Digital Marketing: UNIT - 2
Unit - 2
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing (SMM) is a type of digital marketing that uses social media platforms
to promote a product or service. SMM aims to create content that engages audiences and
encourages them to share it with their network of friends and followers.
Or
Social media marketing, or SMM, is a form of internet marketing that involves creating and
sharing content on social media networks in order to achieve your marketing and branding
goals.
Social media marketing includes activities like posting text and image updates, videos, and
other content that drives audience engagement, as well as paid social media advertising.
Goals Of SMM:
➢ The goal of SMM is to produce content that users will share with their social network to
help a company increase brand exposure and broaden customer reach.
➢ One of the key components of SMM is social media optimization (SMO). Like search engine
optimization (SEO), SMO is a strategy for drawing new and unique visitors to a website. SMO
can be done two ways: adding social media links to content, such as sharing buttons - or
promoting activity through social media by updating statuses or tweets, or blog posts.
➢ SMM helps a company get direct feedback from customers (and potential customers) while
making the company seem more personable. The interactive parts of social media give
customers the opportunity to ask questions or voice complaints and feel they are being heard.
This aspect of SMM is called social customer relationship management (social CRM).
➢ SMM became more common with the increased popularity of websites such as Twitter,
Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, and YouTube. In response, the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) has updated its rules to include SMM. If a company or its advertising agency provides
a blogger or other online commenter with free products or other incentives to generate positive
buzz for a product, the online comments will be treated legally as endorsements. Both the
blogger and the company will be held responsible for ensuring that the incentives are clearly
and conspicuously disclosed, and that the blogger's posts contain no misleading or
unsubstantiated statements and otherwise complies with the FTC's rules concerning unfair or
deceptive advertising.
Social media marketing (SMM) refers to techniques that target social networks and
applications to spread brand awareness or promote particular products. Social media marketing
campaigns usually centre around:
• Establishing a social media presence on major platforms
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Digital Marketing: UNIT - 2
• Creating shareable content and advertorials
• Cultivating customer feedback throughout the campaign through surveys and contests
Social media marketing is perceived as a more targeted type of advertising and is therefore
believed to be very effective in creating brand awareness.
Types of social media
To truly understand social media you need to get a handle on the numerous different types.
However, this is not, I’m afraid, as easy as it might seem. There are literally thousands of social
sites, apps and platforms, and therefore classifying and cataloguing them is incredibly difficult.
Add to this that there are probably 10 new social sites/apps created every day – and also that
today’s popular platform is tomorrow’s dud – and this is a bit of a minefield. So in this section
I try to cover the main types of social media and list just a few of the (current) big players.
Social networking
When most people think social they think of sites such as Facebook, which allows users to post
most forms of media and share with a close group of friends or, if they prefer, the whole world.
Typically these sorts of sites are categorized as true ‘social networks’ but the term should be
used in a much broader sense. Some social networks in fact encourage face-to-face interaction,
Meetup (www.meetup.com) being one example, and numerous ‘friend finder’/dating
applications being others. If your business operates within these markets then you could
investigate potential opportunities such as advertising or even sponsoring events, which could
be online or even offline. For your digital strategy these networks can offer significant brand
awareness opportunities and direct conversion campaign opportunities. Facebook, for example,
offers paid campaigns, company pages and even insights to provide analytics on performance.
These networks are probably the broadest in terms of opportunity.
Blogs and micro-blogging
Blogging is hugely popular. However, the vast majority of blogs are not! While some bloggers
have hundreds of thousands of followers, the majority are small hobby sites for close family
and friends. The proliferation of blogs is due in part to the relative simplicity of setting one up.
Blogging platforms such as Blogger and Wordpress are hugely popular and the majority of
domain registration companies will happily bundle in a blog with your domain purchase.
Visual media sharing
A number of social platforms have been developed that focus on visual media, the most
ubiquitous being video-sharing site YouTube; popular photo or image-sharing sites include
Pinterest, Flikr and Instagram. A more recent phenomenon is short bite-sized video or images,
the ‘Twitter of video’ if you like. Two good examples are Snapchat, where the user ‘snaps’ a
photo or a video, adds a caption, and then sends it to a friend – the twist being that the
image/video disappears after a few seconds) – and Vine, which creates short, looped video
clips. Being able to create adverts that fit with the visual medium is highly relevant for some
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Digital Marketing: UNIT - 2
businesses in areas such as media and fashion, although not relevant for others. We should
expect to see more opportunities in this space in the coming years as these social sites expand
even more.
