Social media marketing vs. content marketing: Which should you use?

Julie Pearl Published on March 17, 2015

social-media-marketer-about-to-fistfight-content-marketer
Social media marketing and content marketing are two of the favorite ways that marketers use to get their brands out there. While both are prevalently being done nowadays, the difference between the two is still unclear for many. It s understandable, considering that they have overlapping traits—content marketers rely heavily on social media for distribution, while social networks are rife with marketing content.

Despite similarities and differences, these types of marketing are very different. To know when to use social media or originally produced shareable content for your promotional initiatives, you must differentiate their focus and goals:

Focus

cube-businessman-looking-into-telescope

As you can tell by the name, social media marketers focus their activities on social networks. Their campaigns and audience engagement efforts are all done within Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or any of their social media site of choice.

On the other hand, content marketing centers on your business website. Since blog articles, studies, newsletters, or any shareable and valuable marketing materials are meant to attract an audience, they are primarily published on a business main site. Social networks may be used for wider dissemination, but they mostly just act as distributors, not the main source itself. You should always link back to the actual content on your website when promoting free content on social media.

Goals

running-bullseye-chased-by-arrows-social-media-marketing

Social media marketing has two main purposes. First is brand awareness—you introduce your brand by generating discussion or activity about it. Next is customer satisfaction—through social channels, you open avenues for complaints or questions to show customers that you care.

Meanwhile, the goal of content marketing is mostly about producing materials that are on demand. Since it brings prospects to your site, the content you publish there should answer your target s needs so that you can develop a business relationship with them or turn them into qualified leads.

 

What to use and when to use it


creative-lumberjack-holding-wrench-tool-box

Marketing on social media is at the top of the mind of most companies not only because it directly targets customers, but also because the type of content that you can publish on social networks is easier to produce—quizzes, games, or just a 140-character blurb if you re on Twitter. They don t always require time and budget compared to blog posts, infographics, white papers, slideshows, videos, and other types of content in rich media format.

It s natural to make the first few steps on social media, but after getting the hang of publishing on an easier platform, it s ideal to graduate to marketing content on your website and build an audience right there. Of course, the content should be of higher quality and for longer-term solutions, but what will follow is a much more powerful result: a deeper kind of engagement that can only come out of top-caliber content.

To sum up, social media marketing gets you closer to your customers, while content marketing enables you to foster valuable connections with them. It s up to you if you want to take your brand to social channels, drive leads to your own space, or do both at the same time. The two types of marketing are effective in their own right; what it takes for them to be successful is the right combination and execution on your end.

OABPO-Julie Author
As one of Open Access BPO's content writers, Julie Pearl shares her BPO knowledge through her blog posts, research papers, and other resources. She writes about outsourcing news and call center management tips and insights.
Join us on facebook
Open Access BPO 16 hours ago
Embrace the power of #diversity and drive positive change with #InclusiveHiring practices!

Our new blog post explores the transformative impact of inclusive hiring, providing insights and strategies to build a stronger, more inclusive workforce: https://buff.ly/3uHQV7c

----------
Our recruitment & training practices are meticulously designed to ensure exceptional #CX: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#DiversityandInclusion
#inclusivity
Open Access BPO 19 hours ago
When it comes to #CustomerService, every ounce of effort—both tiny and grand—counts.

Here's a list of 10 modest gestures your #CallCenter agents can do to build meaningful customer relationships: https://buff.ly/3Rc0wdZ

----------
Elevate #CustomerExperience by #outsourcing to a trusted 24/7 multilingual #BPO: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#outsourcing #CX #CSat
#CustomerSatisfaction
Open Access BPO Yesterday
Ensuring memorable #CustomerExperience by providing high quality #CustomerSupport means two things:
• brands need to gain a 360-degree view of their customers; and
• brands need to satisfy a large part, if not all, of their customers' needs.

Do both by implementing a multichannel #CX management strategy: https://buff.ly/418ASeP

----------
Give your customers an unforgettable customer experience with multichannel #CustomerService: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#outsourcing #CX
#CustomerSatisfaction #CSat
Open Access BPO 11 days ago
Aside from the location advantage, the 𝐏𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 in Southeast Asia because of these Filipino qualities:
• neutral accent;
• multilingual proficiency;
• dedicated work ethics;
• resilience and adaptability; and
• close affinity with Western cultures.

Read: https://buff.ly/47sGAKD

----------
Partner with a #CallCenter with strong #CustomerExperience expertise: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerSupport #CustomerService
#CustomerSatisfaction #CSat #CX
Open Access BPO 11 days ago
𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 is a valuable metric to determine the challenges your #CustomerSupport team will face.
It allows you to manage your team and distribute the workload accordingly, paving the way for an efficient operational output.

Read: https://buff.ly/3R0VCk2

----------
Effective employee and ops management ensure high #productivity for optimal 24/7 coverage.

So, only partner with an #outsourcing specialist with robust and foolproof ops strategies that will make your brand soar: OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#CustomerExperience #CustomerService
Open Access BPO 12 days ago
Creating culturally diverse teams in #CallCenters is not just a moral imperative but a strategic advantage.

Here are 6 more compelling reasons for ensuring #CulturalDiversity in the workplace: https://buff.ly/3MYaCO6

----------
Choose an #outsourcing partner with diverse teams and cultures:
OpenAccessBPO.com/get-started

#WeSpeakYourLanguage
#diversity #inclusitivity
Open Access BPO