There are a plethora of ways social media and search engine marketing (SEM) can work hand-in-hand to create a "whole" marketing plan that is greater than the sum of its parts. Below are a few of the most evident ways in which social media and SEM can share a symbiotic relationship:

Exposure

Social media can be a great way to get exposure for your brand. A great Facebook campaign can go hand-in-hand with a branded search campaign and a Google Display Network remarketing campaign. Google will also take note, if people are searching for your brand and clicking through, and improve your ranking. By hitting your audience on both (or all three) platforms, you’re not just getting the word out. You’re also...

Bolstering Your Conversion Funnel

How often do people click an ad or go to a site and then leave without converting? A staggering 96 percent of the time! That’s a crazy high number, and if you’re not using Facebook for retargeting and exposure, you could be leaking conversions from your funnel. About 49 percent of users visit a site two to four times before they ever make a conversion, so keeping them in the funnel is important.

Data

Google Analytics can tell us a lot about our audiences. But in a lot of cases, that data pales in comparison to what we learn from Facebook and other social media. On March 7th, Facebook announced that they were launching their own advanced measurement tool to rival Google Analytics. If they’re offering something even similar to what Google Analytics provides, the practical applications for consumer e-commerce campaigns are almost endless. That data can then be plugged back into search and display for a comprehensive, exponentially granular funnel.The next step in digital marketing is cohesive audience-building. We know more about our customers and marketing audience than ever before, and yet, there’s already the need for a complete way to bridge the learnings from social media and Google Analytics. If digital strategists can find even more ways to get their paid social media and SEM to operate together as they build their marketing plans, the learnings (and conversions) will automatically start rolling in.

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