27 Jul Social Media Marketing vs Search Engine Marketing
Social Media Provides Hidden Opportunities
Only two or three years ago, Internet marketing folks were struggling with Content vs SEO. While the jury is still out about which is most important, most content specialists agree that content and SEO are partners and not adversaries. Today, there is some disagreement in the Internet marketing world about which is better, search engine marketing or social media marketing.
Where this disagreement began is a mystery, as most folks in the Internet marketing game agree that both are important for a successful online marketing effort.
Advantages of Social Media Marketing (SMM)
In a report by Econsultancy, researchers found that people in the age bracket of 18-26 more than 75 percent use recommendations found on social media before they buy a product online or in a bricks and mortar store. Merchants who used social media marketing strategies enjoy the ability of having their page or site if liked or tweeted or shared being instantly visible to the social media contacts of the prospect who shared your information. It is also likely that many of the people in a person’s social network share the same likes and dislikes – with one click of a share button, you find your way to hundreds of other prospects and a prospect was behind it.
Another advantage of social media marketing is the ability to respond to criticism. A gigantic business today is “reputation management.” This industry started in response to “rip off” sites and other similar sites that publish consumer complaints (real or imagined consumers and complaints) with no opportunity for a merchant to respond. But, if you have a presence in social media, dissatisfied customers will likely post to your page or site– where your business can respond to the criticism quickly.
Now, you can buy your way to leading social media resources as Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social media sites allow you to bid on search words in a way that is often similar to bidding on search words for Google.
Advantages of Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
People find search engines easy to use. When you look for a product or service, the chances are you turn to a search engine like Google, Bing, or Yahoo. That same report by eConsultancy (which is from 2010, with numbers increasing in both SEM and SMM ever since) found that search engine usage was 61 percent for all consumers seeking help in researching a product or service. This means optimization for SEM is critical for your business so it is found through search. However, make sure that you or a vendor who supports your site is knowledgeable about SEM. Recently, Google implemented a major change to its algorithm concerning mobile sites that impacts your business’s search engine results. Today’s search engines are far more than an electronic Yellow Pages, it is also an information source.
Knowing this, there are a number of tools out there that are free and useful. They include:
Google AdWords Keyword Tool
Keyword Tool
Hootsuite
and many more
Social Media Marketing vs Search Engine Marketing
Breaking into the first page for search engine marketing is extremely hard. But, by using a keyword search tool, you can find the most common search word or phrase relating to your business and buy an advertisement from Google, Bing and the like. It is not cheating and being on the first page of results may help jump-start your Internet marketing campaign, even if it is paid search and not organic.
Both SMM and SEM are tools smart Internet marketers keep in their armory. But, if time and/or talent is difficult for you, call Webociti where clicks turn into customers. The number is 678-892-7157.