Social media marketing vs PPC: which is best for your business ?
Each has obvious advantages and disadvantages, and we at Click Guardian have a soft place for PPC. Without a doubt, Social Media Marketing has its advantages, and in a digital world where brand awareness is becoming increasingly crucial, it may appear to be the most secure option. PPC, on the other hand, has a longer track record and it's easier to uncover the advantages. So, with that in mind, let's get down to business.
As one of the best digital marketing agencies in Dubai, we are often asked this question: “Social media marketing vs PPC, which one is best for my business?”
Indeed, both marketing channels have their own perks. One is relatively cheaper in terms of investment (social media marketing) while the other requires a deep pocket.
As a business owner, all you care about is revenue. And when caught between two stools whether to choose SMM or PPC, you must consider the ins and outs of both to reach a sensible conclusion.
So how do you decide?
Consider Your Budget
Let’s not get technical and keep everything in the context of ROI. Let’s start with the budget. As it goes without saying, PPC marketing is expensive. To kick off your first campaign you will have to ponder over the time duration required to get 100% ROI.
When done right, PPC campaigns can yield an ROI of up to 200%. And that’s just an average threshold of success, in exceptional cases, this goes as high as 400%. But then again, you will need a handsome budget to experiment, procure insights, and later design campaigns based on data and research.
On the other hand, social media marketing is relatively affordable. You don’t need to hire an in-house team in the first place, simply outsource it to save your time and avoid the headache of producing content and staying active 24/7.
As far as the budget is concerned, social media marketing is versatile – for every business. From a small salon shop to a local eater, any startup, or online and offline business. While PPC is for established businesses, or startup-ups ready to conquer the market from the very first day without any hesitancy over their strategy or fear of loss.
Who is Your Target Audience?
Now, a lot comes down to your audience. Who are they, where they lurk around mostly, are the social media addicts and young, or people who trust prefer to buy from a website over a social media page?
Say you are selling kids’ toys, women’s fashion products, or a product directed towards teenagers, your best chances of getting more business is through social media as compared to Google ad campaigns.
On the contrary, if you are a SaaS owner, or selling a service that has a high search volume on Google, you can expect great results from your paid ad campaigns.
Sure, you can run PPC campaigns for women’s clothes, fancy and expensive toys, fashion products, and so on, but social media marketing can be its alternative here. A lot of people buy similar stuff from Facebook and Instagram shops.
Do some research and find out which channel has more potential for you; if both PPC and SMM promise similar results in your niche, pick the latter and cut down your marketing budget.
How Long Can You Wait for Results?
That’s something you should ask before you choose one of the two between PPC and social media marketing. PPC is all about instant results, you don’t have to wait for months to get engagement, create a funnel, and then expect conversions.
You run ads, your ads show up against relevant queries, and with an optimized ad campaign, you can expect daily leads and conversions. PPC should be your priority if you are competing in a competitive industry.
Say you are selling digital marketing services in Dubai, you would be competing against hundreds of agencies. In this case, social media marketing will take months to give any results, while PPC will take you to the top the next very day.
However, if you have an e-commerce start-up and you can get by for a couple of months before you start getting sales, social media marketing would be a much more feasible option for you. And once you have established a strong reputation in the intended market, you will enjoy long-term success.
Do You Simply Want to Sell Only or Build a Brand Alongside?
PPC is about getting sales, social media marketing builds brands. If you have a short-term goal of selling all your inventory, or all you care about is getting sales, PPC is your way forward. Sell, make a few bucks, and repeat. You don’t want to get into branding or expanding your business.
On the other hand, social media marketing promotes brand awareness. People recognize your business, get emotionally attached to it, relate to your content, even visit your physical outlets, and you ultimately expand your wings.
So if your goal is branding, building a long-term relationship with your audience, and introducing more products in the future with your name, do invest in social media – even if you are already spending on PPC.
Conclusion
PPC vs social media is a never-ending debate. People have different opinions, social media agencies have their opinions. In the end, it all comes down to your budget, your objective, and how much risk you can take.
Whichever channel you choose, make sure you choose a credible PPC agency in Dubai or a social media marketing agency in Dubai to help you to boost your online business.
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