NOTES ON UNIT 2

 What is Social Media Marketing?

Social media marketing is the process of using social media platforms and websites to promote a product or
service. It involves creating and sharing content on social networks in order to achieve marketing and branding
goals. Social media marketing is becoming an increasingly popular form of digital marketing, with companies of
all sizes and from all industries taking advantage of its reach.
 Purpose of Social Media Marketing
The main purpose of social media marketing is to create content that users will share with their social
networks, increasing the brand’s visibility and reach. This content can be anything from blog posts, product
reviews, and videos to images and interactive content.
Companies use social media marketing to engage with their customers and build relationships with them.
Social media marketing also helps companies to build loyalty and trust among their customers.
It can also be used to increase brand awareness and engagement. Companies can use social media to create
campaigns and promotions that will be seen by a large number of potential customers.
Finally, social media marketing can be used to monitor and measure the success of digital marketing
campaigns. Companies can use analytics tools to track the performance of their campaigns and determine
which ones are most effective. This can help companies to fine-tune their digital marketing efforts and make
sure that they are using the most effective strategies for reaching their target audience.

✅ Benefits of Social Media Marketing

1. Increased Brand Awareness

 Helps reach a large audience quickly.

 Regular posts and engagement improve visibility.
 Example: A viral Instagram reel can introduce your brand to thousands.

2. Improved Customer Engagement

 Two-way communication builds relationships.

 Likes, comments, shares, and messages offer real-time interaction.
 Example: Responding to DMs or comments boosts trust.

3. Cost-Effective Marketing

 Creating a page/profile is free.

 Paid ads are cheaper than traditional ads and highly targeted.
 Ideal for startups and small businesses.
4. Targeted Advertising

 Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn allow detailed targeting (age, interests, location,
behavior).
 Increases ROI by showing ads only to relevant users.

5. Increased Website Traffic

 Social media posts with links drive visitors to your site.

 Example: Sharing a blog post or product link on Twitter or LinkedIn.

6. Better Customer Insights

 Analytics tools help track customer behavior, preferences, and trends.

 Allows smarter, data-driven decisions.

 How to Start Social Media Marketing/ Creating Your Social Media Marketing Plan
To get started with social media marketing, you first need to understand the basics of social media
marketing and how to use it to your advantage.
This is how to draft a plan for your social media marketing:
1. Defining Goals and Objectives
Before you can create engaging content, it’s important to define your goals and objectives. What do you
want your content to accomplish? Make sure your goals and objectives are measurable, achievable, and
realistic.
2. Identifying the Target Audience
When deciding to establish a social media presence, it is important to identify the target audience. This will
determine which social media platforms to use, and how to craft messages that will be most effective for
the intended audience. Companies should consider the age, gender, interests, and geographical location of
their target audience in order to create a presence that is tailored to their needs.
3. Selecting Social Media Platforms
Once the target audience has been identified, it is important to select the most appropriate social media
platforms. Different platforms have different user bases and features, so it is important to choose the ones
that are most likely to reach the desired audience. Companies should consider the types of content they
will be posting, the frequency of posts, and the overall goals of their social media presence when selecting
platforms.
4. Creating Social Media Profiles
After selecting social media platforms, companies should create profiles that accurately reflect their brand.
In order to do this, they should create consistent branding across all of their social media accounts. This
includes using the same profile picture and cover photo, as well as having similar descriptions of the
company, website links, and contact information. Additionally, companies should ensure that their profile is
properly optimized for search engines so that it is easy to find.
5. Creating Engaging Content
Creating content that is engaging is essential for success. Consider the type of content that you want to
create, such as blog posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, and more. Focus on topics and ideas that are
relevant to your target audience and that will capture their attention. Use an effective writing style that is
easy to understand and keep it concise.
6. Promotion & Paid Advertising
Paid advertising is a great way to promote products and services. This can be done through various
channels, including search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, display ads, and social
media. The key to successful paid advertising is to target the right audience and ensure that your message
is seen and heard.
7. Track and Measure Performance
Tracking and measuring the performance of your promotional efforts is key to understanding what’s
working and what isn’t. Tools such as web analytics, A/B testing, and surveys can help you measure the
success of your campaigns and adjust them accordingly. This will help you maximize your ROI and ensure
that your promotional efforts are as effective as possible.
8. Optimize and Improve
Why? Social media trends and algorithms change fast.
o Post more of what works
o Drop what doesn’t perform
o Try new formats (Reels, Stories, Live)
📌 Stay updated with trends and platform updates.

