Social media marketing types are the various strategies and techniques businesses use to engage with their audiences across social platforms. With 94.5% of internet users engaging with social media monthly, as reported by DataReportal, it’s clear that these platforms dominate the digital marketing environment.
Social media has become a critical avenue for businesses to connect with audiences, build brand awareness, and drive conversions. As Pete Cashmore aptly put it, “We’re living at a time when attention is the new currency.” From organic posting and influencer collaborations to paid advertising and community building, each type plays a unique role in shaping online presence and simultaneously reaching and engaging target audiences across multiple platforms.
The effectiveness of these efforts often depends on where the traffic is directed. A well-matched landing page can turn social engagement into measurable results by capturing leads or driving sales. Understanding how different social media marketing types work – and how they integrate with the rest of your digital strategy – is key to building campaigns that deliver real impact. Read on to explore the 8 main types and how to use them effectively.
What is Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing is the practice of using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest to reach target audience, promote offerings, and grow brand visibility. It involves crafting platform-specific content – whether posts, ads, or videos – that resonates with users and drives engagement, website traffic, and conversions. Each platform offers unique tools to support different marketing goals like lead generation, community building, or increasing reach.
What Are The Different Types of Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing takes many forms, each suited to different goals – the most common types are organic content marketing, influencer marketing, paid advertising, video marketing, and social commerce. Each type serves a unique purpose within a broader social media marketing strategy, catering to different goals and audience behaviors. Understanding their distinctions and applications across various social media channels is essential.
Organic content builds trust through consistent, valuable posts that engage your target audience over time. Influencer marketing leverages trusted voices to drive quick awareness and interaction. Paid ads offer precise targeting and measurable results, ideal for boosting reach or conversions, and video marketing captivates with stories – whether it’s TikTok shorts or YouTube tutorials. A special place in social media marketing takes social commerce, which simplifies the buying process by letting users shop directly from posts. When combined, these types offer a flexible toolkit for any marketing strategy.
Create a landing page tailored to your social media campaigns and watch your engagement soar!
8 Common Social Media Marketing Types and Methods
Social media marketing comes in many types, from content and influencer marketing to contests, ads, and social commerce. Each method helps brands connect with audiences, boost engagement, or drive sales. Whether through organic posts or in-app shopping, there’s a strategy fit for every platform.
Let’s break down eight of the most common approaches and how to use them effectively.
1. Content Marketing (Organic Posts)
Content marketing with organic social media posts builds audience trust by consistently sharing useful or entertaining posts. It’s often the backbone of a brand’s social media marketing strategies. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest work especially well for this.
For example, a small bakery might post daily photos of its fresh goods on Instagram or highlight its use of local ingredients. A B2B company on LinkedIn might share industry insights or whitepapers. Regular interaction through comments and stories helps keep the brand approachable and visible.
This method thrives on consistency and relevance. When content feels helpful or human, followers are more likely to stick around and engage.
2. Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is the modern word-of-mouth – it taps into trusted voices to promote products through real-life use and recommendations. Brands team up with people who have loyal followings and strong social media presence (whether celebrities, niche experts, or micro-influencers) to drive engagement and trust.
A fitness brand, for example, might work with a popular trainer who shares workouts while wearing their gear. On YouTube, tech influencers often post unboxing or review videos that help buyers make informed decisions – especially for expensive products.
In this social media strategy, authenticity matters. The endorsement should feel genuine, not scripted. When done well, influencer campaigns boost visibility and build trust by reaching audiences through someone they already follow and respect.
3. Video Marketing
Video is one of the most effective ways to capture attention and tell a brand story. Whether it’s a quick TikTok or a long YouTube tutorial, video content is designed to inform, entertain, and engage.
A skincare brand might post short TikToks showing product results or create YouTube videos explaining skincare routines. Live sessions on Instagram or Facebook add real-time interaction – letting brands demo products, launch new items, or answer questions directly.
Video builds emotional connection and boosts brand awareness. With strong visuals and clear messaging, it can turn casual viewers into loyal followers.
4. Social Media Advertising
Paid ads on various social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer precise targeting based on location, interests, and behavior, helping brands reach the right audience at the right time.
