Social Media vs Pay Per Click: Which Is Better For Lead Generation?

In this article, we break down a newly trending argument; social media vs pay per click: which is better for lead gen?

A lot of people seem to struggle with which platform is best to use for lead gen for their particular business or industry.

We hear it a lot here at Lead Genera. The truth is, there is no scientific answer to this, but you should make sure you’re creating as much coverage as possible with a meaningful message to market if you are trying to increase your lead quantities.

What’s The Big Debate with Social Media vs Pay Per Click?

Social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are no longer used just for sharing news or connecting with friends. Businesses have woken up to the fact that social media is a powerful tool that can be used to reach new audiences, nurture leads and close deals.

On the other hand, Pay-Per-Click (PPC) marketing allows businesses to place ads on search engines like Google and Bing, as well as on social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. When someone clicks on one of these ads, the business pays a small fee to the advertising platform.

So, which one should you use to generate leads for your business? Social media or PPC?

Advantages of Social Media Marketing

There are a number of advantages to using social media marketing for lead generation, including:

• Social media is free (or relatively cheap) to use.
• You can reach a large number of people with your message quickly and easily.
• You can target specific demographics, interests and even locations with social media marketing.
• People are more likely to trust recommendations from friends and family than they are from businesses.
• Social media allows you to build relationships with potential leads and customers.

Advantages of Pay Per Click Marketing

PPC has a number of advantages over social media marketing, including:

• PPC allows you to target specific keywords, which means your ads will only be shown to people who are interested in what you have to offer.
• You can track how many people click on your ads, and how much money you spend on each campaign.
• Your ads will be shown at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) and on relevant websites.
• PPC allows you to test different versions of your ads to see which ones generate the most clicks.
• Pay Per Click allows you to identify and target ‘buying language’, so you can focus your budgets on people further down the sales funnel and potentially ready to buy from you.

So which one should you use for lead generation? The answer may surprise you.

Social Media Marketing Is An Impulse Buy

Social Media marketing often results in what’s known as an ‘impulse buy’. That is, people see an advertisement or a post and they decide to buy the product or service right then and there.

This is especially true for products or services that are considered to be ‘luxury items’.

While this can be a great way to generate leads quickly, it’s important to note that not everyone who sees your social media post will be interested in what you have to offer

Pay Per Click Targets The Buying Public

PPC is all about targeting people who are already interested in what you have to offer.

When someone enters a keyword into a search engine, they’re not just looking for information – they’re also, whether they are aware or not, beginning their journey to buy a product or service.

This is why PPC is so effective – you’re not wasting your time and money advertising to people who aren’t interested in what you have to offer.

PPC also allows you to target ‘buying language’, which means you can focus your budgets on people further down the sales funnel and potentially ready to buy from you.

Products and Services That Work With Impulse Buying on Social Media

The products and services that work well with impulse buyers on social media are those that are:

• Considered to be ‘luxury items’
• Low Cost
• Easy to purchase

Some examples of products and services that fit this criteria are:

• Clothing and fashion accessories
• Cosmetics and skincare products
• Homewares and décor items
• Travel and accommodation

Products and Services That Work With The Buying Public On Pay Per Click Advertising

PPC, on the other hand, is better suited to products and services that are:

• More expensive
• require more consideration before purchase

Some examples of products and services that fit this criteria are:

• Financial services
• Cars and other vehicles
• Durable goods

How Social Media Marketing and PPC Work Together

The best way to use social media marketing and PPC together is to use social media to create awareness of your brand, and then use PPC to target people who are interested in what you have to offer.

This two-pronged approach will allow you to reach the most people, and generate the most leads.

If you’re only using social media marketing, then you’re taking a bit of a gamble with your lead generation strategy, meaning that you acknowledge your product and/or service to only appeal mainly to impulse buyers.

On the other hand, if you’re only using pay per click advertising, then you’re missing out reaching those people who may purchase your product on a whim, so to speak.

That’s why it’s best to use social media marketing and pay per click advertising in unison, to target your buyers in all their states of mind.

Summary: Social Media vs Pay Per Click: Which Is Better For Lead Gen?

To conclude: social media marketing and pay per click advertising must be used as a combined force to give you the most bang for your buck.

Social media is great for generating leads quickly, but it’s important to target those leads who are already interested in what you have to offer – and that’s where PPC comes in.

PPC allows you to identify and target people who are already in the market for your product or service, so you can focus your advertising dollars on those who are most likely to convert.

Both social media marketing and pay per click advertising have their own unique advantages, so it’s important to use both in order to get the most out of your lead generation strategy.

Contact The Experts

To learn more about how to use social media marketing and PPC together, contact an experienced digital marketing agency like Lead Genera today and begin your journey to ‘happily ever after’.

Read more here: How To Generate Organic Leads Using Social Media.