 Key Social Media Marketing Strategies

It is important to have a sound social media marketing strategy in place in order to ensure the success of your
business. In this section, we will discuss some key social media marketing strategies that can help you reach
your marketing goals.
1. Establish Your Goals
Before you can begin any social media marketing strategy, you must determine what you hope to achieve.
Common goals include increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, and expanding your reach. Having a
clear understanding of what you want to accomplish will help you create an effective strategy.
2. Analyze Your Audience
Knowing who your target audience is and what they are interested in will help you create tailored content that
will resonate with them. Understanding their age, gender, interests, and other demographics will help you
create content that speaks directly to them.
3. Create a Content Strategy
Once you have identified your goals and target audience, you can begin to create content. This content should
be engaging, informative, and tailored to your audience. You should also consider the type of content you will
post, such as videos, images, and articles.
4. Utilize Automation Tools
Automation tools are essential for creating and managing a successful social media strategy. These tools help
you schedule posts, monitor conversations, and measure results. Automation tools also allow you to focus on
other aspects of your business.
5. Leverage Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is a great way to reach a larger audience and build trust with potential customers.
Identify influencers in your industry who have an engaged following and invite them to share your content.
6. Track & Measure Results
The only way to know if your social media marketing strategy is successful is to track and measure the results.
Monitor the metrics that are most important to you, such as followers, likes, comments, and website traffic.
This will help you determine if your strategy is working and make adjustments as needed.

Social Media Marketing Platforms

Social media marketing is becoming increasingly popular for businesses of all sizes, as it provides an easy and
cost-effective way to reach new customers. With the right tools, businesses can easily create, manage, and
track their social media campaigns. Here are some of the most popular social media marketing tools to help
you get started.
1. Facebook
With more than 2.27 billion active users Facebook is one of the widely used social media marketing platforms.
It is the first choice for promoting any content as here you target a large number of people that too of different
age groups, locations, gender, behavior, interests, etc. On Facebook, you can also create a custom audience list
and reach out directly.
Facebook Ad Manager – Facebook Ad Manager is a powerful tool to manage, create, and track your campaigns
on the largest social media platform. With this tool, you can create targeted campaigns, optimize your ad
spending, and access detailed insights into the performance of your campaigns. Additionally, you can use
Facebook Audience Insights to gain valuable insights into your target audience. Finally, Pages Manager allows
you to easily manage your Facebook page, including posts, messages, and reviews.
2. Instagram
Instagram is a visual platform that has more than a million monthly active users and also allows you to surface
your business to a large audience. Although it does not allow links within the posts yes you will be provided
numerous access for showcasing your creativity to the target audience.
Instagram Ads Manager – Instagram Ads Manager is a great tool for managing, creating, and tracking your
campaigns on the world’s most popular photo-sharing platform. With this tool, you can create targeted ads
and access detailed insights into the performance of your campaigns. Additionally, you can use Insights to gain
valuable insights into your target audience. Finally, Creator Studio allows you to easily manage your Instagram
page, including posts, messages, and reviews.
3. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is also a nice platform for promoting your business where you can connect with various business
partners, recruit new members as well as share your own creativity. Also, it is a good choice for B2B social
media marketing. LinkedIn has been ranked as one of the best websites for generating professional leads.
LinkedIn Ads Manager – LinkedIn Ads Manager is a great tool for managing, creating, and tracking your
campaigns on the world’s largest professional network. With this tool, you can create targeted ads and access
detailed insights into the performance of your campaigns. Additionally, you can use Analytics to gain valuable
insights into your target audience. Finally, Publisher allows you to easily create and manage content on your
LinkedIn page.
4. YouTube
It is one of the best social media platforms for highlighting about your company, its culture, products, and
other important highlights. YouTube has almost 2 billion registered users so if you think that your company can
create something creative which can be promoted on YouTube then you can definitely use this great platform
for promoting your company in an effective way.
5. Twitter
As we know that Twitter is a fast platform where things can get instant reach as here users keep on visiting for
new updates. Hence, it makes a good marketing platform where if you keep posting regularly you create a
good reputation in the industry where people will come to your page and crave new things. On Twitter, one
can easily share blog links, posts, and pages and promote numerous things very easily.

