Social Media Marketing vs Social Media Communication

As social media continues to become more embedded in our regular lives both personally and professionally, it is fascinating for me to see how individuals and businesses are utilising social media platforms.

One of my main dislikes about social media is that social media to a degree has been seized by marketers who have chosen to utilise it as another mass marketing and advertising channel.  This is a real shame as social media has so much more potential if used for engagement instead of selling.

I don’t ‘do’ social media marketing which may seem strange considering I consult, talk and facilitate on many social media subject matters.  Instead I choose to say that I assist businesses and leaders with their social media communications.

Is there actually a difference between ‘marketing’ and ‘communication’? I believe there is a subtle difference.  Although marketing is the process of communicating, its purpose is to sell a product or service.  Communication on the other hand is an activity of conveying information whether that is ideas, intentions, opinions or feelings.  Now, not everyone will agree with this and that is fine.  However, if one thinks about social media’s short history it was developed primarily as a tool to stay in touch with friends at university which then expanded into the wider general population.

Then business came along and decided they wanted a piece of the action so they starting using social media to connect with potential customers.  It is great that businesses can connect with their clients and customers directly and provide them with valuable information.  However, some businesses make the error of treating social media as a selling platform by marketing to their audience forgetting the ‘social’ aspect of social media.  They tell you how good they are and why you should buy from them.  The reality is that most individuals are becoming tired of being sold to.

Where social media adds value is in relationship building and developing trust.  This is where communicating instead of marketing is so valuable. Creating, sharing and exchanging of information and ideas are the foundation of social media. This is what social media is about – the emphasis is on ‘social’ first and ‘marketing’ a distant second.  It is the perfect opportunity to build relationships, have conversations, listen and offer valuable content.

Relationship building is one of the most important elements of business success.  And social media communication as opposed to marketing can be a valuable part of building relationships.

Read more on Anna’s thoughts here: www.annacairo.com

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Tags: Building Relationships on Social Media • Social Engagement • social media communication • Social Media Marketing