketing are still dominant in academia, social media marketing is becoming more popular for both practitioners and researchers. Most social media platforms have built-in data analytics tools, enabling companies to track the progress, success, and engagement of ad campaigns. Companies address a range of stakeholders through social media marketing, including current and potential customers, current and potential employees, journalists, bloggers, and the general public. On a strategic level, social media marketing includes the management of a marketing campaign, governance, setting the scope (e.g. more active or passive use) and the establishment of a firm’s desired social media “culture” and “tone.”

When using social media marketing, firms can allow customers and Internet users to post user-generated content (e.g., online comments, product reviews, etc.), also known as “earned media,” rather than use marketer-prepared advertising copy.

Strategies of Social Media Marketing:

• Passive approach

Social media can be a useful source of market information and a way to hear customer perspectives. Blogs, content communities, and forums are platforms where individuals share their reviews and recommendations of brands, products, and services. Businesses are able to tap and analyze the customer voices and feedback generated in social media for marketing purposes; in this sense the social media is a relatively inexpensive source of market intelligence which can be used by marketers and managers to track and respond to consumer-identified problems and detect market opportunities. For example, the Internet erupted with videos and pictures of iPhone 6 “bend test” which showed that the coveted phone could be bent by hand pressure. The so-called “bend gate” controversy created confusion amongst customers who had waited months for the launch of the latest rendition of the iPhone. However, Apple promptly issued a statement saying that the problem was extremely rare and that the company had taken several steps to make the mobile device’s case stronger and robust. Unlike traditional market research methods such as surveys, focus groups, and data mining which are time-consuming and costly, and which take weeks or even months to analyze, marketers can use social media to obtain ‘live’ or “real time” information about consumer behavior and viewpoints on a company’s brand or products. This can be useful in the highly dynamic, competitive, fast-paced and global marketplace of the 2010s.

• Active approach

Social media can be used not only as public relations and direct marketing tools, but also as communication channels targeting very specific audiences with social media influencers and social media personalities as effective customer engagement tools This tactic is widely known as influencer marketing. Influencer marketing allows brands the opportunity to reach their target audience in a more genuine, authentic way via a special group of selected influencers advertising their product or service. In fact, brands are set to spend up to $15 billion on influencer marketing by 2022, per Business Insider Intelligence estimates, based on Mediakix data.

Technologies predating social media, such as broadcast TV and newspapers can also provide advertisers with a fairly targeted audience, given that an ad placed during a sports game broadcast or in the sports section of a newspaper is likely to be read by sports fans. However, social media websites can target niche markets even more precisely. Using digital tools such as Google AdSense, advertisers can target their ads to very specific demographics, such as people who are interested in social entrepreneurship, political activism associated with a particular political party, or video gaming. Google AdSense does this by looking for keywords in social media user’s online posts and comments. It would be hard for a TV station or paper-based newspaper to provide ads that are this targeted (though not impossible, as can be seen with “special issue” sections on niche issues, which newspapers can use to sell targeted ads).

Social networks are, in many cases, viewed as a great tool for avoiding costly market research. They are known for providing a short, fast, and direct way to reach an audience through a person who is widely known. For example, an athlete who gets endorsed by a sporting goods company also brings their support base of millions of people who are interested in what they do or how they play and now they want to be a part of this athlete through their endorsements with that particular company. At one point consumers would visit stores to view their products with famous athletes, but now you can view a famous athlete’s, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, latest apparel online with the click of a button. He advertises them to you directly through his Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts.

Facebook and LinkedIn are leading social media platforms where users can hyper-target their ads. Hypertargeting not only uses public profile information but also information users submit but hide from others. There are several examples of firms initiating some form of online dialog with the public to foster relations with customers. According to Constantinides, Lorenzo and Gómez Borja (2008) “Business executives like Jonathan Swartz, President and CEO of Sun Microsystems, Steve Jobs CEO of Apple Computers, and McDonald’s Vice President Bob Langert post regularly in their CEO blogs, encouraging customers to interact and freely express their feelings, ideas, suggestions, or remarks about their postings, the company or its products”. Using customer influencers (for example popular bloggers) can be a very efficient and cost-effective method to launch new products or services Among the political leaders in office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has the highest number of followers at 40 million, and President Donald Trump ranks second with 25 million followers. Modi employed social media platforms to circumvent traditional media channels to reach out to the young and urban population of India which is estimated to be 200 million.

