Social Media Marketing: How To Know When You’re Being Sold

Social media marketing strategies have been around for decades. In fact, one would be surprised just how long they’ve been around. This type of marketing strategy is one of the more subtle strategies to date. This strategy is subtle because of the fact that some of us never even know when we’re being sold a product.

We see advertisements and sponsored posts on Facebook and in our Instagram feed. We also see them in online videos and in movies. These advertisers are smart and understand how fascinated the world is with social media and technology. This level of understanding is why they invest thousands and thousands into sponsored deals and paid advertising. All sellers really want is to find a way to connect with consumers and get them engaged. And what better way to do that than appear on their phone or Tv screen? Or even, inside their favorite Youtuber’s video.

Advertisers understand that some people tend to get irritated or annoyed when experiencing hyper-commercialism. They also know that people tend to run low on patience when advertisements are bold, repetitive, and in-their-face. This is where discreet product placement comes into play. This strategy is a very common one that marketers use heavily to their advantage. Product placement usually happens in movies, television programs, and online videos. This marketing method is also referred to as embedded marketing and most people never even know when it’s happening to them. Product placement happens when a product, service, or brand is secretly incorporated into another work. These works can be popular films or online videos.

To give the consumers a better idea, most blockbuster movies have product placement inside of them. This means that you’re being sold something each time you go to the movies and watch a film. The only reason most of us never know is because these products are almost always placed in the background. If they aren’t in the background, these products are immersed in the scene under the guise of importance to the film.

Youtube is another social media platform that contains advertisements and sponsored posts. This platform is also known to contain embedded marketing. It’s especially hard to tell when you’re being sold a product or service on this app. This is because influencers understand that their subscribers might not want to see a bunch of ads in their videos. They will, instead, opt to incorporate sponsored products in a light and more unsuspecting way. The brand deals they have with sellers are paying them, after all, to introduce their product in a way that draws buyers in.

Social Media Marketing isn’t just restricted to online advertisements. It doesn’t just entail discreet and creative embedded marketing strategies. Social Media Marketing includes a variety of different methods and ways in which the seller can successfully sell to the buyer. Celebrity endorsements are another popular example of a social media marketing strategy. These endorsements usually take place online and are easy to miss if you’re not paying attention.

Have you ever liked a celebrity’s photo on Instagram? Do you constantly stay up to date with their posts and online activity? Well, of course you have. We all have because Instagram is one of the most-used social media apps in the world. The platform has over a billion users worldwide and is the second-most downloaded free app in Apple Store. Sellers know this and understand the power that celebrities have over their audiences. This is why most celebrities get paid big bucks just to post a picture of them with a product or service.

If you’ve ever seen a celebrity posing near a product on Instagram, and they rave on and on about it, it’s likely a sponsored post. The surprising thing is that some celebrities never even use the products that they advertise. They merely snap a quick pic and write a catchy caption about how much they love the item. Though consumers don’t read into that because all they see is their favorite person recommending them a product that they like.

With all that being said, it’s very easy to not know when someone is selling you something. One can easily start being more aware by just applying media literacy and staying up-to-date with different marketing strategies. This way you can be prepared and more level-headed when considering if what someone’s selling is really worth buying.