Professional networking
Professional networking sites are, as the name suggests, largely for the business or academic
world. LinkedIn is the most known and has replaced many people’s rolodex of business cards,
the huge benefit being that LinkedIn contacts remain up to date regardless of the number of job
switches a person may have. With 350 million registered users it is also a recruiter’s dream and
has, perhaps inadvertently, helped mobilize the workforce. This can therefore be useful for
building your digital team or even sourcing your agency. Also within this category are a number
of document-sharing sites, for example Slide-share and Docstoc, which are both useful for
publishing more formal content and researching an opportunity. These can play a part in your
content strategy . Here the opportunity is not only to attract new employees but also to
disseminate content to other professionals. This can be particularly advantageous in the B2B
space, where being a thought leader and gaining trust are vital to success.
Reviews and ratings
Reviews and ratings sites answer a very basic human need – peer approval. We don’t like to
make mistakes when purchasing goods and services and, in this, peer reviews have always been
important. The internet has allowed us to expand our ‘peer set’ on a global scale, thanks to the
plethora of review sites and platforms. One of the best-known review sites is TripAdvisor,
which covers over 4.5 million accommodations, places and attractions and operates in 45
countries. The power of consumer reviews has encouraged brands to offer customers the ability
to review their products/services on-site. Third-party platforms such as Trustpilot and Reevoo
have been created to fill this demand.
Content
Discovering great new content is increasingly difficult in a world dominated by big media
brands and the vast quantity of new content added every second to the web. To help solve this
issue a number of content curation services have been created, the vast majority of which
leverage the power of the crowd to perform the curation. Storify is a good example of a more
commercially focused platform; pitched more to businesses than individuals, it allows for
collaboration as well as curation. Reddit is a good example of a very broad platform that is
perhaps more consumer than business focused.
Social publishing
With the vast quantity of social platforms at your disposal (and, of course, at the disposal of
your customers) the job of managing the publication of your social messages is quite daunting.
However, as with everything in the social world we are spoilt for choice when it comes to social
publishing platforms. Two of note are Hootsuite and Buffer. Hootsuite syncs with Facebook
and Twitter and is also fairly capable on other major platforms too. It allows scheduling of
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Digital Marketing: UNIT - 2
posts, team collaboration and, as one of the most widely used publishing platforms, is well
supported. It is squarely pitched at community managers and does a great job of
providing user interaction stats. It therefore has value from a customer service perspective as
well. Buffer’s attraction is the sophistication and simplicity of its user interface. One look at
your homepage and you will get all the basic questions answered. While Buffer does not quite
have the analytics depth that Hootsuite does, it is an excellent tool for those keen to jump in
quickly – as it is certainly simpler to master.
Social advertising
For years many esteemed digital marketers suggested that social (in particular, Facebook) and
advertising were simply not compatible, the rationale being that when on Facebook users’
mindsets were not generally in shopping mode. As it turns out they (and I include myself in
this) were wrong. The problem was not that Facebook’s audience had a lack of appetite, the
problem was Facebook’s layout. In short, the ads were way too easy to ignore and in 2013
Facebook took the brave step of including them in the main news feed. Predictably there was
a massive backlash (as there had been, and will be in the future, for all major redesigns) but
this time Facebook had got it right commercially (and as the platform is so ubiquitous the
majority of those who said they would leave the platform just went quiet for a while). The
placement of ads made a difference, as did the targeting, which allows advertisers to create
‘look-a-like’ groups based on their current customer base. The mix of better targeting and better
ad placement has worked wonders for advertisers and, of course, Facebook’s bottom line. It is
worth remembering, though, that social ads should not necessarily be duplicates of your direct
response display ads. Social can absolutely be a direct response channel and indeed is well
suited as such for some verticals (fashion, for example). However, the platform is also great
for more engaging or even experimental ads – think awesome content that gives users
something to share and advocate, not ‘just an ad’. Finally we have also seen a growth in social
advertising platforms to help advertisers spread their message through multiple sites, the most
notable being Kenshoo, Marin and Nanigans.
Measurement
The first question to answer when considering measurement approach is what to measure. It is
important to think beyond fans or views – while these metrics are interesting the real value is
in the quality of the engagement:
● Volume and reach: the quantity and penetration of touchpoints with potential customers.
● Engagement and quality: the quality of interaction with potential customers.
Measuring volume and reach
Typical volume/reach metrics are:
● Brand volume: volume of brand and brand product mentions.
● Market reach: volume of fan/Twitter/subscriber followers (and their followers).
● Twitter followers: volume of Twitter followers on a brand’s Twitter profile.
● Facebook fans: volume of Facebook fans on a brand’s Facebook page.
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Digital Marketing: UNIT - 2
● YouTube views: volume of YouTube video views. And, of course, you can roll out this
approach to other platforms that you/your customers are active on.
