As a business owner or marketer, you're likely well aware of the power of social media in today's digital landscape.
However, navigating the complexities of social media can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to deciding between social media management and social media advertising.
Both strategies have their own unique benefits and considerations, and the right approach for your business will depend on your specific goals, target audience, and resources.
Surprisingly I found that social media management is more efficient for small companies in the trades (building compagnies, earthworks, etc) combined with a small budged to boost specific posts.
In this post, we'll explore the key differences between social media management and social media advertising, helping you determine the most effective strategy to drive your business forward.
If you already use Social Media Management and Advertising and want to learn more about increasing sales through your website, watch our free training on how ONE change to your website can increase sales 2-5x.
Table of Content
Short on time? Here are the main points we will cover.
Whether you're a business owner, seasoned social media marketer or just starting to explore the possibilities. This article will provide you with the knowledge and guidance you need to make an informed decision and maximize your social media impact.
Social Media Management vs. Social Media Advertising: Understanding the Differences
Social media management and social media advertising are two distinct strategies that businesses can leverage to achieve their marketing and communication goals. Let's dive deeper into the key differences between these approaches:
Social Media Management
Social media management involves the ongoing curation, creation, and distribution of organic content across various social media platforms. This includes activities such as:
- Developing a content calendar and publishing relevant, engaging posts. This is often referred to as a content strategy
- Responding to comments and messages from followers
- Monitoring and analysing social media performance
- Engaging with your target audience through likes, shares, and comments
- Collaborating with influencers or other brands for cross-promotion
The primary focus of social media management is to build a strong, authentic connection with your audience, increase brand awareness, and foster loyalty over time.
In my experience, social media management is most effective for lead generation when you combine it with a website that is optimised for conversion. You can then redirect people onto your web pages if they are interested in knowing more about you.
If you want to learn more about optimising your website, watch this free training video.
Social Media Advertising
Social media advertising, on the other hand, involves the use of paid advertising campaigns to reach a specific target audience on social media platforms. This includes:
- Creating and targeting ads to specific demographics, interests, or behaviours
- Optimising ad campaigns for maximum reach and engagement
- Tracking and analysing the performance of your ad campaigns
- Adjusting ad strategies and budgets based on data-driven insights
The primary goal of social media advertising is to drive immediate, measurable results, such as increased website traffic, lead generation, or direct sales.
If you do Google Ads, but don’t do any Social Media Ads, you may be interested to read how you can increase your leads by comparing Google vs Facebook ads.
Aligning Your Social Media Strategy with Your Business Objectives
When deciding between social media management and social media advertising, it's crucial to align your strategy with your overall business objectives. Consider the following factors:
Brand Awareness and Engagement
If your primary goal is to build brand recognition, foster a loyal following, and engage with your audience on a deeper level, social media management may be the more effective approach. By consistently creating and sharing valuable content, you can establish your brand as an industry thought leader and cultivate a strong, authentic connection with your target audience.
While many courses, blogs and companies will tell you that you have to post at least twice a week, we found that once a week is sufficient for most businesses when combined with boosting those post. Saving you about $300 in managing fees, every week!
This makes social media management an affordable option, even for smaller businesses. See our pricing page to help you budget.
Immediate Results and Measurable Outcomes
If you're looking for more immediate, measurable results, such as increased website traffic, lead generation, or direct sales, social media advertising may be the better choice. Paid advertising campaigns allow you to precisely target your audience, track the performance of your ads, and make data-driven adjustments to optimise your results.
The most successful campaigns that I run have one thing in common: they know their audience! When you know who your audience is, advertising becomes a lot cheaper as you no longer waste your money and time showing your ad to the wrong audience.
Budget and Resources
Another important consideration is your available budget and resources. Social media management can be more cost-effective in the long run, as it relies primarily on organic content creation and community engagement. Social media advertising, on the other hand, requires a dedicated budget for ad spend, as well as the expertise to create and optimise effective ad campaigns.
