Social Media Marketing Vs Management

Social Media Marketing and Social Media Management are two halves of one whole. However, there are several differences between the two that are important to be aware of when constructing your social media campaigns. What are those differences? We're glad you asked!

Increase Your Reach

There are two paths to choose from when it comes to distributing your content ­on social media–organic posting and paid advertising.

Organic posting (social media management) was once the most efficient tool to reach your target audience. However, connecting organically to your customers on social media is diminishing within the ever-evolving digital world. In 2018, the average organic reach of social posts accounted for only about 6.4% of page likes. In other words, for every 1,000 followers, only about 65 people will receive your content. So, if you're not posting content that is engaging to the point where your followers will share it, the organic reach is likely a lost cause.

In today's social media space, you must be willing to spend a little bit of money to communicate with potential customers. With a little bit of a budget and a team of social media experts, you can reach your perfect customer, engage new customers, and spend less time trying to crack social media algorithms.

Paid advertising (Social Media Marketing) allows you to customize your campaign goal to target a fine-tuned audience. Whether you are looking to gain followers, increase website traffic, or generate new leads, social media marketing allows you to reach your specific goals. Once your goal is defined, paid advertising grants you the opportunity to target your exact audience. If you are looking to communicate to women aged 30-45 who have toddler-aged children, work as an Administrative Assistant, and live within a mile of your storefront, you're in luck! Unlike organic posting, paid social advertising allows you to customize super-specific audiences that are curious about your offerings.

Social media marketing and management are different in more ways than just what they cost your brand. Each choice provides a different approach to how your brand will strategize its content distribution. Knowing the differences will help you devise appropriate tactics to ensure your brand's message is received on the right channels, at the correct times, and for the right cost!

Perfect Timing

Social media marketing and management also incorporates the timeframe of your campaign. If your timeline is constricted, paid ads may be a worthwhile investment to gain fast exposure. However, it is essential to make sure you don't overpay for advertising. For example, in most cases, if you are paying more than $10 per result, you are likely never going to see a return on that investment.

If you feel patience is a virtue (or if you don't want to spend money), then the social media management approach is more up your alley. You'll save your money in the long run, but with organic reach now at less than 1%, it will likely take years to see even a small return on investment.

A well-planned and executed strategy utilizes both methods for different types of campaigns. Instead of focusing on one over the other, it is highly recommended to make a cohesive strategy to take both short steps and long strides towards success. Think of it like football – you need to have a strong passing game and running game to make both short and long gains to get into scoring position. The same goes for your social media strategy!

Tactics and Content

The most significant differences between social media marketing and management aren't whether you're paying for exposure or not, but more about the type of content you create.

Consider the name itself, "social media." As the name implies, the platform is about friends, family, and connecting. The majority of users are not logging in with the intent to buy. Therefore, your content for these channels needs to be more than just promotional, or it will fall to the wayside. People don't engage with sales pitches on their news feed.

Your brand needs to be more of a friend or persona rather than a salesperson. Share informative, entertaining, or motivating content to establish your brand as a real person who will interact and have discussions with friends, who in this case are prospective buyers.

Social media management utilizes the brand as a friend. This tactic has proven to be most effective with Gen-Y and Millennials. If you want to be tricky, though, you can combine tactics by paying for a content boost. Paid boots will push your more creative and engaging content to reach a broader audience.

Social media marketing employs different tactics and is more promotional within its content. Social media marketing also makes use of current data to reach new audiences. For example, creating a lookalike audience based on your current list of customers will allow you to target similar demographics with engaging content and increase your reach.

Social media marketing is a more target-based approach that homes in on customizable audiences. Because these audiences are targeted, your content can be a little more promotional and should include calls to action. Targeted promotions will result in a higher return on investment for your social media expenses.

Regardless of which path you take, both methods are most effective when carried on the back of a loud brand voice and story that goes beyond pitching your product or service. As new audiences role in, your tactics will also have to change. Gen-Y and Millennials engage and promote brands with which they feel a personal connection. To be successful, your brand needs to develop social content that engages with audiences and is experiential. By fitting your strategy into a consumer experience, you'll expose your company to a broader audience, increase your brand authority, and convert more sales!