A majority of small business owners in India do not have a clear idea of the difference between social media marketing and digital marketing. This is quite common because both involve promoting businesses online.
But, they are not the same, and knowing the difference between digital marketing vs social media marketing can help you grow your business better.
In this blog, we explain:
- What is social media marketing?
- What is digital marketing?
- Why do many people think they are the same?
- The main differences between social media marketing and digital marketing.
- Which one is better for your business?
What Is Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing involves using social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube to market your business.
Here, you connect with your customers by sharing photos, videos, stories, and posts. You can also run paid ads to reach more people.
Think of it like this: Every time you create a Facebook page for your business and post an update or share something, or whenever you upload photographs of your products on Instagram, that is social media marketing. You are creating brand awareness through social media to engage your audience.
What Is Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing is a more broad category that covers not only social media marketing but all kinds of online marketing. It means marketing your business by using the Internet.
Digital marketing includes:
- Social media marketing (Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
- Search engine marketing (Google Ads)
- Email marketing (sending emails to customers)
- Content marketing (writing blogs, articles, or videos)
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization) (helping your website rank higher on Google)
- Affiliate marketing (working with other people to promote your products)
- Online ads on different websites
Digital marketing is the overall strategy for promoting your business online using various methods, not just social media.
Why Do Many People Think They Are the Same?
Many business owners think social media marketing and digital marketing are the same because:
- They both happen online: Both are done on the internet, so it’s easy to confuse them.
- Social media is very popular: In India, millions of people use Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. So, when business owners think about promoting their products online, they often think only about social media.
- Lack of knowledge: Many business owners don’t know about all the different ways to do digital marketing, like SEO or Google Ads. Social media is easier to understand, so they focus on that.
Digital Marketing vs Social Media Marketing
A. Where It Happens
- Social media marketing is a form of online advertising that occurs on social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
- Digital marketing takes place through several channels. It can also encompass websites, and search engines such as Google, e-mail, and apps.
B. Types of Content
- Social media marketing mainly involves photos or videos, stories or posts, as well as live videos for reaching individuals.
- Digital marketing is not merely about the content published on social media accounts. It ranges from writing blog posts, articles, infographics, online advertisements, sending emails, and anything in between.
C. Reaching People
- Social media marketing offers you the opportunity to talk to people directly via likes, comments, and messages.
- Digital marketing can reach people through search engines, emails, and even other websites, not just social media. This means you can reach a wider audience.
D. Goal
- Social media marketing is usually about increasing brand awareness and getting people to engage with your business.
- Digital marketing aims at broader objectives such as increasing website visitors, leads, sales, and rankings.
E. Speed of Results
- Social media marketing can give you quicker results because people can like, comment, and share your posts immediately.
- Digital marketing takes a bit more time. For example, SEO (ranking higher on Google) can take months to show results, but it’s more long-term.
F. Cost
- Social media marketing can be done for free if you are just posting on your business’s Facebook or Instagram. But, running ads on social media costs money.
- Digital marketing often requires a budget, especially for things like Google Ads or hiring experts for SEO. But, it can bring in a lot of business over time.
Which One Is Better for Your Business?
Now that you know the differences between social media marketing and digital marketing, you might be wondering, “Which one should I use?”
The answer depends on your business objectives.
Use Social Media Marketing if:
- You wish to build a community around your brand.
- You want to engage directly with customers through posts, comments, and messages.
- You have a smaller budget but want to promote your business online.
- You want to share more visual content like photos and videos.
Use Digital Marketing if:
- You want to reach a larger audience beyond social media.
- You want to rank higher on Google through SEO and attract people searching for your product.
- You want to build a long-term strategy for your business.
- You want to use multiple online channels to grow your business.
Why Both Can Work Together
It’s important to know that social media marketing is a part of digital marketing. You don’t have to choose one or the other—you can do both! Using both can help your business grow even faster.
For example:
- You can use social media to connect with your audience and share updates about your products.
- At the same time, you can use SEO to help your website rank higher on Google.
- You can also send emails to your customers with special offers.
- With Google Ads, you can still target more people to visit your website.
It is also important to know that social media marketing expands the reach of other online marketing activities to support the growth of your company even further.
Wrapping It Up
Digital marketing and social media marketing are not the same, despite their apparent similarities. Social media marketing is just one part of the bigger digital marketing world.
As a business owner, understanding the difference will enable you to expand your business more wisely and make better marketing decisions. Get started with a digital marketing agency in Ahmedabad for leveraging both social media and digital marketing to make your business successful!