It’s no secret that social media has taken over the world, social media started as a way for people to stay connected with friends and family, but now this connection has become one of the many advantages of social media marketing and has helped turn social media has turned into a powerful marketing tool.
But not all businesses are using social media marketing, instead, they are sticking to the traditional methods of marketing, otherwise known as traditional marketing.
So, what’s the difference between social media marketing and traditional marketing? Let’s take a look.
What is social media marketing?
Social media marketing is the use of social media—the platforms on which users build social networks and share information—to build a company’s brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic. In addition to providing companies with a way to engage with existing customers and reach new ones, SMM has purpose-built data analytics that allows marketers to track the success of their efforts and identify even more ways to engage.
There are several advantages to using social media marketing including:
- It’s cost-effective: You don’t need to spend a lot of money on social media marketing, compared to traditional marketing methods.
- You can reach a large audience: With over 2 billion active users on social media, there is a good chance you can reach your target audience.
- You can build relationships: Social media marketing allows you to interact with customers and build relationships. This is valuable as it can lead to customer loyalty and repeat business.
- You can get feedback: As mentioned before, social media allows you to get direct feedback from customers. This is valuable as it can help you improve your products or services.
- Increased inbound traffic: your inbound traffic will increase if you have a social media presence because more people will learn of your company and become familiar with your company. This will then lead to them searching for keywords relevant to your website.
Types of Social Media Marketing Strategies
1. Content Marketing
Content Marketing is the process of creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent material to attract and maintain a certain target audience. The ultimate goal is to generate profitable consumer activity.
Platforms: Blogs, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
2. Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is promoting your products or services through individuals who have a large social media following. Influencers can include celebrities, industry experts, and even micro-influencers with specific audiences.
Platforms: Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter.
3. Social Media Advertising
Social Media Advertising entails running paid ads across multiple channels to reach a larger audience. These advertisements can be highly targeted according to demographics, interests, and behaviors.
Platforms: Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, LinkedIn Ads, Twitter Ads, Pinterest Ads.
4. Social Media Commerce
Social media commerce, often known as social commerce, is the direct sale of things using social media platforms. It combines e-commerce and social media, enabling users to shop without leaving the app.
Platforms: Instagram Shopping, Facebook Shops, Pinterest Shopping, TikTok Shopping.
5. Social Media Communities
Creating and sustaining social media communities where like-minded people may engage, share, and support one another around a shared interest or brand.
Platforms: Facebook Groups, LinkedIn Groups, Reddit, Discord.
What is Traditional Marketing?
Traditional marketing is the process of using advertising and other traditional methods to reach customers. This can include TV, radio, print ads, direct mail, and telemarketing. Traditional marketing is often used by businesses that want to reach a large audience quickly and efficiently.
There are several advantages to using traditional marketing including:
- It’s effective: Traditional marketing can be an effective way to reach out to potential and current customers. they are also more sustainable and leave a longer impression on customers.
- You can target a specific audience: Traditional marketing allows you to target a specific audience with your marketing efforts. This is valuable as it ensures that your marketing dollars are being spent in the most efficient way possible.
- You can measure results: With traditional marketing, you can measure how effective your marketing efforts are. This is valuable as it allows you to adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.
- it’s much easier to connect with a local audience: Traditional marketing is a great way to connect with a local audience. This is valuable as it allows you to build relationships with potential and current customers.
Types of traditional marketing:
1. Direct Mail
Direct mail includes sending physical limited time materials, such as postcards, catalogues, or letters, specifically to a target audience through postal mail.
2. Print
Print marketing includes various printed materials like brochures, flyers, posters, and newsletters distributed through diverse channels.
3. Broadcast
Broadcast marketing employs television and radio platforms to disseminate promotional content to a broad audience.
4. Referral
Referral marketing relies on word-of-mouth recommendations from satisfied customers to attract new business.Encouraging existing customers to refer friends, family, or colleagues helps build trust and credibility, often resulting in increased customer acquisition.
5. BillBoards
Billboards involve large outdoor advertising displays strategically placed along highways, streets, or in high-visibility locations. Basically they aim to capture attention quickly with concise messages and visuals, making them effective for brand exposure and promoting events or products.
6. Newspaper
Newspaper advertising involves placing promotional content in print newspapers. Newspapers are a traditional of information, and advertisements in this medium aim to reach a local or targeted audience with news-related content.
7. Radio
Radio marketing involves airing commercials or sponsored content on radio stations. It is a cost-effective medium that allows businesses to convey messages through audio, reaching a diverse audience and often targeting specific demographics based on the station’s format.
8. Magazine
Magazine advertising entails placing promotional content in print or digital publications with a specific focus or niche. Magazines target a more specialized audience, allowing businesses to tailor their messages to a particular demographic or interest group.
Traditional Marketing vs Social Media Marketing
| Basis | Traditional Marketing | Social Media Marketing |
| Definition | It is one type of marketing that utilizes media, TV, or magazine to advertise any business’s services and products. | It is one type of marketing that uses the internet and social media for advertising businesses. |
| Engagement | Low | Relatively high |
| Conversion | Slow | Extremely fast |
| Nature | Static | Dynamic |
| Investment returns | Not easy to measure | Simple to measure |
| Effectiveness | More expensiveLess effective | Less expensiveMore effective |
| Targeting | Standardized | Customized |
| Tracking | Not possible | Possible |
| Reach | Local | Global |
| Tweaking | Not possible once the advertisement is placed | One can change or edit anytime |
| Results | Slow results | Quick and live results |
| Communication | It is mostly one-way communication | It is a two-way communication |
| Interruptions | It is not easy to skip the advertisements, as they are bound to the users. | One can easily skip between advertisements if it does not interest them. |