Small businesses and large businesses alike have had to deal with the question of whether to invest their marketing funds in search engine optimization of social media marketing. Each of these marketing strategies has its own merits and demerits and for the most part, each strategy will yield varying returns on investment compared to the other under the same circumstances.
So which strategy is the best for your business? There is no simple answer to this question. It depends on the niche that your business is in as well as your overall objectives and the direction you want your internet properties to take. Herein we are going to explore what each strategy offers for your company and how best or when to make use of each of the above marketing strategies.
What SEO Offers Businesses
#1. SEO Offers Ownership Of The Web Property In Question – If you consider the internet as real estate, SEO allows businesses to own properties in the internet realm. Fundamentally, SEO allows businesses to have full control and ownership of the property/website. In this regard, businesses full discretion of the user experience and are thus capable of determining what kind of user experience they want to give their customer and clients.
#2. Better Conversion For Local Businesses – SEO tends to offer better conversion than social for local businesses (unless it is lifestyle business). Local searches tend to be more purchase-oriented than consumer research oriented. However, there is still some research involved in local searches. Thus SEO enables businesses to capture clients or customer at the right point of their purchase experience – when they actually want to buy.
#2. Works For Every Kind Of Business – The beauty of SEO is that it is search based. Virtually every business or opportunity can use Google and other search engines to be found by their customers and clients. SEO is relevant for almost all niches, and thus just about any business can use it to market their service and or products.
What Social Media Offers Businesses
#1. Renting Internet Property That You Do Not Own – Social media platforms are some of the most used websites and application in the internet realms. Facebook, for instance, has over a billion of users. Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, and other social media apps have millions of users. With this in mind, for businesses to reach out to the millions of people on these properties (properties owned by the social media companies) they rent the space. If you liken website to real estate properties, social media allows businesses to rent popular real estate where consumers will readily look at the businesses.
#2. Powerful For Lifestyle Business – Although many business niches can successfully make use of social media, businesses in the various lifestyle niches that can make use of video and image content tend to fair better.
#3. Viral Sustainability – Unlike SEO, social media marketing has the possibility of viral sustainability. This is especially the case for businesses that put out high-quality content that is worth sharing while at the same time encouraging the businesses’ network to share. This expands the influence and reach of a business without extra input in time or money.
#4. Provides An Efficient Means For Businesses To Interact With Their Clients And Or Customers – One of the notable aspects of social media marketing is the need to engage your network. Social media marketing cannot be successful without engaging one’s network as it is not a set and forget form of advertising unless when running ads. This has the advantage of humanizing the company in question, which improves the brand value of the company.
#5. Scalable Form Of Marketing – For businesses that use social media ads, it is easier for them to scalable up or down depending on the success of the ad campaigns. After testing ads and determining that they are producing desirable results, businesses can invest more into the ads for even bigger and better ads. Conversely, if a particular ad does not meet the expectations in as far as return on investment is concerned, businesses can scale down on that ad.
Recommendations: Which Marketing Strategy Should You Use
How about using both strategies! Each of these marketing strategies has its own merits (and demerits). SEO makes it easy for businesses to be found by people through search engines. However, social media provides a platform for businesses to engage their customer and or clients. Additionally, incorporating social media enables businesses to get more links and social proof and testimonials for sharing.
The best formula to use with regards to SEO and social media is to focus on being found by search engines through SEO and then using the power of social media to bolster the links to your assets whilst at the same time providing your company a chance to connect with people which yields likeability and personability of your company.
