Social Networking is Not Advertising

While there is nothing to stop one from doing posts that seem like pure advertising on social networking websites (such as special offers, discounts), it is not something that users want to see all the time, additionally such posts may end up getting little engagement.

What is the difference with Social Networking and Advertising?

By its very definition, social networking is engaging/interacting with people on websites (facebook/twitter) in a friendly/casual manner in order to build relationships or exchange ideas. With that in mind, any time one makes posts that are as follows, the results may be disappointing:

• Posts that are not actually directed at a person or specific group, but are ‘megaphone’ blasts of communication
• Posts whose text has not been written with marketing in mind
• Posts which are advertisements
• Posts which are robotic and unnatural

Of course some users may indeed just follow your business for the sake of special offers and discounts, but this certainly should not be the entirety of your social media ammunition.

When to use advertising?

Flyers, direct mailings, newsletters, company websites, etc are all examples of advertising. Where you seek to get a person’s attention, direct their attention, inform them of a product/service, and finally direct them to make contact, by phone or email to your company so that they can convert into a sale. It is very exact.

Defined by Webster advertising is:

“The action of calling something to the attention of the public especially by paid announcements”

Should I do advertising in social networking?

While you certainly can, it is recommended that you use MARKETING in your social networking campaign posts, NOT straight up advertising.

Marketing could be simply defined as the process of creating want/desire in a target audience for the product/service you are trying to sell. When you do this in a natural and human way via social networking you will not only create engagement but also sales, which is what we want at the end of the day from our social networking campaigns).