Social Media Marketing and Traditional Marketing: Delving into their Surprising Contrasts

The world of marketing has been revolutionized with the growth of social media. Social media marketing (SMM) has become an integral part of many marketing strategies and is often seen as the future of marketing. On the other hand, traditional marketing has been around for centuries and still continues to be a powerful marketing tool for businesses. In this article, we will explore the contrasts between social media marketing and traditional marketing, including the advantages and disadvantages of each, cost comparison, strategies and best practices, and how to measure the success of social media marketing vs traditional marketing. We will also discuss the future of social media marketing in the Philippines.

Introduction to Social Media Marketing and Traditional Marketing

Social media marketing (SMM) is the use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to promote products and services. It is a powerful tool for businesses to reach out to their target audience, build relationships, and drive sales. It can be used to promote products and services, create brand awareness, engage with customers, and generate leads.

On the other hand, traditional marketing is the use of traditional media such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television to promote products and services. It is a more established form of marketing and is often used for mass marketing. Traditional marketing can be used to reach a wide audience, build brand recognition, and drive sales.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media Marketing

If one would compare, traditional marketing falls behind social media marketing in terms of its advantages. Firstly, it is much more cost effective than traditional marketing. As compared to traditional marketing, social media marketing requires minimal investment and provides the opportunity to reach a wider audience. Secondly, it is much more targeted and allows businesses to target specific audiences based on their interests, demographics, and location. Thirdly, is is more interactive and allows businesses to engage with their customers in real-time.

However, social media marketing also has some disadvantages. Firstly, it can be difficult to measure the ROI of social media marketing campaigns. Secondly, it can be time consuming to manage and maintain social media accounts. Thirdly, it can be difficult to create content that stands out from the competition.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Traditional Marketing

Traditional marketing also has its advantages and disadvantages. Firstly, traditional marketing is much more established and has been around for centuries. It is a proven marketing tool and has been used to great success by many businesses. Secondly, traditional marketing is relatively easy to measure and track. The ROI of traditional marketing campaigns can be easily calculated and tracked. Thirdly, traditional marketing is often seen as more credible than social media marketing and is more likely to be trusted by potential customers.

However, traditional marketing also has its disadvantages. Firstly, it is much more expensive than social media marketing. Secondly, it is not as targeted as social media marketing and is often used for mass marketing. Thirdly, it can be difficult to measure the success of traditional marketing campaigns.

Major Differences Between Social Media and Traditional Marketing

Photo from: Digitology

Although social media marketing and traditional marketing are both effective methods of promoting products and services, there are some key differences between the two. Below are some of the major differences between social media and traditional marketing.

Target Audience

The first major difference between social media and traditional marketing is the target audience. With social media marketing, businesses can target a specific demographic based on their interests, location, and more. This makes it easier for businesses to reach their desired audience.

Traditional marketing, on the other hand, does not allow for this level of targeting. With traditional marketing, businesses must reach a wide audience in hopes of reaching their desired demographic.

Cost

Traditional marketing is much more expensive compared to its online counterpart. With social media marketing, businesses can reach a large audience without spending a lot of money. Traditional marketing tends to be more expensive as businesses must pay for television and radio ads, print ads, and more.

Reach

Social media marketing has a much greater reach than traditional marketing. With social media marketing, businesses can reach a global audience with just the click of a button. Traditional marketing, on the other hand, is limited to a more local audience.

Speed

Social media marketing allows businesses to reach their target audience almost instantly. With traditional marketing, however, businesses must wait days, if not weeks, to get their message out.

Content

The content used in social media marketing and traditional marketing is also quite different. Social media marketing tends to focus on visuals, videos, and engaging content that is designed to grab the attention of the user. Traditional marketing tends to be more informative and uses text-based content to convey the message.

Cost Comparison of Social Media Marketing vs Traditional Marketing

When it comes to the cost of social media marketing vs traditional marketing, the difference is quite stark. Social media marketing is relatively inexpensive compared to traditional marketing. For example, a business can create and manage a Facebook page for free and use it to promote its products and services. On the other hand, traditional marketing requires a much larger budget and can be quite costly for businesses.

Traditional Marketing Strategies and Best Practices

In the matters of traditional marketing, there are several strategies and best practices that businesses should follow. Firstly, businesses should focus on creating an effective marketing strategy that takes into account the goals, target audience, budget, and timeline. Secondly, businesses should create an integrated marketing campaign that incorporates multiple traditional marketing channels such as print, radio, television, and outdoor advertising. Thirdly, businesses should use tracking and analytics tools to measure the success of their traditional marketing campaigns.

Social Media Marketing Strategies and Best Practices

When talking about social media marketing, there are also several strategies and best practices that businesses should follow. Firstly, businesses should create a social media marketing strategy that takes into account the goals, target audience, budget, and timeline. Secondly, brands and companies should create a content plan that outlines the type of content to be created and the schedule for posting. Thirdly, they should use analytics tools to track the performance of their social media campaigns.

Measuring the Success of Social Media Marketing vs Traditional Marketing

In terms of measuring the success of social media marketing vs traditional marketing, there are several metrics that can be used. For social media marketing, businesses should track metrics such as website traffic, engagement, brand awareness, lead generation, and sales. For traditional marketing, businesses should track metrics such as reach, impressions, recall, and sales.

What is the Possible Future of Social Media Marketing in the Local Scene?

The future of social media marketing in the Philippines looks very promising. With the increasing number of internet users and the growth of social media platforms, businesses in the Philippines are beginning to recognize the potential of social media marketing. More and more companies and businesses are investing in social media marketing campaigns and leveraging the power of social media to reach their target audience, build relationships, and drive sales.

Conclusion

The contrasts between social media marketing and traditional marketing are stark. While both have their advantages and disadvantages, social media marketing is much more cost effective and can be used to target specific audiences based on their interests, demographics, and location. On the other hand, traditional marketing is more established and has been used to great success by many businesses. Ultimately, it is up to businesses to decide which marketing strategy is best for them.