Will Social Media Replace Traditional Marketing?

Will Social Media replace traditional marketing? That’s a question that no business owner can answer for sure. However, companies have begun to recognize the benefits of social media. While it can be expensive, the greatest cost of social media is time. But if done correctly, it can help businesses generate hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of media value. Combined with traditional marketing tactics, social media can create a more powerful brand awareness and advocacy.

It’s important to be aware of the latest trends in your target market, and recognize when those trends are beginning to fizzle. Don’t build a marketing strategy based on outdated concepts or Myspace outreach – it’ll look outdated. Cultural awareness is essential when building a strategy, as cultural idioms and preferences may negatively impact a brand’s reputation. But the benefits are obvious. If you’re not aware of the social media landscape, you’ll be left behind in the long run.

Until the internet made social media so ubiquitous, traditional marketing was a viable option. Traditional marketing, such as print ads, spreads information and can even incorporate a call to action. A good example of this is Coca-Cola, which successfully merged traditional and digital marketing through its “Share a Coke” campaign. Customers could search for their names on the bottle label and upload photos to social media. These campaigns built consumer engagement and loyalty.