What Does a Social Marketer Do: A Deep Dive Into Social Marketing

The rising social issues in every part of the world are a cry for help. Although many non-profit institutions address societal problems, it needs a more influential movement. And this is where social marketing steps in. But what is social marketing, and what does a social marketer do? Let’s dig deeper into why this approach is slowly creeping into every social marketer’s arsenal.

What is Social Marketing? 

If you Google “social marketing,” most results show you “social media marketing” articles. However, social marketing is not the same as social media marketing. Social media marketing involves selling or promoting products and services on various social media channels. Most of these advertisements are for the benefit of the companies, and increasing profits is a primary goal. 

Social marketing is an approach that aims to influence people’s behavior positively. While promotions are still part and parcel of social marketing, most revolve around healthy habits and individual development. The “product,” in this case, refers to the behavior social marketers want to change. This type of marketing is implemented to address social and environmental issues crippling societies from optimum functionality. 

Social marketing works because it’s sustainable and targets long-term impact. It aims to change people’s perspectives and habits on things hindering their progress mentally and physically. Most institutions that create these social marketing campaigns are:

• Non-profit organizations
• Non-governmental organizations
• Cooperatives
• Government
• Charity 
• Customary institutions

The 4 Ps of Social Marketing

Like marketing in general, social marketing also dwells on the 4 Ps: Product, price, place, and promotion. However, a social marketer uses each one differently. 

• Product. Social marketers don’t sell physical products or services. However, they are selling “behavior influences.” For instance, marketers could create campaigns around environmental preservation, poverty solutions, mental health support, or teen pregnancy prevention. 
• Price. Social marketing doesn’t require hefty price tags. More often than not, the price in this context refers to the individuals’ willingness or efforts. It can also account for the time it takes for individuals to change or the duration of the action to change destructive behaviors. An excellent social marketing plan will reduce the time by providing support. It will also shorten the duration by making solutions accessible to target audiences. 
• Place. Place refers to how accessible actions and solutions are advertised in social marketing campaigns. If you’re vouching for addressing mental health issues, how accessible are psychiatrists for those who need help? Do they have mental health professionals available in their area? Social marketing isn’t only about vouching for change but it’s about offering solutions to make the change happen. And accessibility is one of the reasons why people find it hard to turn their lives around. 
• Promotion. This last principle pertains to the same promotional efforts that most marketers do. Social marketers advertise their campaigns on TV, in magazines, social media, billboards, or any commercial channel. 

What Does a Social Marketer Do? 

A social marketer develops social marketing campaigns that target audiences battling with social issues or areas that need preservation through human efforts. The aim of creating these advertising methods is to bring about social change and permanent behavior change. 

A social marketer has to go through a step-by-step plan to ensure that every campaign makes an impact. First, they conduct market and audience research and analysis. They then follow this up with execution plans discussed within the marketing team. 

What a social marketer does is similar to what general marketers do, except they focus on social change. They also create campaigns around consumers’ mental and physical satisfaction instead of profits. Most social marketers work for non-profit organizations, government entities, charity organizations, and traditional institutions. 

Here are some social marketer responsibilities:

• Conducts market research and analysis to identify social issues
• Gathers consumer data and behavioral patterns to craft the most relatable and convincing message
• Investigate current community practices that offer support for these social issues 
• Analyze if the social problems are worst enough to develop campaigns 
• Do a cost analysis to identify if the impact outweighs the costs of the campaign.
• Plans with the marketing team on what, where, when, and how to promote the campaigns
• Creates advertising materials to deliver the message to target audiences, such as flyers, billboards, online ads, newspaper ads, and more
• Social marketers write the policy and monitor policy implementation.
• Monitor the results of the campaign.
• May organize some fundraising events to support social marketing campaigns

What are the Characteristics of a Social Marketer?

A social marketer must possess these traits to ensure a more persuasive and positive outcome:

• Exhaustive research skills
• Creativity
• Acumen in understanding social behaviors
• Critical thinking
• Analytical skills
• Excellent communication skills

Does a Social Marketer Need Education and Training? 

While anyone can do social marketing, it helps to have a degree in any related field. Most professional social marketers have a bachelor’s degree in business, social sciences, marketing, and any related field. 

Tips to Become a More Effective Social Marketer

Being a social marketer is already an achievement because this job runs on passion and the desire to help others. And not a lot of people have the determination to keep pursuing good change regardless of how difficult this is. To become a more impactful, influential, and effective social marketer, do these tips:

• Identify what behavior change you want to focus on and stick to that behavior in every campaign.
• Know who your target audience is. Creating relevant messages and graphics is easier if you know who you’re marketing to. 
• Determine what hinders people from making the change. Is there a lack of counseling to address depression and anxiety? Do women in the workforce feel ridiculed by male higher-ups? Are condoms accessible to teenagers?
• Minimize the barriers that are keeping people from changing for the better.
• Share your ideas with the marketing team and selected groups of people.
• Highlight the benefits of social change in every campaign.
• Continually monitor results to see if your campaign has made an impact.

Conclusion

A social marketer plays a vital role in society. They encourage perennial change to ensure a society and its people function for the good of the community. By identifying social issues, social marketers can bring change through well-thought-out campaigns. Finally, it’s easy to achieve behavioral change by implementing solutions and support.