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What is Social Media Marketing? Facts and Resources for 2022

Social media marketing can help you build authentic, lasting relationships with your audience. But if you’re not an avid user of social media yourself, getting started can feel overwhelming.

Here’s everything you need to know to decide whether social media marketing is a good fit for your audience, complete with resources that will help you create a social media marketing plan in no time.

What is social media marketing?

Social media marketing is the use of social media channels (such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or Twitter) by brands to reach their business goals.

Social marketing tactics can be used to:

…and even sell products directly on social platforms.

The core components of social media marketing include:

Popular social media platforms for marketing

Globally, the most popular social media platforms marketers use are:

There are, however, many newer or less popular social networks you can use if your target audience use them too e.g. Reddit and Tumblr. Some apps, like WeChat and LINE are particularly popular (for casual and marketing use) in specific regions.

Examples of social media marketing

No matter the size of your business, you can use social media marketing to achieve your business goals.

Need inspiration? Here are some brands that are doing a great job on social media:

1. Wendy’s on Twitter

Wendy’s is known for their hilarious social media posts. Their Twitter account, in particular, is where the brand’s humor really shines.

Wendy’s uses Twitter to share funny, on-brand jokes and engage with their followers (and potential customers).

2. Netflix on Facebook

Netflix uses Facebook to share snippets of existing shows, give their audience sneak peeks new shows, ask movie-related questions, and share funny memes. The company’s Facebook Page is a place where their community can talk about the movies or TV shows they like, and catch up on new movies/shows coming to the streaming platform.

3. L’Oréal on LinkedIn

L’Oréal caters to their 85K+ LinkedIn followers by sharing educational skincare tips, shouting out team members, and talking about their environmental activism. They know what their audience expects from them, and they deliver every time.

4. Gymshark on TikTok

Gymshark is a fitness company, so it’s only right that they post videos of people working out on TikTok. They do this to teach their audience new workout routines, as well as motivate them to achieve their fitness goals.

Gymshark also posts funny fitness-related videos that show their audience that the gym doesn’t have to be serious and sweaty. You can have fun in the gym, too.

@gymshark Thought that was @KSI for a sec #gymtok #gymhumor #Gymshark @built different ♬ High tension Hardstyle(955631) – Ret-EM

How to get started with social media marketing

Below, we share some resources that will help you learn more about social media marketing and build a foundation for success on social.

Book: See You on the Internet: Building Your Small Business with Digital Marketing by Avery Swartz

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, small business owner or social media manager, this book is loaded with lessons and tips you can incorporate into your social media marketing efforts.

In this book, Swartz notes how easy it is to get lost in the ocean of new businesses that are constantly flooding the internet. She explains that, to stay ahead of the game, your social media marketing strategy should align with the rest of your online elements, including your website, online advertising, and newsletters.

This book covers:

Book: The End of Marketing: Humanizing Your Brand in the Age of Social Media and AI by Carlos Gil

The premise of The End of Marketing is that you should focus on engaging with your audience as much as you try to sell to them. People buy from people, not brands. So to succeed with social media marketing, find ways to humanize your brand.

In this book, Gil teaches his readers the marketing techniques that work best on social platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn, and the best marketing practices for social media, in general.

This book also covers:

Hootsuite’s resource hub: Free templates for social media managers

If you’re ready to start building your social media presence, head over to Hootsuite’s resource hub to download all of the free templates, guides, and checklists you’ll need to get set up.

The free template library includes:

… and over 50 more useful resources.