Is Social Media a Form of Advertising?

Is social media a form of advertising?

According to MediaPost, “a new report on the media buying plans of advertisers and agencies indicates that having a ‘presence on social networks’ is one of the top priorities of their media plans for next year.”

Translation: advertising. Something tells me “having a presence” doesn’t mean human engagement with customers in this case.

But as MediaPost also points, top marketing services firm Interpublic came to the thoroughly researched conclusion that social media isn’t a form of advertising.

This raises important questions about social media in 201o and beyond:

  • How important is advertising as part of a social media mix?
  • Is advertising on social networks without including the human element an effective strategy?
  • What happens to content, customer engagement, conversation, etc. if advertising becomes the predominant form of social media participation?
  • Will a large influx of advertising drive customers away from social networks that are, so far, less ad-filled than traditional media?
  • Does the focus on advertising mean we have failed to communicate the value of brand/customer human interaction on social networks?
  • Is an emphasis on advertising a sign of reliance on outdated, ineffective marketing tactics or of advertisings greater effectiveness over “engagement”?
  • Will companies that choose advertising as their first foray into social media eventually get onboard with customer service, brand/customer interaction, etc.

What are your thoughts?

  • http://igreenbaum.com Kurt Greenbaum

    Thought-provoking post, Scott. Seems like PR firms and marketing departments are evolving, much as newsrooms are. Remember when a lot of news organizations based their online operations in the IT or marketing departments…because they didn't know where else to put them? I think social media defies categorization.

    It certainly has a marketing or advertising function, and that's why it seems to be part of the marketing operations of businesses. But it ought to just be considered conversation. And companies have as much part in the conversation — with their customers, partners, clients — as individuals. A social media strategy, it seems to me, serves as marketing, customer service, help, information dissemination, community building….

  • http://igreenbaum.com Kurt Greenbaum

    Thought-provoking post, Scott. Seems like PR firms and marketing departments are evolving, much as newsrooms are. Remember when a lot of news organizations based their online operations in the IT or marketing departments…because they didn't know where else to put them? I think social media defies categorization.

    It certainly has a marketing or advertising function, and that's why it seems to be part of the marketing operations of businesses. But it ought to just be considered conversation. And companies have as much part in the conversation — with their customers, partners, clients — as individuals. A social media strategy, it seems to me, serves as marketing, customer service, help, information dissemination, community building….

  • http://www.denisbhancock.com/ Denis

    It is a form of advertising. But notably, if done right, it can be a form of advertising that you don't have to pay for. i.e. better to send messages directly to Twitter followers that have self-identified themselves as interested then, if the option was available, just toss up a banner ad.

    And yes, “advertising” on social networks without a human element can be effective. Using Twitter again, check out accounts like @amazonmp3, @woot, etc. I talk about this a fair bit on my site – conversations / human elements are often important, but not always important.

  • http://www.denisbhancock.com/ Denis

    It is a form of advertising. But notably, if done right, it can be a form of advertising that you don't have to pay for. i.e. better to send messages directly to Twitter followers that have self-identified themselves as interested then, if the option was available, just toss up a banner ad.

    And yes, “advertising” on social networks without a human element can be effective. Using Twitter again, check out accounts like @amazonmp3, @woot, etc. I talk about this a fair bit on my site – conversations / human elements are often important, but not always important.

  • http://www.denisbhancock.com/ Denis

    It is a form of advertising. But notably, if done right, it can be a form of advertising that you don't have to pay for. i.e. better to send messages directly to Twitter followers that have self-identified themselves as interested then, if the option was available, just toss up a banner ad.

    And yes, “advertising” on social networks without a human element can be effective. Using Twitter again, check out accounts like @amazonmp3, @woot, etc. I talk about this a fair bit on my site – conversations / human elements are often important, but not always important.