• Engagement

Engagement with the social web means that customers and stakeholders are active participants rather than passive viewers. An example of these are consumer advocacy groups and groups that criticize companies (e.g., lobby groups or advocacy organizations). Social media use in a business or political context allows all consumers/citizens to express and share an opinion about a company’s products, services, business practices, or a government’s actions. Each participating customer, non-customer, or citizen who is participating online via social media becomes a part of the marketing department (or a challenge to the marketing effort) as other customers read their positive or negative comments or reviews. Getting consumers, potential consumers or citizens to be engaged online is fundamental to successful social media marketing. With the advent of social media marketing, it has become increasingly important to gain customer interest in products and services. This can eventually be translated into buying behavior, or voting and donating behavior in a political context. New online marketing concepts of engagement and loyalty have emerged which aim to build customer participation and brand reputation.

Engagement in social media for the purpose of a social media strategy is divided into two parts. The first is proactive, regular posting of new online content. This can be seen through digital photos, digital videos, text, and conversations. It is also represented through sharing of content and information from others via weblinks. The second part is reactive conversations with social media users responding to those who reach out to your social media profiles through commenting or messaging.

Benefits of Social Media Marketing:

• Enhanced Brand Awareness

Social media platforms provide businesses with a global audience, allowing them to increase brand visibility quickly. By sharing engaging content, companies can reach millions of users, fostering recognition. Consistent posting and interactive campaigns help maintain audience interest. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook support visual storytelling, making brands more relatable. Hashtags and shares further amplify reach, turning followers into brand advocates. Over time, a strong social media presence builds credibility, making the brand a trusted name in the industry.

• Cost-Effective Marketing

Compared to traditional advertising, social media marketing is highly affordable. Businesses can run targeted ads with flexible budgets, ensuring optimal ROI. Organic reach through posts, stories, and reels requires minimal investment yet yields significant engagement. Small businesses benefit from low-cost campaigns that compete with larger brands. Analytics tools help track performance, allowing budget adjustments for better efficiency. Paid promotions can be customized for specific demographics, ensuring funds are spent effectively. This makes social media an accessible marketing tool for all business sizes.

• Improved Customer Engagement

Social media enables direct interaction with customers, fostering stronger relationships. Brands can respond to comments, messages, and reviews in real-time, enhancing customer satisfaction. Polls, Q&A sessions, and live videos encourage audience participation, increasing loyalty. Personalized interactions make customers feel valued, improving retention rates. Engaging content such as memes, contests, and user-generated posts boosts interaction. By maintaining an active presence, businesses create a community around their brand, leading to long-term customer trust and advocacy.

• Targeted Advertising

Social media platforms offer advanced targeting options, ensuring ads reach the right audience. Businesses can segment users based on demographics, interests, and behaviors, maximizing ad relevance. Retargeting tools re-engage visitors who showed prior interest, increasing conversion chances. Custom audience features allow email list integration for precise marketing. Detailed analytics refine strategies, optimizing ad performance. This precision reduces wasted ad spend and improves lead quality. Whether promoting products or services, targeted ads deliver higher engagement and sales compared to broad-spectrum advertising.

• Increased Website Traffic

Social media acts as a funnel, directing users to a business’s website. Sharing blog links, product pages, and promotional offers encourages clicks. Platforms like LinkedIn and Pinterest are particularly effective for driving traffic. Call-to-action buttons (e.g., “Shop Now” or “Learn More”) simplify navigation. SEO benefits arise when content is shared widely, improving search rankings. Collaborations with influencers can further boost referral traffic. By integrating social media with digital marketing strategies, businesses enhance online visibility and attract potential customers effortlessly.

• Valuable Customer Insights

Social media analytics provide deep insights into customer preferences and behaviors. Metrics like engagement rates, click-throughs, and demographics help refine marketing strategies. Feedback from comments and polls offers direct consumer opinions. Businesses can identify trends, peak activity times, and content preferences. Competitor analysis reveals industry benchmarks, guiding improvements. These insights enable data-driven decisions, ensuring campaigns resonate with the target audience. Over time, understanding customer needs leads to better product development and personalized marketing efforts.

• Higher Conversion Rates

Social media drives conversions by nurturing leads through the sales funnel. Engaging posts, limited-time offers, and shoppable features simplify purchasing. Customer testimonials and influencer endorsements build trust, encouraging buying decisions. Direct messaging allows personalized sales assistance, reducing hesitation. Retargeting ads remind users of abandoned carts, recovering potential sales. With seamless integration between social platforms and e-commerce sites, businesses experience higher conversion rates. The combination of trust-building and convenience makes social media a powerful sales channel.