More than 50% of the population uses social media, making it a profitable avenue for marketers looking to build brand loyalty and generate awareness. Social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram also give companies creative freedom, and many have used this freedom to blur the line between an organization and its target audience. Duolingo, for instance, is an example of this. The language learning service boasts 5.1 million followers on TikTok and 102.4 million likes. The company did this by joining in on trends and interacting with its followers as one would with their friends.
The Ups and Downs of Social Media Marketing
However, social media marketing has its downfalls too. In particular, there are many creative and safety problems associated with social media marketing. Social media marketing is demanding: it’s a mixture of quality and quantity. The more times you post, the more traction you’re going to get, but if these posts aren’t of high quality, audiences aren’t going to be as likely to share your posts.
You have to be highly creative when conducting social media marketing, which includes knowing how to tell a story and say something new. By saying something new, you’re giving consumers value-added. But, this is much harder than you would think, especially with so many competitors in this landscape.
At the same time, there are ethical and safety concerns associated with social media marketing. Marketers use data from platforms like Instagram to learn more about their consumers’ needs and wants. While this helps companies better cater their products and services to their target segments, this doesn’t always sit well with consumers.
In addition, social media use impacts mental health, particularly among Generation Z. This negative impact comes from Generation Z spending large amounts of time on social media. For example, 45% of Generation Z who responded to a survey with a sample size of 1,500 people said they spend at least one hour every day on TikTok. This percentage was even higher for YouTube (52%).
Because of this, social media marketers are in a challenging position. They want to create engaging content that builds brand awareness, but they have to remain ethical at the same time. That’s why other forms of marketing remain just as popular, such as out-of-home advertising. This form of marketing includes billboards and posters, but digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising blends modern marketing with traditional marketing. Most recently, we saw a unique DOOH advertising campaign launched by The Woolmark Company. This campaign has run everywhere from London’s Piccadilly Circus to New York’s Time Square.
Increasing social media usage has proven to be a profitable avenue for marketers. It gives them another platform to grow brand loyalty, but there’s no question that there are a few problems associated with social media marketing. One of these challenges is creative issues, such as trying to blend quantity with quality. Additionally, safety and ethical concerns touch on just how addicting and detrimental social media platforms can be to a company’s target audience. That is especially true among Generation Z.
