Marketing Trends: Why Social Isn’t Going Anywhere
Marketing is an ever-evolving discipline that sees a lot of change. But one thing that is unlikely to change in the foreseeable future is the importance of social media. By taking advantage of platforms that get so much use, businesses of all kinds can continually expand their reach, both within existing audiences and into new ones. Furthermore, even if a given platform does get stale, it seems there’s always a new one to take its place; case in point, TikTok already has a billion annual users!
Below, we’ll expand on why social media marketing is here to stay.
It’s the most cost-effective way to grow a brand
Social media marketing remains one of the most cost-effective ways to grow a brand. With low-cost advertising reaching such a wide audience, it’s a no-brainer for everyone from SMBs to enterprises. That’s not to say investment and creativity aren’t needed; effective social media marketing requires a great deal of effort. But it is fundamentally cheap to practice once you have the personnel in place to do it, and it reaches a wider audience at lower cost than any other marketing practice.
Most people use social media
The unfortunate situation we’ve found ourselves due to the pandemic has also caused a number of changes in the way we work, play, and interact with each other. People who weren’t previously digitally inclined now find themselves using social media to talk to loved ones while in times of lockdown and quarantine –– or even if they’re simply choosing to go out less. Meanwhile, our transition to remote work has further necessitated that businesses get social.
The above point spoke to the reach of social media marketing at relatively low cost, and the bottom line is that that reach has expanded even more amidst our changing conditions. More people are using social media more of the time –– and they’re doing so specifically in the hopes of finding connections. As a professor of digital social media put it in an article last March, one thing that brings us together is shared experience. People are turning to social media for that experience, and this is something strategic marketers can tap into.
A high-demand job
Another reason that social media isn’t going anywhere in marketing is that it is, quite simply, still red hot! Jobs in social media strategy remain some of the most common for graduates with bachelor’s degrees in marketing, indicating that there is still massive demand for related skills and expertise. A social media strategist is responsible for a large number of duties, including administering a company’s social media accounts, designing strategies to achieve marketing targets, and managing unique, high-quality content for every platform the company uses. Also, they have to stay on top of the constant changes that social media platforms go through, which brings us to our next point.
The fact that the market for people with these skills and backgrounds remains extremely active is a clear indication that businesses themselves see ongoing (if not increasing) need for social media marketing.
Constant Evolution
As alluded to above, social media is in a constant state of change; new platforms may become popular while others lose their audiences. But the core concept, from a marketing standpoint, remains unchanged. Heading into 2022, we’re looking at more livestreams, stories, and even augmented reality content, for instance. Those working in marketing have to be aware that their campaigns may need to change quickly, but it’s that same change that gives us further evidence that social media marketing isn’t going anywhere.
This branch of the online world does not come and go, and is not following a finite timeline, so far as we can observe. Rather, it adapts with time, trends, and even the preferences of new generations.
Considering all of this, it’s quite clear that businesses need to continue to prioritize their social media marketing plans. If anything, social looks to be getting more impactful moving forward, and the businesses that adjust accordingly will be in the best positions to expand their brands and bring in customers.
Exclusively prepared for market-ting.com
