Social media began as a way to be in touch with friends, but now it's a great tool for marketing too. More people are joining social media, so more people might see your ads. To be good at online marketing, you should know how to use social media well.

Social media usage has reached an all-time high

Social media is really popular and it looks like it's sticking around. In the USA, lots of people are using social media now. By the end of 2019, it's expected that there will be more than 246 million social media users, which is about a third of the US population.

Also, each social media platform is getting more users. In 2018, there were six social media platforms that had over a billion users each!

On average, a person has about 7.6 social media accounts.

Social media users are increasingly connected to gadgets and brands

Nowadays, people don't just use computers to check social media; they're using phones and other smart devices too. A study found that more than half of Americans check social media on their phones over 10 times a day, spending at least 10 minutes each time. So, altogether, that's at least an hour and a half spent on social media every day.

All this time on screens gives marketers lots of chances to connect with customers in new ways. They can target potential customers with products that match their interests, and customers can talk directly to brands with questions or worries.

Social media is also good for getting people to buy things. Actually, almost 40 percent of customers say that social media is what inspires them to buy stuff.

Methods for Measuring Social Media Marketing

When it comes to social media marketing, your goals determine what success looks like. If you're aiming for brand awareness, you'll focus on how many people see your content, as well as shares, followers, mentions, and interactions.

But if you're trying to turn leads into sales, you'll also care about clicks, conversion rates, and return on investment (ROI).

You can keep track of all these things using spreadsheets and analytics from each platform. Or you could use a social media management tool, which not only monitors your analytics but also lets you schedule posts and respond to users. Some even connect with your email service provider (ESP), so you can see all your digital marketing efforts in one place.

Does it truly matter?

A great social media campaign is really important for any digital marketing plan. With social media, you can share lots of different messages with your followers in different ways on different platforms. And unlike email marketing, you can post multiple times a day on social media.

But don't forget about email! It's still the top digital channel for getting a good return on your investment (ROI), and it's way better at getting new customers compared to social media. Instead of picking between social media and email marketing, it's smart to use both together.

What happens now?

Now that you know how important social media is for your digital marketing strategy, remember it's not the only tool you should use. Next, you should figure out what you want to achieve with your social media efforts and create campaigns to reach that goal.