Critics of social; the limits of social media and digital marketing
Are marketers just catching the next digital bling?
Watching Mark Ritson's videos got me nodding throughout his rant because I agree that social media is just a tool to help to generate brand awareness but can they effectively drive sales? There is no specific measure out there to help companies prove the effectiveness of the usage of a social media campaign; well maybe yes to a certain extent for events like the number of RSVP to a beauty workshop, companies can see how many of their customers used a particular discount code which is unique to each influencer that they have engaged. Other than these tactics, is there any other way to prove that high reach = sales?
Here's a snippet from Mark's video. Oreo took part in a super bowl commercial and their tweet went viral. People were saying that it was such a clever ad and it reached out to 64,000 people. But there's a twist, these numbers represent a mere 0.02% of their customer base...Now, this tweet doesn't seem as impressive as it used to right?
As Mark has effectively pointed out in his rant, the impact that social media has is minor compared to the impact of traditional media. Shocking right? I bet some of you guys are as taken aback as I am! Well, the cat is finally out of the bag: the marketing press has not been very diligent in how they present the purpose and effect of social media.
Here's a snippet from Mark's video. Oreo took part in a super bowl commercial and their tweet went viral. People were saying that it was such a clever ad and it reached out to 64,000 people. But there's a twist, these numbers represent a mere 0.02% of their customer base...Now, this tweet doesn't seem as impressive as it used to right?
Now let's take a look at another super bowl ad which was shown on television. This one garnered over 50 million eyeballs on the ad. Now, who said TV is dead?
As Mark has effectively pointed out in his rant, the impact that social media has is minor compared to the impact of traditional media. Shocking right? I bet some of you guys are as taken aback as I am! Well, the cat is finally out of the bag: the marketing press has not been very diligent in how they present the purpose and effect of social media.
The gist of it is that brands are just blindly hopping onto the digital bandwagon just because everybody else is doing it. CEO who aren't questioning what's being recommended to them out of fear of being seen as out of touch and I agree with that.
No one wants to be left out of the digital bandwagon. But did they stop to think for a second if it was relevant/effective to their brand?
Social media increases web traffic but it doesn't convert to sales. Conversion is the most important aspect of social media, whether you're selling a product, service or content.
The history of traditional media has taught us that new media doesn't eliminate existing media. They add to it and enrich the media landscape. I think marketers need to know that relying on social media alone isn't going to accomplish all your KPIs. The biggest takeaway for me from Mark's video is the importance of understanding each media's strengths and weaknesses and how to combine them to the greatest effect.
What do you guys think? Let me know in the comment section down below! :-)
The history of traditional media has taught us that new media doesn't eliminate existing media. They add to it and enrich the media landscape. I think marketers need to know that relying on social media alone isn't going to accomplish all your KPIs. The biggest takeaway for me from Mark's video is the importance of understanding each media's strengths and weaknesses and how to combine them to the greatest effect.
What do you guys think? Let me know in the comment section down below! :-)
Social marketing is a very important marketing tool in 2019. It helps create great awareness and convenience to view anywhere but sometimes the brand message is not clearly presented. So marketer should focus less on being the No1 in the search engine but focus more on sending out value brand message.
ReplyDeletePlease comment on my blog too https://aprilteoh.wordpress.com/author/aprilteoh/
Hello, thank you for your comment!
DeleteYes, I agree some campaigns fail to cut through the clutter and some leave us scratching our heads...Messaging provides the words that help customers and prospects understand a firm’s value and values. It articulates the brand’s promise and stimulates desire for a firm’s services. Without it, the campaign becomes a complete flop because your audience doesn’t get the message that your brand is trying to convey. Therefore, it is important to keep your ideal buyers in mind so that you are always working toward a messaging that will resonate with their needs, motivations, interests, and pain points.
A great read!
ReplyDeleteI personally believe that Ritson is indeed mostly right. I mean, there are so many ways in which digital media can be manipulated such that results are skewed to the extreme.
However, I do also think that while Ritson is quite right, it's not a 100% accurate, in my opinion. Let's say, for the sake of the argument, a startup company has a unique niche group that it wishes to reach out to. But, because they are new, they are unlikely to break through the clutter amongst more well known competitors via traditional modes of advertising such as Television ads and the like. The only real way they can express themselves would be digital channels, where it is relatively cheaper, if I'm not mistaken, to places ads where there's a lot of room for creativity. As such, digital channels, such as Social Media become the only means to calculate reach and sales. In such a case, it is the only effective way to reach out, thus negating Ritson's point about the biasness in how Social Media is presented.
Would love to hear your opinions on the matter. Cheers!
Hello, thank you for your comment!
DeleteThat’s an interesting standpoint and you’re not entirely wrong either. Today’s strategies are no longer reliant on rules. Make ‘em or break ‘em! One thing’s for sure: not every target segment can be reached using mobile applications. I feel that this is particularly useful for niche businesses - it allows people to touch, hold, and sample your products. Plus, offline marketing tactics such as using business cards, pamphlets, or coupons give customers a physical connection with the brand.
Hmm, I guess it really depends on the industry which you’re in and whether or not you are best suited for traditional or more modern forms of marketing. I think rather than taking an all or nothing approach, a multi-channel approach that leverages the unique benefits of paper with the convenience and accessibility of digital will perform best!
Hi Grace, I totally agree with you that traditional media is not dead. Just like how digital marketing is not able to reach out to the minority of non-tech savvy people, traditional media is able to achieve just that. I personally feel that it is still important utilize both traditional and digital marketing in order to maximize reach. Hence, it would be certain to say that forgoing traditional media is currently impossible right now as the company will risk losing out the minority of people that are not tech-savvy. Overall, a great read and I have definitely gained valuable insights!:)
ReplyDeleteHello Wei Li, thank you for your comment!
DeleteYes, traditional modes of advertising have proven themselves to still be able to compete amidst the current marketing climate where almost everything seems to take place online. Like you mentioned, traditional forms of advertising still has its part to play as the elderly generation isn’t as tech savvy makes it the go to choice!
Marketers have a plethora of tools to choose from, whether they decide to use a solely digital strategy or incorporate a blend of both traditional and digital tactics. It is important that brands need to begin thinking like their customer and understand how their target markets are accessing information and consuming content. If the goal of businesses in today’s crowded marketplace is to differentiate and get noticed, it makes sense to use as many channels as possible, both digital and traditional, to attract your target market! :)
Hi Grace, I do agree with you that a mix of both traditional and digital marketing should be implemented to achieve better reach and ultimately converting the targeted audiences into customers of the brand. In marketing, I believe that proper monitoring of the marketing tools can help to track effectiveness of various marketing tools on different platforms and select the best method to help businesses leverage on. I would like to hear from you, which brand/business have done well in both traditional and social media marketing? Great post once again! Cheers!
ReplyDeleteHello Gabriel, thank you for your comment!
DeleteYes I agree with you - running a successful business is not just about choosing the appropriate market or having a high quality product. It’s also about leveraging the right kind of marketing techniques in order to reach out to your target audience and convert them into leads or customers.
An example that I’d like to share would be Apple. Few companies in the world have the level of brand recognition of Apple, and the company has provided a consistently high level of brand integration no matter where consumers encounter it. Have you noticed how every Apple storefront offers a look and feel that is almost identical to that of its website? Few companies are able to do such a thorough job of integrating the physical location with the online presence, offering consumers an identifiable customer experience wherever it takes place.
All in all, combining traditional and digital marketing forces is a powerful way to achieve your businesses overall goals. When combined, they compensate for each other’s weaknesses and so the benefits of both plans are gained as they work in synchronicity! :)