In a world where our lives are intertwined with screens and scrolling, one question looms large: does social media marketing still work?
This article takes a closer look at this question, exploring the effectiveness of using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to reach people. We’ll navigate the changing tides of digital communication to see if the tried-and-true social media marketing methods remain effective or if it’s time for businesses to pivot and embrace new strategies.
The Changing Landscape Of Social Media Marketing
Like everything in the digital world, social media is constantly changing. New platforms have been released, original platforms have been rebranded, and AI-generated content has increased, and all of this has happened in 2023 alone.
Gone are the days when a simple presence on platforms like Facebook or Instagram guaranteed visibility and engagement. Today, the algorithms governing these spaces are as mercurial as the digital sphere they serve. What worked yesterday might not generate the same results today, pushing marketers to reassess their tactics on a continual basis.
Also, the rise of new platforms such as TikTok and emerging trends like short-form video content and influencer collaborations have been reshaping the marketing terrain. While these bring new opportunities, they also bring complexities as they demand marketers to adapt and be more creative to attract a larger and more loyal audience.
Not only are new platforms and rebranded platforms changing the social media landscape, but so is audience behaviour. From short attention spans to a hunger for authenticity, social media users’ expectations continue to shape the type of content and engagement they want from brands. Therefore, building genuine connections and fostering communities has become essential, surpassing mere promotional content.
The metrics of social media marketing success are also evolving. While likes and shares used to be the metrics to monitor, engagement rates and ROI are demanding more attention.
So, with the ever-changing social media landscape, is social media marketing still effective? And if so, what are the benefits?
The Benefits Of Social Media Marketing
While social media marketing may always be changing, there are consistent benefits you can see from it, such as:
Positive impact on your brand/business
When executed correctly, social media can benefit your business in a number of ways. However, the most important one is authenticity.
Paid and organic social media marketing can help put a face or team behind your brand, which in turn humanises it and builds loyalty, trust and recognition. By posting content that shows the people behind your brand as well as real people who use your product it can build trustworthiness among current and potential customers.
A study conducted by Sprout Social found that nine out of ten people will buy products from brands they follow on social media. People like to see authenticity, and when they do, they are more likely to purchase your products.
Increased audience engagement
Not only does successful social media marketing increase brand awareness, but it also offers your business the chance to engage with your audience.
Unlike traditional media, one of the many benefits of social media is that it allows businesses and customers to interact with one another. When you post on social media, it allows you to respond to comments, share user-generated content, receive immediate feedback on new products and follow up with dissatisfied customers.
Increased ROI
One of the many benefits of successful social media marketing is that it can lead to an increase in ROI.
Both paid and organic social media marketing can increase your return on investment. However, if you want to make the most out of your returns, sticking to free, organic marketing is the best way to do so.
Organic social media marketing is when your business posts something on social media without paying anything. For example, if you were to post a promotional Reel on Instagram and it went viral, it can have a huge impact without a lot of spending, if any.
However, paid social media marketing is another great way to increase your ROI as it can put your business in front of a different audience than Google Ads and introduce your business to new customers while delivering a great ROI.
How To Know If Your Social Media Marketing Is Effective
So, how do you know if your social media marketing is effective? There are two major metrics to look at to find out.
Measure your ROI
Knowing if your paid and organic social media marketing efforts lead to an increase in your ROI can be difficult, as you may find it hard to know if the post played a role in the customer’s decision to purchase your product.
However, there are two things you can do to measure it:
- Create a landing page or promotional code: By doing this, you can track the sales from the landing page and promo code to see if the income from both exceeds your social media spending.
- Find consistencies: Create a timeline where you mark your social media activity (new promotion, ad campaign, etc.) and measure it against sales. If there is a theme where sales go up around the time of posting an ad or promotion, it could mean that your social media marketing efforts are working.
Take a look at your website traffic
The second way to see if your organic or paid social media marketing strategy is effective is to take a look at your website traffic.
If you have a business, it’s essential that there is a link to your website or online store on your social media profile.
Whenever you post a promotion or ad on social media, you can track how many people from your social media profile visited your website. Google Analytics is a fantastic free tool to see which visitors were directed to your website from specific social media platforms.
For example, if you posted an ad on Instagram on the 5th of December and saw a spike in traffic, especially traffic from Instagram, as well as an increase in sales, it’s safe to assume that your social media marketing campaign was successful.
Get Effective Social Media Marketing with Anchor
The debate on the effectiveness of social media marketing continues, but one thing remains the same: it’s a powerhouse for businesses when executed successfully.
Amidst evolving algorithms and changing trends, the key to success lies in a refined approach. That’s where Anchor Digital comes in. We stay up-to-date with social media trends and changes to offer tailored solutions to improve your brand’s social media presence.
If you’d like to learn more about how we can help your brand thrive in the social media space, drop us a line today.
