There are many different words that people throw around in the digital marketing industry, but not everyone truly understands them. When someone offers to do your social media advertising, that is not the same as offering to do your social media management. The two are very different things, and the results of each are also not the same. If you are running a business or service and not engaging in either, however, then the first place to start might be to define each. The next needs to be to find out which one would benefit you most.
What Is Social Media Marketing?
There are several tools that businesses can use that fall under the umbrella of marketing on social media. Social media marketing is not just one thing; it involves many types of services that all have advantages and disadvantages. They are also not something that you should try to utilize in an umbrella fashion.
The best social media marketing campaign is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but rather one that takes into account your specific industry and what the behaviors of your intended audience are. Only in defining your target market can you figure out what tactics work to get in front of it. Two of the most important aspects of social media marketing are social media management and social media advertising.
What Is Social Media Advertising?
Social media advertising is the practice of creating purposeful and engaging content to capture your audience across relevant social media platforms. With so many different social media platforms to choose from, it isn’t always as easy as you might think to find your audience and gain the exposure you need. It is also not so easy to come up with captivating and engaging content to grab their attention if you are lucky enough to get in front of them.
Everything that you do with your social media advertising has to have a purpose. That means you can’t post just for the sake of posting. Your ads should be targeted to make your audience do what you want them to do, whether that is to increase sales, generate leads, or increase your following and shares. Content has to be specifically curated with a goal in mind. It might be that you want your audience to do more than one thing, so it is not uncommon to have more than one post strategy at the same time to achieve different yet simultaneous goals.
What Is Social Media Management?
The term social media management is often used interchangeably with social media marketing or social media advertising. It is a service that deals with how the many social media channels work together to form a brand image. Although you may be interacting with potential or current consumers on different platforms and in different ways, you have to ensure that all of the information across mediums is consistent, current, and the same. Although that might seem like a pretty straightforward concept, if you don’t have someone manning the ship and checking for consistency, it can confuse the consumer and muddle your brand image.
It is always important to churn out the right content with a cohesive brand and message. Also, when you engage with the consumer directly via different channels it is more effective and lasting. This is good – but can also be bad if no one is taking charge. Social media management helps to ensure that your overall social media campaign is running smoothly. It also means that you are increasing your exposure while keeping things standard and authentic. Things like answering reviews, watching for questions from consumers, and addressing concerns are all ways that a social media management team ensures that your audience’s engagement is always positive and consistent.
Which One Do You Need?
The truth is that the two are always better together. You want to make sure that you are increasing your exposure, building your brand audience and trust, and being engaging. At the same time, you want to be on the lookout for things like your brand reputation, reviews, and ratings. But it is very hard to be in all places at once, especially because being a business owner is your full-time job. The good news is that you don’t need to go it alone – we are here to help!
Never before have there been more ways to get your business or service in front of the audience. You need to build your reputation, brand, and recognition. That is a good thing – but if you aren’t careful, it can quickly turn bad. Social media marketing is a must in today’s world. It’s even more important, however, to have a cohesive campaign so you are using all the tools at your disposal. If you are going to go for it, put all hands on deck, and make sure those hands are on the same page. You need to stay on brand, be authentic, and provide the absolute best consumer engagement and experience possible. You can do that by hiring our social media management team. If you bring us onboard, there is no way you can go wrong!