Key Social Media Metrics

These are a few social media metrics that help in telling the overall reach and engagement rate of the page.
Reach- It is the most basic thing and tells us how many numbers of people have visited the page and also helps
you to monitor the average reach of every post, story, or reel.
Engagement Rate– It helps in managing the number of engagements (likes, comments, and shares) on each
post along with the percentage of the audience. Along with this, it might also help in calculating the
percentage of followers that will see your post in the future.
Impressions– It tells you how many times people saw your post once, twice, or more than that. It is a bit
different from reach because in this it is person specific and tells you how many times the same person has
viewed your post.
Audience Growth Rate– As the name suggests it helps in measuring the growth rate of the audience that is
how many new followers are added to the list. For calculating the audience growth rate you will have to track
the number of new followers (on each platform) over a particular period of time and then divide it by the total
number of followers (from each platform).
Virality Rate– It is for checking how many times the content is reshared from your page. When any content is
shared from some particular page it leaves an impression and these impressions help in measuring how the
content is speaking exponentially.
Video Views- It is for someone who is creating videos as it helps in telling how many people have seen at least
the start of your video.
Cost-Per-Click- It is the amount that is paid by the page owner per individual click on a social advertisement.

 Limitations of Using Social Media Marketing Platforms

Some of the challenges of using social media marketing platforms include the following:

 Not Built for Business

The social media marketing platforms were not built for business, but for connecting two or more
people. Social media users don’t have “buying-intent”.

 Costly

It’s costly to create and run marketing ads on social media platforms. The ad costs also increase as you target a
wider audience.

 Time-Consuming

A lot of time is required to run social media marketing ads. One has to stay active and engage potential
customers constantly.

 Technical Expertise Needed

Technical know-how is needed for one to design, create, and run social media ads. If you don’t have it, it may
be a challenge for you to market on social media marketing platforms.

✅ What is Content Strategy?

A content strategy is the planning, creation, publishing, distribution, and management of content to:

 Attract and engage a target audience

 Meet their needs
 Achieve specific business goals (like sales, traffic, brand awareness)

It acts as the foundation of inbound marketing, especially in the "Attract" and "Delight" stages of the buyer’s
journey.

🎯 Why Is Content Strategy Important?

1. Aligns Team Goals

o Ensures everyone (writers, social media managers, designers) understands what they are working
toward — such as brand awareness, engagement, or lead generation.
 2. Guides Content Creation & Distribution
o Helps answer:
 What type of content should we create?
 Who is it for?
 Where should we post it?
o Prevents random, ineffective content posting.
3. Optimizes Resources
o Saves time, budget, and effort by focusing on what works.
o Prioritizes high-return activities like SEO blogs or converting videos.
4. Improves Online Visibility (SEO)
o High-quality, keyword-optimized content ranks higher in Google search.
o Increases organic traffic and helps attract the right audience.
5. Builds Brand Authority & Trust
o Consistent, valuable content establishes your brand as a leader in the industry.
o Increases customer trust and loyalty.

💡 Real Example:

A company launched a website without a content strategy. After poor performance, they created a 3-month
content plan with SEO blogs, social media posts, and targeted ads. Result? More traffic, better engagement, and
improved sales.

🌟 What is Influencer Marketing?

Influencer marketing is a strategy where brands collaborate with individuals (influencers) who have a loyal
audience to promote their products, services, or messages.

