Introduction:
In this fast-paced digital world, social media has become one of the most influential platforms. It changed the way how customers perceive the brands. Once upon a time, search engines and TV ads were the titans of brand discovery. Now social media has come to the limelight, offering more dynamic opportunities for both, brands and consumers.
Platforms like Instagram and YouTube give the opportunity for brands to interact easily with the potential audience and convert them into their customers. “38% of customers are using social media platforms to discover products and brands which is higher than search engines and TV ads”, says the GWI report.
Let’s dive into the reasons why social media has outshined traditional search engines and TV ads in the realm of brand discovery-
1) Real-time engagement:
One of the greatest advantages of social media over search and TV ads is the ability to maintain real-time engagement with people. The brands can participate in conversations, interact through comments, and address queries immediately. This responsive nature of brands builds customer trust.
Real-time engagement also fosters brands to explore trending topics and bring new opportunities. As a bonus, brands that are being updated about trends can easily create marketing strategies and reach more targeted audience.
2) Visual storytelling:
Platforms based on visual content like TikTok, Pinterest and Instagram make them ideal for brand discovery. A study shows “Video contents have an audience reach of 92% worldwide”. By using high-quality images, engaging videos and visually appealing graphics, brands can easily capture the audience’s attention when compared to textual content. Some of the visual content formats are,
- Images
- Videos
- Infographics
- GIFs
- Memes
Visuals help the audience to consume, keep them engaged and make them want more.
3) Social media Influencers:
Social media influencers have become the new celebrities of the town. With their authentic content and follower’s community has the power to change consumer behavior. They act as an effective channel that offers brands a chance to reach out to their target customers (niche). The brands that properly identified their target audience and the influencer can achieve great success. The influencer’s recommendation and direct engagement with the followers provide a high chance to build customer loyalty and support.
4) Cost-effectiveness:
Compared to traditional TV ads and search engine strategies, social media marketing is more cost-effective. You don’t need to burn your pocket even before reaching your potential audience. Also, the different types of ads like, image ads, video ads, carousel ads and sponsored posts extend a chance for the brands to choose the best for their customers.
Social media marketing provides more flexibility to choose budgets and reach specific audiences. As an added advantage, you can only pay for the ads that actually reach people and can make changes in ad content to optimize your results making it compelling for the brands to explore social media marketing.
5) User Generated Content:
User-generated content is one of the most powerful tools for brand discovery. When customers share their experiences, it acts as word-of-mouth marketing and the authenticity of the content makes the brand trustworthy. The features in social media aid the brands to encourage customers to share their own stories and experiences.
By this, the brand can easily showcase their products, create engagement and social proof which can’t be done in the traditional ways. UGC is the strategy that works for all the brands across industries.
6) Target advertising:
Having a clear idea about the target audience is the main step for brand reach. Social media platforms offer these targeting options that allow brands to reach specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. This specific targeting makes social media ads more effective than the broad reach of TV ads or the keyword focus of search engines. Facebook and Instagram ads can be tailored to these specific criteria ensuring that the right audience sees the right content at the right time.
7) Community branding:
Community branding helps to strengthen and build conversations with customers. A brand community is usually people who follow your content, use your products/services and show brand loyalty at its best. Sometimes, brands let the community make decisions in product releases, get feedback and make changes according to that. These direct communications can only happen through social media. Creating this kind of connection with the customer can impact and improve the brand experience itself.
LEGO is one of the best examples of community branding. They have successfully created a fan community that shares their creation and participates in brand-led initiatives. This community engagement boosted brand loyalty and visibility.
8) Leveraging Data and Analytics:
Social media platforms provide various analytics tools that help brands to measure the effectiveness of their campaign. It gives proper insights into their engagement, reach and conversion rates. These analytics support the brand in making changes in its strategy and maximizing the ROI. Tools like Facebook Insights and Twitter Analytics offer data to brands and help them to change their strategy in real-time for better results.
9) Interacting and Engaging formats:
Social media lets brands choose a format that their audience likes the most and what works best for them. This usually won’t happen in the traditional ways. The more formats there are to choose from, the easier it is to be creative. Formats such as polls, quizzes and live videos make it easier for the brand to provide faster updates and create curiosity among the customers. These features allow brands to engage with their audience in fun and creative ways, developing deeper connections and increasing brand recall.
Conclusion:
The dominance of social media in brand discovery is undeniable. It provides more ways and means to engage the audience, unlike traditional search and TV ads. By understanding the unique strengths of social media, brands can elevate their brand discovery to new heights!