Social media marketing is all the rage these days, and with good reason. Social media offers marketers the ability to quickly and frequently engage their audience in two-way communication; it also gives companies the opportunity the chance to respond to customer complaints and turn negative situations into positive interactions. The only problem is that your competition is likely using social media as well, and there’s only so much room on the feeds of your followers. Paying to get your posts seen might seem unorthodox, but it can actually help boost your digital marketing ROI.

A Cluttered Landscape

According to Hubspot, 84 percent of B2B organizations use social media marketing. That means there are more businesses fighting for some prestigious real estate on social media. As a result, some messages being lost in the shuffle.

It’s getting harder for businesses to organically succeed on social media. Whereas the feeds on social media sites like Facebook once showed content in the order in which it was posted, today’s feeds use algorithms based on what people are most likely to want to see. Though it’s unclear if the algorithms are really showing people what they actually want to see, the fact remains that businesses are shoved to the bottom of the equation unless users frequently interact with them.

Paying Your Way to the Top

Once upon a time, success in the social media marketing world depended on your ability to post compelling content that was shared and that resulted in lead generation. These tenets still hold true, but there’s a catch. Users can’t share what doesn’t show up on their feed. And if people don’t see your posts, there’s no way you can generate anything but silence.

Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn -- the big three social media sites for B2B marketing -- have conveniently made it possible for companies to sponsor posts. Paying a social media site means that your ad shows up prominently in the feeds of your followers. While this might seem a bit predatory, it’s the way the game is played these days, and it’s in your best interest to consider whether or not backing your posts with cash is worth your while.

Benefits of Promoted Posts

One of the best parts about any sort of sponsored post on social media is that it doesn’t look like a paid ad. It actually looks just like any other post you’d make; it’s your message, and people can like and share your content. The only difference between a sponsored post and an organic post is a small indicator that states that your post was, in fact, promoted with your wallet.

The other nice part about a promoted post is that it’s every bit as trackable as any organic post you’d make on social media. You can include any call to action you want, and the post can link to the landing page of your choice. You can also view metrics about your ad, such as how many people engaged with your content versus how many people viewed the post.

Lastly, sponsored posts on mobile sites offer one additional perk. If you’re promoting a mobile app, you can link directly to the App Store or Google Play, where users can immediately install your app. Not only does this reduce the chance of a lead forgetting to install the app, but it gives you an additional way to track viewer behavior.

Does it Work?

Before you consider the success rate of promoted posts, think about the impact of inaction on your digital marketing ROI. Organic reach on Facebook is a shell of its former self, with the posts of most businesses only seen by two percent of followers. By not considering paying to get your posts seen, you virtually guarantee that your social media marketing will fall well short of expectations.

The good news is that promoted posts do achieve the desired effect. Sponsored posts that are liked by viewers are also seen by friends of those who liked the posts, giving a cascading effect. Companies such as 1-800-Flowers, PF Chang’s and Carnival Cruise Lines have seen tremendous returns from their promoted posts, and these successes can also be seen in the B2B world. Hubspot has used promoted posts to advertise their white papers and blog content, using social media promotion in an inbound context. As a result, Hubspot has gained new viewers and leads they otherwise never would have obtained.

Bottom Line

It’s a bit unfair that companies have to pay to get seen on what’s supposed to be a free medium. However, this is just one way in which the social media marketing landscape is changing. Those who wait will be shocked to see that their followers aren’t seeing their posts, putting them in a disadvantageous position. On the other hand, companies who get on board with sponsored posts early will see a significant increase in their digital marketing ROI, establishing them as leaders in a competitive field.