These influencers can be:

 Celebrities (e.g., actors, athletes)

 Industry experts (e.g., doctors, fitness trainers)
 Content creators (e.g., YouTubers, Instagrammers, TikTokers)
 Micro-influencers (with smaller, highly engaged followers)

💡 Why Influencer Marketing?

🔹 1. Builds Trust and Authenticity

Influencers have a loyal following who trust their opinions and recommendations. When an influencer endorses
a product, it feels genuine and credible, unlike traditional ads.

🔹 2. Enhances Brand Awareness

By collaborating with influencers, brands can reach a larger and targeted audience quickly. This helps
increase brand visibility and recognition among potential customers.

🔹 3. Boosts Engagement

Influencer-generated content often sees higher engagement (likes, shares, comments) because it blends
naturally into users' feeds, making it less intrusive and more relatable.

🔹 4. Drives Conversions and Sales

Recommendations from influencers can drive purchase decisions. Followers are more likely to try a product if
it's used and recommended by someone they admire.

🔹 5. Cost-Effective Marketing

Especially for small and medium businesses, working with micro-influencers (with 10K–100K followers) can
provide high ROI at a relatively lower cost than traditional advertising.

🔹 6. Helps in Target Niche Markets

Influencers often specialize in specific areas (e.g., fitness, beauty, tech), allowing brands to target niche
audiences effectively with personalized messaging.

👟 Real-Life Example: Nike & Michael Jordan

In 1984, Nike was not a major player in basketball.

But their collaboration with Michael Jordan completely changed that:

 Jordan’s trust and popularity among basketball fans helped build Nike’s credibility.
 The Air Jordan brand became iconic, and Nike became a global leader in sportswear.

📌 Lesson: Influencer marketing helped Nike break into a new market by leveraging someone else's influence.

Types of influencers
Generally speaking, there are five types of influencers. They are grouped based on the size of their audience.
Knowing the different types of influencers will help you plan your budget and strategy. Here’s the breakdown:
 Type of
Follower Range Description Examples
Influencer

- BTS (IG: 47.1M)

- Lionel Messi (IG: 242M)
- Zendaya (IG: 102M)
Global fame, massive reach across various platforms. Best
1. Celebrities 1 Million+ - Charli D’Amelio (TikTok:
for brand awareness.
121.8M)
- Linus Tech Tips (YT:
13.7M)

- Mark Manson (IG: 762K)

2. Mega- 500,000 – 1 Large reach, often subject-matter experts or internet-
- James Clear (Twitter:
influencers Million famous individuals.
530K)

- Elisabeth Akinwale (IG:

3. Macro- 100,000 – Good balance of reach and engagement. Affordable for
115K)
influencers 500,000 mid-size campaigns.
- Lindie Botes (YT: 276K)

- Tim Soulo (Twitter: 27K)

4. Micro- 10,000 – High engagement, niche audiences, cost-effective. Best for - Patrick Stox (Twitter:
influencers 100,000 trust-building. 12.9K)
- Jyan Yoga (IG: 23.8K)

- Joshua Hardwick
5. Nano- Small but loyal communities. Ideal for hyper-local or niche
1,000 – 10,000 (Twitter: 7.4K)
influencers marketing.
- Mariidix (IG: 5.5K)

 How to create an influencer marketing strategy

Before you even begin looking for influencers and working with them, you need to have a strategy. After all,
the goal isn’t to work with every influencer under the sun, but the ones that can make an impact.
A strategy will guide you in the right direction.
1. Define your target audience
2. Set your objective
3. Figure out your budget
4. Establish your KPIs
 KPIs let you measure success against your objectives.
🔹 Common KPIs:
 Reach (views, impressions)
 Engagement (likes, shares, comments)
 Clicks (on product links or bio)
 Conversions (purchases, signups)
📌 Example:
If you're tracking sales, assign a unique discount code to each influencer like:
CODE: AJAY10 (to track sales from Ajay’s audience)

📢 What is Content Marketing?

Content marketing is the creation and strategic sharing of valuable, educational, and engaging content to
attract, inform, and build trust with your audience.