Measuring engagement and quality
Typical engagement/quality metrics are:
● Brand conversation: the number of times that individuals are talking repeatedly about a
brand, as well as comments and replies on the main social profiles.
● Content dissemination: an aggregated value that measures how brands have engaged with
their audience across all the main platforms (to measure whether there is a bias to one or more
platform).
● Twitter engagement: the number of posts, shares or retweets related to the brand.
● Facebook engagement: the number of posts or shares related to the brand.
● YouTube engagement: the number of shares of videos and subscribers to the brand channel.
● Overall sentiment: high volume/engagement is one thing but you also need to measure the
sentiment: 100,000 comments sounds good, but if 99,000 are negative then you have a problem.
All good social media monitoring tools will help measure sentiment.
Core social media features and functions for your brand
All though every social platform is different, they share some functionalities that set them apart
from other types of media. Here are some of the common features of social media that brands
leverage to engage with their audience.
Content sharing and virality
Social media content has the potential to bring exponential reach and engagement—the virality
factor. As more people like, share and comment on your posts, it’s exposed to newer audiences
who might be interested in what your brand offers. Compared to other forms of media, putting
out content is simpler, doesn’t involve formalities and is more cost efficient.
Audience engagement
Social media creates a space for direct interaction with potential customers, unlike most
traditional media that’s a one-way street for engagement.
Establishing your presence on social and responding to comments makes you part of the
conversation. By engaging with your audience, you can understand what content resonates,
your brand perception, plus discover common issues and features your customers want.
Features for audience engagement:
• Comments and reactions on posts
• Direct messages
• Live videos
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Digital Marketing: UNIT - 2
Sales and growth
Social commerce is ever-increasing. About 68% of consumers responded they made at least
one purchase directly from social media in 2021.
Some social media apps enable brands to display product catalogs and complete purchases
within or outside the app.
Social shopping features:
• Facebook: Shops, Marketplace
• Instagram shopping: Tagged products, Instagram checkout and Shopping from creators
• Twitter eCommerce: Shops, Spotlights, Live Shopping and Product Drops
• Pinterest Product Pins
Lead generation
Social has features dedicated to generating leads, like mobile-optimized ads that capture
customers details while offering a lead magnet. You can also create personalized experiences
by running retargeting ads to convert past visitors or abandoned carts.
Features for lead generation:
• Facebook lead ads
• Twitter ads
• LinkedIn ads
• TikTok ads
Top features social media apps have in common
Analytics and reporting
All the major apps offer analytics that inform how well your content performed as well as
demographic information about your audience.
Use the analytics feature to tailor your social media marketing strategy and prove ROI. Also
gauge the performance of your social media activities, from audience growth and engagement
to purchases.
And don’t forget about social listening. Analyze conversations around your brand and industry
to identify trends and understand sentiment.
Customer care and communication
More users are turning to social media when they want to communicate with brands or air their
grievances. According to The 2022 Sprout Social Index™, 69% of consumers expect a
response on social media within 24 hours.
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This means brands need to be prepared to address customer concerns and potential brand crises
through:
• Customer service: Encourage customers to reach out to your brand on social
for customer service queries.
• Reputation management: If a customer posts about a negative experience,
acknowledge the comment then address the issue. Try to offer a solution in a DM, so
you get more control over what’s being said about your brand.
• Crisis communication: In case of a crisis, make it a priority to post about it on social
media and let your followers know how and when it will be resolved.
Features that enable customer communication:
• Direct messages (DMs)
• Saved replies on DMs
• Comments on posts
Collab features
Some social apps have recently launched collaboration features, so you can co-create content
with other brands or creators. A collab post will show up on both users’ profiles, giving brands
the potential to tap into each other’s loyal audiences.
Features for brand collaboration:
• Instagram collab
• Paid partnerships in Reels
• Facebook Brand Collabs Manager
• Facebook Partnership messaging folder
• TikTok Duet
Creating and optimizing social media profiles
How to Perfect Social Media Optimization
1. Identify Your Social Media Goals.
2. Fill Out Your Profiles in Their Entirety.
3. Use Hashtags.
4. Create Valuable Content That Solves Your Followers' Problems.
5. Use Images.
6. Include Calls-to-Action.
7. Use Attention-Grabbing Headlines.
8. Be Active on Social Media Sites That Add Value to Your Business.
9. Optimize Your Posting Schedule
10. Track Your Progress.
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Digital Marketing: UNIT - 2
1. Identify Your Social Media Goals
The first part of the process is to identify what your ultimate goal is for building and optimizing
social media accounts. Once you’ve done this, you can start to list the steps that you have to
take.
For instance, if your goal is to utilize your social media accounts to boost sales, you will have
to take the following steps to increase it.
• Improve audience reach.
