Should Social Media Still be A part of Your Marketing Strategy in 2024?
Let’s face it, social media continues to evolve and staying ahead of the curve is crucial for businesses striving to maintain a strong online presence. With a controlling algorithm that favors going viral and click-bait captions, can companies, especially small businesses, be certain that their content will truly reach their desired consumer?
When I first entered the professional digital marketing space over 10 years ago, I remember petitioning for social media to get more attention in the overall marketing plan. Now, in 2024, does social media continue to be a vital component of your marketing strategy?
Even though it may be noisy, social media still serves as a pervasive tool that so millions of consumers have integrated into their everyday norms. While it’s not perfect and presents a set of challenges, it’s still a proven tool that helps companies get in front of their consumers.
Organic Reach
The social media algorithms have continued to change over the past few years. In order to stay relevant and keep up, do small businesses need to start investing advertising dollars into the platforms to ensure the content is seen? Not exactly - but companies may need to adjust how the content is being posted.
For 2024, the algorithms seem to favor the consumer’s interest. Let’s take Instagram for example. It compiles information based on how consumers interact on the app. The more interest shown generates the content served.
Here are some questions to ask before posting:
Is someone likely to engage with this piece of content?
Does this post include a Call to Action?
Is this post relatable?
Will I have similar posts that will feed the algorithm based on the consumers interest?
Customer Engagement and Feedback
Social media is not just a one-way communication channel; it facilitates direct engagement with your audience. Businesses can still gather valuable insights, address customer concerns, and build a loyal community. This level of direct interaction fosters brand trust and allows for quick adaptations based on customer feedback.
Keep the social media platforms a part of the journey and not the destination. The goal is to create customer engagement that leads to action and not just an increase in follower count.
In 2024, social media remains a powerful tool for marketers, but its effectiveness depends on understanding current trends, adapting to platform changes, and integrating it seamlessly into a comprehensive marketing strategy. While challenges exist, the opportunities for brand exposure, customer engagement, and staying relevant in a digital landscape make social media a necessary component of successful marketing strategies.
