Consumers, on a whole, no longer watch a tv commercial and think, “I’ll go buy that product because they’re telling me it’s great.”

Instead, they do more research.  How? 

You guessed it. 

They head online and search for things like customer reviews or they check to see if the brand has an interactive social media presence.  It says a lot about how people have evolved as buyers. It says even more about how companies need to be marketing themselves.

In the past, traditional marketing such as shooting and airing a tv advertisement was the only way to spread a message.  Now, surveys show that buyers of all backgrounds are finding social media the most appealing channel.

In fact, 65% of people say social media has emerged as the channel that has grabbed their attention, with video and virtual content also preferred by most buyers. Additionally, 54% of buyers say they pay attention to social media brand content all the time or frequently.

Social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and ConnectPal all offer appealing marketing options to businesses who are looking to gain more exposure and ultimately entice more customers. ConnectPal is quite similar to other social platforms in that it is a content marketplace where anybody can create an account, but the social platform’s main difference is only premium subscribers are able to access content.

Businesses are best advised to research each social media platform to find out what will work best for them and their marketing goals.

If you’re a business owner who is pondering the benefits of social media vs. traditional media, it’s important to consider the effect social media has had on marketing as a whole.  For one, it is less expensive and more effective than regular television advertising, and it has the potential to reach larger audiences.

Today’s social media marketing is more strategic since you’re also able to determine digital marketing ROI, which makes the investment into social media much more valuable.  Brands can target their ideal buyer specifically rather than try to reach a broad market who may not be interested in them otherwise.  There are also ample opportunities for brands to build organic relationships with their audience through increasingly powerful marketing strategies that foster trust in their product or service.

Trust goes a long way in this day and age especially when the transparency of informative content has the user’s best interest at heart. Content that’s backed by peer reviews, which can only be found online, tell other consumers exactly what to expect from a brand.

So when you’re deciding between social media or placing an ad on television; it’s a no brainer, social media is the clear choice.

Sheri gill