Social media is such a dominating force these days, and many companies have made customer acquisition strategies dependent upon it. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn are frequented by billions every day, and there's no better way to reach potential customers than to post something that a high volume of people might see. However, building everything upon someone else's platform is inherently dangerous as algorithm changes and increased ad pricing, or even a massive shift in policy, are all able to occur overnight.
The smartest marketing strategies will not forego social media - far from it. Instead, they will make sure not to rely on social media for generating all customer traffic. Companies that have customers coming to them from various channels tend to ride market changes better and often find different customer populations that would otherwise fly under the radar.
Why Platform Dependency Creates Risk
When it becomes apparent that social media is the only way for a company to acquire customers, it's a red flag. Major social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are getting more expensive when it comes to ads. What had a positive return in 2022 is breaking even (if lucky) in 2023. Organic reach is so low that minimally boosted posts end up reaching about ten percent of a company's following - but this is only if the company is fortunate enough to have follower numbers in the thousands.
Furthermore, many people fail to acknowledge that social media, which may have billions of unique users accessing it, is not all-encompassing. Social media does not reach everyone; some people do not spend time on social media or have found that social media advertising is annoying. If businesses only rely on social channels to get their messages out, they're missing out on whole segments that spend their time online elsewhere.
How To Find Alternative Sources
Fortunately, other effective options exist, and many are more targeted than business owners realize. Display ad networks open the doors to thousands of pages across multiple industries. For example, a company can have a display ad on thousands of pages about running-related sites; they may pay less per impression than they would on social media platforms, but they reach people where they are actively reading about running-related information.
An increasingly popular option are direct-to-device formats. For example, mobile push notification ads reach people even when they're not scrolling through their newsfeeds. People actively receive phone alerts on their home screens or in notification centers; something posted an hour ago on social media is lost by the time customers get the notification during their lunch break.
Email marketing has the highest ROI available - as long as a company creates its own email list and does not borrow it from someone else. Once companies have their customer bases, there's a clear difference between using someone's attention on social platforms versus being able to talk to relevant prospects without interference from any algorithm change.
Search engine marketing also gives people the opportunity to connect with buyers when they want something. If someone types in "best running shoes for flat feet," they clearly want something. But if someone scrolls and sees an ad for running shoes for flat feet, they're passively exposed. Intent-based traffic has higher conversion rates than social channels—though the cost per click may be higher upfront.
The Timing Advantage of Direct Marketing
Instead, push notification formats allow business owners control over timing that social media cannot provide. Push notification ads can be targeted based on user engagement or time zone/event. If it's noon, a restaurant can push an offer; if it's 3 PM, an ecommerce store can remind someone about an abandoned cart. This connection cannot happen with a post that gets buried in the feed.
People also have higher CTR rates for push notification ads compared to standard display ads because they're personal. Customers have opted in; no one opts in for banner ads without notice. When executed correctly, those reminders are received much better than just an inquiry into "Why is this person messaging me right now?"
Creating A Multi-Channel Approach
The point here isn't to toss social media altogether. It's clear that social channels provide value to many brands. But reducing dependency on them creates more stable future investments. In fact, businesses can break down their promotional budgets with 40% going to social media opportunities, 25% going to search, 20% going to displays/push notifications and 15% going to email marketing. These percentages will vary widely from company to company as channels that work best emerge; however, the underlying premise of channel diversification remains the same.
Testing out different channels isn't the same as watering down resources. Instead, it's methodical trial-and-error until results emerge and possibilities scale. Many businesses find that their cost per acquisition is far lower on channels where they presumed competition would run rampant. Instead, passion and obvious need gave other channels priority without other channels overwhelming buyers.
This doesn't mean increasing budgets across the board. It means taking 10-15% of your budget for new opportunities across a few channels and giving them enough time and volume to produce data for a conclusion—not assumptions drawn as conclusions too soon.
Securing Your Marketing Future
Diversifying platforms isn't just about platform changes; it's about opportunity. Different platforms expose different information at various times along the buying journey. Someone may ignore a push ad but come across one that works best for them elsewhere. Similarly, people who see brands on multiple platforms are likelier to purchase the brand than someone who only sees them once on social media.
Those who will survive over time are those who create a system with which any platform will work best. Social media will always work best for many brands; yet if it's dependent on creating all traffic on its own, businesses will fail down the line if something changes. Diversifying now means greater stability down the line due to multiple touchpoints—and access that benefits clientele without caution from third-party business owners down the line.