It helps:

 Raise brand awareness

 Build trust
 Educate customers
 Support the sales process

🎯 Why is Content Marketing Important?

 People are tired of irrelevant ads.

 Content marketing puts the customer first by offering value before asking for anything.
 It guides potential customers through their buying journey, from awareness to decision.

✅ Benefits of Content Marketing

1. 🎓 Builds Credibility & Authority

 Positions your brand as a thought leader.

 Helps gain trust by sharing expert insights.

2. 🔍 Improves SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

 Quality content helps your site rank higher in search engines.

  Drives organic traffic through relevant keywords and topics.

3. 💡 Educates and Engages the Audience

 Helps potential customers understand their problems and your solutions.

 Makes complex topics easier to digest.

4. 🧲 Generates Leads and Increases Conversions

 Content like guides, demos, and reviews nudges buyers through the sales funnel.
 Builds interest and desire for your product or service.

5. ❤️Builds Customer Trust and Loyalty

 Valuable content fosters long-term relationships.

 Keeps your brand top-of-mind and encourages repeat business.

6. 💬 Encourages Sharing and Word-of-Mouth

 Shareable content like infographics and videos can go viral.

 Turns customers into brand advocates.

Digital Marketing Campaigns: Factors To Consider While Creating A Successful Campaign

Digital marketing has transformed modern business strategies. With numerous tools and techniques available,
brands can reach targeted audiences, generate leads, and build reputations effectively. However, success
depends on carefully planning and executing each campaign with precision.

✅ 1. Determine Your Target

 Define clear, measurable, and realistic goals.

 Identify the target audience based on demographics, preferences, and online behavior.
 Consider hiring digital marketing consultants to guide strategy.

📡 2. Choose the Right Channels

 Use platforms where your audience is most active: social media, email, search engines.
 Email marketing remains effective when done correctly.
 Study past customer behavior and preferences to choose appropriate mediums.

👀 3. Learn From Competitors

 Analyze what competitors are doing.

  Replicate only what works; don’t blindly copy.
 Make adjustments to suit your brand identity and audience needs.

💎 4. Be Authentic

 Ensure your brand has a unique identity and voice.

 Build trust and relationships with your audience.
 Avoid over-selling or mimicking others without adding originality.

⏰ 5. Timing Is Crucial

 Schedule campaigns strategically to match audience activity.

 Allocate buffer time for changes or contingencies.
 Even small-scale campaigns can be successful if timed right.

6. Communicate a Clear Message

 Use strong headlines and CTAs (Call to Actions).

 Back up your promises with actual features and benefits.
 Keep content engaging, relevant, and meaningful.

💰 7. Allocate a Realistic Budget

 Decide how much to invest (suggested: 5% of expected revenue).

 Set aside contingency funds.
 Analyze ROI to decide future investment scaling.

📢 8. Promote Smartly

 70% of campaign success depends on effective promotion.

 Leverage social media, cross-promotion, and offers/incentives.
 Use testimonials and reviews to boost credibility.

9. Choose the Right Medium

 Each platform has a unique audience:

o Instagram/Pinterest for e-commerce
o LinkedIn for B2B
o Email for personalized outreach
 Use A/B testing to optimize platform choice.
📊 10. Understand and Use Marketing Metrics

Track and measure your campaign using these metrics:

 Visitor Analytics – Tracks demographics and interests

 Conversion Rate – % of visitors turning into leads (ideal: 2–4%)
 Sales Conversion Rate – % of leads turning into customers
 Revenue per Keyword – ROI from each keyword used in SEO/Ads

🏁 11. Monitor Campaign Success

 Measure performance against defined goals:

o Increased traffic
o Better search engine rankings
o Lead generation
o Social media growth
 Use tools like Google Analytics, Meta Ads Manager, etc.

✅ Real-Life Example: Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” Campaign

Coca-Cola launched the “Share a Coke” campaign where they replaced their iconic logo on bottles with
popular first names (like "Rahul", "Anjali", etc.).

