Social media is utilized by billions of people all over the world, and it has quickly become one of our generation’s defining technologies.
In 2022, the overall number of social media users is expected to reach 3.29 billion, accounting for 42.3% of the global population.
It’s now news that marketers have clasped social media as a marketing medium since the target audience spends many hours on different social media platforms.
So, stay with us and find out how social media marketing has evolved in all these years.
Social Media Marketing- An Evolution
One of the most remarkable aspects of social media marketing is how much it has progressed in such a short period. Something that didn’t even exist a decade ago has now become an unavoidable requirement.
The measurements used to gauge marketing success over time are one of the easiest methods to follow this evolution.
Social media was mainly a new area a decade ago, with everyone claiming free digital real estate.
Businesses that used social media focused on certain KPIs like gaining more followers and expanding their network, or keeping their online profiles up to date.
Content marketing became more popular among internet marketing experts as social media networks rose in number and variety. As marketers felt pressured to produce an ROI for their online efforts, firms began to shift their social media approach away from “vanity metrics.”
People were enticed back to the corporate website using content marketing, such as blog articles and other content formats, to convert them into leads and sales. As a result, conversions became the preferred measure, and the emphasis shifted to sales.
There has been a significant shift in social media marketing in the previous several years. A new strategy arose as small and large firms began using social media.
The number of followers you have and total conversion numbers are still significant in this new way of thinking, but our measurements go even further.
We now look at genuine social media engagement — how many people are interacting with the various elements provided by your social media plan — in addition to those figures.
How Customer Expectations And Technology Have Advanced?
People had to access their social media accounts via uncomfortable feature phones or regular PCs ten years ago when social media was less mobile.
The world has changed.
According to Pew Research, only 35% of Americans owned cell phones in 2011, but that number has since increased to 77%.
Customer expectations have progressed in lockstep with technology, with 42% of customers anticipating a response within an hour if they make a complaint on social media.
Customer’s Voice Is Equally Important As The Company’s Voice
Companies were the broadcasters, and customers were the audience in the early days of social media.
What used to be your audience has now become your discussion partners, and the consumer has a voice as loud as yours.
Your announcements will be degraded in visibility due to algorithm changes on platforms like Facebook. However, your dialogues with your audience will still be featured in their message notifications and the feeds of all their friends and followers.
In essence, the new social media strategy is friendly.
Engaged Customers Offer More Value
Many people have hunches about customer value, but today you can prove that engaged consumers are worth substantially more to your firm over time than unengaged customers.
Any strong social media strategy is built on data and numbers.
Being nice and talkative turns out to be an excellent marketing strategy for increasing audience engagement.
True social media participation has a priceless value. Customers and leads help you locate more customers and leads, expanding your audience and revenue.
The Bottom Line
Social media marketing has evolved notably over the years.
Even if you are not familiar with the statistics, you must know that something considered merely an entertainment tool a few years back has become a primary domain of conducting business.
It proves that social media has grown to be an inseparable part of the business community. If you require more details, let us know in the comment box below. We will get back to you with an answer in no time.