Search marketing or social marketing?
Hmmm…
Decisions, decisions, decisions.
Isn’t digital media marketing just one big thing?
All you need to do is sign up for one of those platforms, upload a few posts and you’re good to go right?
It would be great if digital media marketing were that simple.
But, it isn’t.
One of the most important decisions you’ll have to make is whether to how use a combination of search marketing and social marketing or to focus exclusively on one or the other. This decision also relates to your choice of open or closed social media networks. Ultimately, your choice depends on the marketing goals for your business and the social media platforms most often used by your target audience.
What is Search Marketing?
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I call search marketing “longevity” marketing. Your aim in search marketing is to rank highly in search queries. This makes the consistent production of content increasingly important.
I’ve mentioned before that social media marketing and blogging work in tandem. You need both to make your search marketing efforts effective. YouTube (and even LinkedIn) is an example of a search marketing social media platform.
Pinterest is another great platform to implement search marketing. That’s because it goes hand-in-hand with blogging.
What is Social Marketing?
Photo by Cristian Dina from Pexels
Social marketing is about socializing and connecting with people. It’s the type of marketing where people constantly post about what’s been happening in their days and share their perspectives. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and SnapChat are examples of social media marketing platforms.
What Platforms Offer Both Social Marketing and Search Marketing?
There are some digital marketing tools that straddle the line between social marketing and search marketing. We tend not to view Quora as a social marketing platform. However, the very nature of Quora makes it a perfect search marketing tool.
Type a question into Google’s search bar and you’re bound to see a Quora search result. It’s the platform where people interact with each other to find the answers to questions. Many professionals and tech wizards use it to build their reputation and even find inspiration for blog posts.
Podcasts are also useful search marketing and social marketing tools. The social element comes from listeners being able to comment and engage with the podcast host. The search element comes from the fact that podcasts are created to answer questions.
Final Words
Digital marketing is filled with choices that can make or break your brand. Making the right choice about whether to use a combined search marketing and social marketing strategy or either of the two depends on your marketing goals and your target audience. Most brands use a combined approach. Schedule a call with me so that I can help you make the right choice.
