How Social Media Fits Into Digital Marketing

Digital marketing can be a very broad term, and with the abundance of marketing tools, encompasses various strategies to engage and attract target audiences. An umbrella term that includes all marketing efforts in order to increase brand awareness and establish stronger engagement via a range of digital platforms, digital marketing serves two main purposes. Not only does digital marketing narrowly target a specific demographic audience, but it also focuses on the immediate delivery of content to consumers.

 

Social media marketing, or the utilization of one or more social media platforms, then, fits into the realm of digital marketing because it follows the same two goals. Each platform — whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram —targets a different demographic, and each provide analytics and data to streamline content that will effectively produce results and reach a specific consumer base. Conveniently, social media content reaches people who want to engage with a brand, specifically, those who are relevant to the product or service being offered.

 

Let’s face it: social media is probably the quickest way to communicate to consumers current sales, newest products and services, and most recent company updates. Through direct messaging features on virtually all social media platforms, companies can interact with consumers and learn about their thoughts on the product or service. When companies offer a space for instantaneous communication with consumers, they allow customers to provide their opinions and share their experiences with certain products or services via likes, retweets, comments, and sharing. They can even engage with content on blogs, videos, and websites.

 

Digital marketing campaigns, typically, include more than one item from the Internet Marketing family. Items such as Internet advertising, mobile advertisements, television, and social media sites, help companies promote their products and services and speak to their targeted consumers. When considering digital marketing strategies, companies should think about which social media platform will be the most effective when it comes to connecting with consumers. Think about promoting messages on all social media platforms — Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, Google+, Snapchat, Tumblr — and what types of audiences each medium would attract. Which fit with the company’s brand? Are there any specific social media that aren’t relevant to the company? Which social media will be the most effective at reaching the intended consumer?

 

The fundamental common goal for both digital marketing and social media is that they establish search engine optimization, also known as SEO, and change the way companies attract new customers. In other words, social signals via social media and digital marketing are used for ranking a company on web search engines like Google and Bing. Both serve to collect data to get to know the ideal customer and create strong brand loyalty. Social media and digital marketing, therefore, work together to improve search engine marketing (SEM), mobile market promotions, and email marketing.

For assistance with your overall digital marketing plans reach out to Summit Collaborations to find out how we can help you with a total plan!