Perceive The Digital Marketing Metrics

After you go through an array of mediums, the next big thing is to understand the metrics. The metrics that are
required for measuring and monitoring successful campaigns. Identify the factors that work best to ensure
campaign success. This is done by focusing on the best resources and analyzing the key aspects of a campaign.
The metrics are:
 Visitor’s Analytics – These metrics give you information about a particular individual, figuring out the
interests, preferences and so on. The visits are tracked based on areas and numbers of reach.
 Conversion Rates – Rules suggest lead conversion should vary between 2% to 4%. If the percentage of
conversion tracking goes down or stays below the defined level, your campaign has some flaws.
 Sale Conversion Rate – This is somewhat similar to the conversion rate. The only difference is it
assesses the selling percentage from visitors who are ultimately making the purchase.
 Revenue Per Keyword – This metric helps you to determine the number of leads and revenue
generated through a particular keyword. Catch the keywords that work and others that need
replacement.
IMPORTANT QUESTION
Q1) Discuss the role and importance of Influencer and Content marketing in online branding. Explain with
the help of an example.
🔹 Influencer Marketing: Role & Importance

Role:
Influencer marketing involves partnering with individuals who have a strong online presence and loyal
followers on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or LinkedIn. These influencers act as brand
advocates, sharing products or services in a way that feels authentic and personal.

Importance in Branding:

1. Builds Credibility & Trust – Followers trust influencers’ opinions, which builds instant credibility for
the brand.
2. Expands Reach – Influencers help brands reach a larger or niche-specific audience.
3. Drives Engagement – Influencer posts generate likes, shares, comments, and discussions.
4. Faster Brand Recognition – Influencers create viral potential, helping people recognize and recall the
brand quickly.

🔹 Content Marketing: Role & Importance

Role:
Content marketing is the creation and distribution of valuable, relevant, and consistent content (blogs,
videos, infographics, podcasts, etc.) to attract and retain a clearly defined audience — with the goal of driving
profitable customer action.

Importance in Branding:

1. Establishes Thought Leadership – High-quality content builds your brand as an industry expert.
2. Improves SEO & Visibility – Optimized content helps rank higher in search engines.
3. Engages and Educates Audience – Content informs users and nurtures them through the buyer
journey.
4. Supports Brand Identity – Consistent tone, visuals, and messages strengthen brand perception.

📘 Example: Nike

Influencer Marketing:
Nike collaborates with mega influencers and athletes like Cristiano Ronaldo or Serena Williams. These
celebrities showcase Nike products in their real-life performance or training routines. This boosts Nike’s
credibility and cool factor among millions of followers.

Content Marketing:
Nike runs powerful video campaigns (e.g., "Just Do It") that tell emotional and motivational stories of
everyday athletes. They also create blog articles, social posts, and short films that align with their branding —
empowerment, athleticism, and innovation.

Q2) Explain social media platforms in detail which can help in marketing a new venture.

🚀 1. Facebook
Overview:

 One of the largest social media platforms with over 2.9 billion users worldwide.
 Suitable for B2C and B2B businesses.

Marketing Features:

 Facebook Pages: Create a business page to share updates, posts, and engage with followers.
 Facebook Ads: Advanced targeting by location, age, gender, interests, and behavior.
 Groups & Events: Great for building communities and promoting events.
 Messenger Integration: Use automated chatbots for instant customer support and sales.

Benefits:

 High audience reach.

 Great for building brand awareness and community.
 Budget-friendly advertising.

📸 2. Instagram

Overview:

 A visually-driven platform, ideal for lifestyle, fashion, food, travel, beauty, and small brands.
 Over 2 billion active users, mostly aged 18–34.

Marketing Features:

 Instagram Business Account with insights and analytics.

 Stories, Reels, and Posts: Different formats to engage audiences creatively.
 Instagram Shopping: Tag products directly in posts and stories.
 Influencer Marketing: Collaborate with micro and macro influencers.

Benefits:

 Increases brand visibility and engagement.

 Excellent for product display and customer interaction.
 Highly visual content helps tell your brand story.