SEO vs. SMM: Which Digital Marketing Strategy Should New Businesses Focus on

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SEO vs SMM

SEO vs SMM: The Importance of Digital Marketing

The 21st century is all about creativity and innovation. Look on the internet, look around you; every business you look into is striving and craving for new ideas just to have the edge over their competitors. The most efficient way of attracting your customers is to spend time and learn new techniques in digital marketing.

There are no second thoughts that every business should now be using internet marketing if they want to survive in the market. The only question is what type of strategy they should be learning? That’s where the marketing war known as SEO vs SMM comes into existence.

For your ease, let’s compare the two most essential subsets of digital marketing these days, SEO and SMM and then decide which one every new business should focus on:

What is SEO?

SEO is an abbreviation for Search Engine Optimization. SEO enhances both the quality and quantity of traffic on your website, by organic searches. According to Forbes, by 2020, businesses in the USA will be spending almost $80 million on SEO marketing strategy. It seems like SEO is a growing industry, and it has so much potential if we look from a businessman’s perspective.

Advantages of using SEO:

  1. Using an SEO marketing strategy helps the user to understand your business and the products you are offering.
  2. SEO can give a push to your business. 81% of the people look out for reviews online before buying a product or a service. Your brand or your work can be famous if you use SEO in the right way.
  3. The best part about using SEO is that you will not be required to pay for the ads.

Disadvantages of using SEO:

  1. Impacts from SEO marketing are indeed vast and they are long-lasting too but building an image using this marketing strategy takes even more time.
  2. SEO sometimes targets the audience that has no interest in your offerings.
  3. If you can’t handle traffic on your website, all the opportunities created for your product will be useless.

What is SMM?

Who in this era is unaware of Social Media Marketing and the impact that it has on your business? The majority of us at least maintain one social media account. According to research, the average person spends almost 2 hours and 30 minutes using social media. The businesses realized that, and now social media has grown far more critical than it used to be. Companies are spending a lot of money and time to ensure their social media campaigns are getting the desired responses. Through social media, you have access to 3.48 billion people and that too from all around the world. Now you can imagine the impact social media can have on your business.

Advantages of using SMM:

  1. The main advantage of using social media marketing is that you can directly contact the customers, and you can also be aware of their feedback.
  2. You can introduce your business around the world using Social Media Marketing.
  3. You can easily research a specific product or service, and you can increase your business using the research skills.

Disadvantages of using SMM:

  1. You need to remain active daily. Either use pictures, videos, articles or anything to keep your social media account active and to gain reach and to promote your business which can be a hassle sometimes.
  2. Using social media marketing means that you have to be ready for any bullying or harassment. That is the main disadvantage of using this marketing strategy. Some people take the stuff too hard on themselves and get disheartened.
  3. Social Media is in the easy reach of people all around the globe. It is a drawback too, your account or the page can be hacked and can mislead your customers.

SEO vs SMM: The Verdict

When it comes to choosing between SEO and SMM, you can’t simply rely one of them. Digital marketing has taken over traditional marketing in most industries. Regardless of the fact whether you are a B2C or an online B2B marketplace, you can’t deny the impact digital marketing has on your growth and survival.

However, though both strategies are fruitful for your company, you can’t really choose between them. SEO is a great way to generate organic traffic and increase your website’s rank. On the other hand, SMM is an excellent tactic to build your social presence and help you engage directly with your audience. When it comes to choosing between SMM and SEO, there is no perfect answer to that; you only have to select the strategy that fits best for your business or that is convenient for you.

Both of the strategies have been analyzed properly so that you can decide which one is meant for you. The only key is to be persistent, consistent and patient, digital marketing might look like an easy thing to manage, but it is not. Spams, frauds and misleading opportunities will come in your way, so make sure you take a proactive approach to avoid any dangers for your business.