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Newsstand
September 16, 2011
Understanding the Difference between Social Media Marketing and Direct Marketing
[DMA11]
Although there is a point at which social media marketing and direct marketing intersect, there are some distinct differences in approach that anyone undertaking a digital marketing campaign should bear in mind. Having a better understanding of these differences can save a company from making some inappropriate mistakes.
- Social media marketing builds relationships. One of the biggest mistakes made by companies operating a social media marketing campaign happens when they limit their social messaging to “ad text” as opposed to actual conversations.
- Direct marketing is a more straightforward approach of marketing in that recipients are regularly sent promotional messages intended on getting them to take a desired action.
And then of course there's mobile marketing, which falls into something of a gray area between the two. Mobile marketing efforts typically involve sending opt-in recipients timely text or SMS messages informing them of special deals or discounts that can save them money. The aim of mobile marketing is to get a customer to take immediate action – whereas social media marketing takes a more long term approach to building relationships. In this way, mobile marketing can be considered a social-media-powered avenue for direct marketing.
If you want to learn more about how to create a direct marketing, social media marketing, and mobile marketing strategy that will accomplish the aim of maximizing profit without potentially turning off customers, visit the DMA2011 Conference & Exhibition taking place this October in Boston. Among a number of keynote speeches from thought leaders in the digital marketing industry, there will also be a wide variety of social media marketing workshops that anyone can take part in to help achieve a deeper insight into how social media and direct marketing can work together.
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