Social media is to modern-day business what chocolate chips are to homemade cookies – they simply work well together. In recent years, both small and large companies have taken to social media, either to engage their customers or generate more sales than they would have received otherwise. Whether you’re a Facebook enthusiast, Twitter junkie, or an overall social guru, it probably goes without saying that these sites aren’t slowing down anytime soon.
What you may not know is that they’re probably going to overtake traditional newsprint sooner than you think.
Social Media Advertising Versus Newsprint
According to ad agency Zenith Optimedia, advertising on social media marketing has been growing by 20 percent each year. In fact, by 2019, it’s predicted that it’ll be worth $50.2 billion, which is striking when you consider the $50.7 billion associated with newsprint advertising. By this logic, in 2020, social marketing will have the upper-hand over its predecessor. It’s safe to assume that many people have predicted that advertising would shift more so toward digital platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The specific rate of growth, however, was largely unknown.
There are a few reasons behind the growth of social media marketing. Zenith said that “social media ads blend seamlessly into the news feed.” The agency also said that this strategy has proven effective on mobile devices, which most people have in some form or another. While newsprint has its charm, fewer people are reading it compared to decades past. Today, if you’re sitting at the kitchen table while eating breakfast, swiping through multiple pages on your phone is a more convenient way to catch up with the news. Why shouldn’t companies market to people through their devices?
The ways that we receive news have changed over the years, too. Online marketing firms can tell you that countless articles are often shared through social media, so it’s not like most people will crack open their local papers to receive juicy stories. What are some of the most popular news sites that you see while scrolling through your Facebook feed? Some of the most common names include the Huffington Post and Buzzfeed, as their content is constantly shared across different social channels. No longer do you have to spend anywhere from 75 cents to a buck fifty for a single paper.
It’s not just newsprint that will be competing for ad space, either. The report from Zenith went on to say that, “online video is also benefiting from the spread of mobile devices.” It seems like no matter what you’re interested in, you’re bound to see a video online somewhere. In many free-to-play mobile games, you’d have to watch a video promoting a different game or an entirely separate product in exchange for a free retry or boost. According to Zenith, advertising via online videos will be less than a fifth of TV advertising by 2019, which will only grow from there.
This shift in advertising will, more likely than not, result in newsprint becoming obsolete. Despite that, there are benefits to be gained as a result. Not only will there be less paper used, resulting in a better environment, but the men and women that currently write for newspapers will be able to shift their focus toward digital platforms. Who’s to say that today’s freelance local news reporter can’t be the future editor-in-chief of a worldwide juggernaut? If there’s one thing that the growth of social media marketing has shown us, it’s that anything can happen.
What is your take on social media marketing catching up to traditional newsprint advertising? Please leave any and all comments below!
See also: The Best Way To Use Facebook Advertising