• Increase engagement and gain more prospects.
• Generate leads.
• Convert leads to paying customers.
Having an end goal in mind will guide you in figuring out the smaller milestones you need to
hit in order to get there.
Don’t forget to make your goals specific and give them numerical values (example: to increase
online sales to $10,000/month) so that you’re able to measure your progress.
2. Fill Out Your Profiles in Their Entirety
Our second tip — and one of the essentials you should cover when optimizing your social
media pages — is to fill out your main profile pages front to back.
What is your page all about? In order to reach your target audience, you have to make your
profile visible in search results. When optimizing it, remember to cover the basics.
Upload a High-Quality Profile Photo
Your brand’s image matters. Thus, you need a good profile picture so people will
immediately recognize you. For businesses, using your company logo is an excellent option.
Let People Know What Exactly It is You Do
What kind of company are you? What types of products or services do you offer?
Your profile is supposed to give people insight into who you are and what you do, so allow
them to know you. Fill out the information fields with your details, provide them information
on what your business does, and so on.
Include Keywords
If you want people to find you easily, then you have to do keyword research and include the
high performing ones in your profile. This increases your chances of getting seen.
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Digital Marketing: UNIT - 2
Add Your Location
Providing your business’s location makes it easier for people who are looking for your products
or services nearby to find you. This move can provide you more chances of appearing in local
searches. Google loves it.
Determine Your Store Hours
This is more important — yet often overlooked — information. Setting store hours allows your
audience to know when to expect a reply from you for their direct messages.
3. Use Hashtags
Hashtags are essentially SEO of social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram. Adding
hashtags to your captions increases your chances of exposure. Please take note, however, that
they’re not as effective on Facebook.
One thing you should remember when utilizing hashtags is to optimize them for the social
media account to which you’re uploading the content. Your hashtags for Instagram won’t look
the same as Twitter. Knowing how to use them right will help you succeed.
4. Create Valuable Content That Solves Your Followers’ Problems
Content is the key to your social media marketing success. It’s what draws your audience to
you. People love things that provide value to them. Thus, your content, whether created or
curated, should not be limited to plain promotional materials.
Furthermore, they should help your followers overcome an obstacle they have.
5. Use Images
The right images can make a person notice you. This is something all brands need in order to
increase engagement, especially with the enormous (and growing) amount of content lining up
in every user’s feed, fighting for attention.
6. Include Calls-to-Action
Calls-to-action (CTAs) encourage your audience to respond to your content. They helps boost
engagement and convert your audience into leads. Below are a few tips to make the most out
of your CTAs.
7. Use Attention-Grabbing Headlines
Headlines matter and can make or break it when it comes to getting your followers to stop for
a second look.
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8. Be Active on Social Media Sites That Add Value to Your Business
You don’t have to be present on every single social media platform to increase awareness and
promote your brand. You need to choose only the platforms that will benefit your business.
9. Optimize Your Posting Schedule
If you’re posting high-quality content but you’re still not getting results, then one of the
possible reasons why is your posting schedule. You have to schedule your posts during the
time when your audience is most active online.
10. Track Your Progress
The only way to see if your social media accounts are properly optimized is by tracking your
progress. See how much engagement you’re getting. Take note of the number of times your
post was shared, the number of comments each post received, the number of likes, etc. before
you change any part of your strategy.
This will help you determine the strategies and methods that work for you and those that
don’t. Clincher’s analytics will help you with every piece of these.
Social Media Content Types
1. Short-Form Video
2. Long-Form Video
3. User-Generated Content (UGC)
4. Live Streams
5. Polls & Questions
6. Influencer Collaborations
7. Charts
8. Memes
9. GIFs(Graphics Interchange Format)
10. Webinars & Events
11. Contests And Giveaways
social media strategy
A social media strategy is an outline of the content your business will post, the responsibilities
of your social media team, and the social media channels you will use to promote your
business.
A social media strategy can help you:
• Produce targeted content
• Engage with your audience
• Identify opportunities for multi-channel marketing campaigns
• Reach a wider target audience
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Digital Marketing: UNIT - 2
• Reinforce your brand identity across multiple marketing channels
• Improve customer engagement
Social media advertising and analytics
Social media analytics is a marketing function that helps marketers track and analyse the
performance of their social media campaigns. It helps marketers understand which types of
social media content resonate with their audience so they can adapt their strategy accordingly.
Assignment Questions
1. What do you mean by SMM, Explain.
2. What are the Goals Of SMM.
3. Briefly explain about types of social media.
4. Write about Steps to Creating and optimizing social media profiles.
5. Name some of the social media platforms.
6. Name and explain about features offered by any social media platform.
7. What do you mean by social media strategy, explain.
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