Implementing and Measuring Your Social Media Strategy
Regardless of whether you choose social media management or social media advertising, it's crucial to have a well-defined implementation plan and a robust system for measuring the success of your efforts.
Many platforms such as Google, Facebook, Tiktok, etc. have build in tools that help you measure your success. If you have defined your goals, you can normally see a monetary value for a lead or conversion. For example, our leads are normally around $5-$10 on Facebook which is what we aim for.
Social Media Management Implementation
When implementing a social media management strategy, focus on creating a content calendar, developing a consistent brand voice, and engaging with your audience in a genuine and meaningful way. Utilise social media analytics tools to track your performance and make data-driven decisions to optimise your content and engagement strategies.
Social Media Advertising Implementation
For social media advertising, start by defining your target audience, setting clear campaign objectives, and creating visually appealing, attention-grabbing ad creatives.
Leverage the advanced targeting and optimisation capabilities of social media advertising platforms to ensure your ads reach the right people at the right time. Regularly analyse your ad performance and make adjustments to improve your results.
And when you compare success, you (like us) may find that simple graphics work better than fancy ones. Everyone else is doing the fancy ones, so you really want to stand out, all you need is to be different…
Measuring Success
Regardless of your chosen approach, it's essential to establish key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your business objectives. For social media management, metrics such as engagement rate, follower growth, and brand sentiment, messages and comments can provide valuable insights. For social media advertising, focus on metrics like click-through rate, conversion rate, and return on ad spend.
Conclusion
In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, understanding the nuances between social media management and social media advertising is crucial for businesses of all sizes. By aligning your strategy with your specific goals and resources, you can unlock the full potential of social media to drive meaningful results for your brand.
Remember, the most effective social media strategy is one that seamlessly integrates both organic and paid approaches and leveraging the unique strengths of each to create a comprehensive and impactful digital presence.
Continuously monitor your performance, adapt your tactics, and stay ahead of the curve to ensure your social media efforts continue to deliver long-term success.
This is not where it stops though, once you get the attention of your customer, where do they go? In 80% of all our campaigns we recommend sending them to a website that is optimised for customer conversion.
If you don’t have a customer generating website yet, check out this video on how to get one.
FAQs
What are the key differences between social media management and social media advertising?
The main differences lie in the focus and objectives of each approach. Social media management focuses on building brand awareness, fostering audience engagement, and cultivating long-term relationships through organic content creation and community interaction. Social media advertising, on the other hand, aims to drive immediate, measurable results such as increased website traffic, lead generation, or direct sales through targeted paid advertising campaigns.
When should a business use social media management vs. social media advertising?
The choice between social media management and social media advertising depends on your business objectives. If your primary goal is to build brand recognition, increase audience engagement, and establish thought leadership, social media management may be the more effective approach. If you're looking for immediate, measurable results like increased website traffic or lead generation, social media advertising may be the better option. Consider your budget, resources, and the specific needs of your business when deciding which strategy to prioritize.
How can a business effectively implement and measure their social media strategy?
Effective implementation of a social media strategy, whether it's management or advertising, requires a well-defined plan. For social media management, focus on creating a content calendar, developing a consistent brand voice, and engaging with your audience in a genuine and meaningful way. For social media advertising, start by defining your target audience, setting clear campaign objectives, and creating visually appealing, attention-grabbing ad creatives. Regularly analyse your performance using relevant KPIs, such as engagement rate, follower growth, and return on ad spend, to make data-driven decisions and optimise your strategies.
What are the benefits and drawbacks of social media management vs. social media advertising?
The key benefits of social media management include building brand awareness, fostering audience engagement, and cultivating long-term relationships with your customers. The drawbacks may include a slower return on investment and the need for consistent content creation and community management. The benefits of social media advertising include the ability to drive immediate, measurable results, precise targeting capabilities, and the potential for higher return on ad spend. The drawbacks may include the ongoing need for ad spend, the complexity of campaign optimisation, and the risk of ad fatigue among your audience.