A travel agency, for instance, might use Instagram carousel ads to showcase beach destinations with the caption, “Plan your perfect summer getaway.” Tapping the ad takes users to a landing page to book trips. Similarly, retargeting ads can re-engage visitors who abandoned their cart – like showing a potential customers the exact shoes they didn’t buy.
Social media ads are effective for generating fast results and scaling reach. With built-in analytics, brands can test, refine, and improve performance in real time.
5. Social Media Contests and Giveaways
Contests and giveaways encourage social media users to engage by offering a reward in exchange for simple actions, like following your page, tagging friends, or sharing a post.
Imagine a coffee brand that asks followers to post photos of their favorite coffee moments for a chance to win a year’s supply. This not only sparks engagement but also generates user-created content. A SaaS company might offer a free subscription to users who share a promo post and tag three colleagues, helping expand reach organically.
Well-executed giveaways increase brand awareness, create momentum, and often turn participants into loyal customers.
Build a sleek landing page for your next giveaway and watch your impact multiply.
6. User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) adds authenticity by encouraging customers to share their own experiences with your brand.
Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign is a classic example – bottles personalized with names inspired customers to post photos, creating viral engagement. On a smaller scale, a local gym might ask members to share workout selfies using a branded hashtag like #FitnessWithUs. When brands repost this content, it highlights real customers and builds trust.
This digital marketing type turns your audience into marketers, boosting engagement and creating a sense of belonging around your brand.
7. Social Media Commerce
Social commerce lets users shop directly through social media platforms. Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook offer features like shoppable posts, where users can click on a product within a post and make a purchase seamlessly, eliminating the need to leave the social media app.
A fashion brand might tag each item in a photo with pricing and shopping links, letting users buy with a tap. On Pinterest, curated boards can showcase seasonal outfits with direct “Shop Now” links.
By reducing friction in the buying journey, social commerce boosts conversions and speeds up decision-making.
8. Social Networking and Community Management
This type of social media online marketing revolves around building relationships by fostering two-way conversations and creating spaces for engagement.
A software company might run a LinkedIn group where developers share insights and ask questions, helping the brand stay visible and credible. A food brand could use a Facebook Group to bring together home cooks swapping recipes that feature their products.
Strong communities drive loyalty, boost engagement, and turn casual users into brand advocates.
Design a landing page that transforms casual visitors into loyal, engaged members of your community.
How Do Landing Pages Integrate With Different Social Media Marketing Types?
Landing pages play a key role in social media marketing by turning clicks into actions. They bridge the gap between social media engagement and specific marketing goals. It’s because landing pages provide a focused space for users to complete a task – whether it’s signing up, making a purchase, or learning more – after engaging with your content on social media.
Each area of social media marketing benefits from pairing with well-designed landing pages, ensuring a seamless transition from the platform to the desired action.
For example, a paid Instagram ad for a seasonal sale might lead to a landing page showcasing sale items with a clear “Buy Now” button. An influencer’s YouTube review can link to a page offering more product info and a discount. For contests, landing pages act as entry hubs where users fill out forms or share the campaign. User-generated content campaigns can drive traffic to a gallery-style page featuring community-submitted content.
Design landing pages that drive action and maximize your social media impact.
Incorporating an effective social media marketing strategy is essential, and the perfect landing page builder for social media marketers is Landingi. It combines ease of use with powerful features. You can quickly create professional, high-converting landing pages using its drag-and-drop editor – no coding needed, which is a lifesaver for fast-moving campaigns. Plus, it works seamlessly with digital marketing tools you probably already use, like analytics, email marketing platforms, and CRMs, so tracking and managing leads is a breeze. With mobile-friendly templates and simple A/B testing, you can fine-tune your pages for the best results on any device. It’s a go-to solution for turning social media clicks into real results.
Leverage Diverse Social Media Marketing Types for Comprehensive Campaign Success
A strong social media strategy combines multiple approaches – like UGC, video content, and paid ads –to meet users at different points in their journey. When these tactics align with your business goals, they build a more cohesive and results-driven presence across platforms.
An essential tool for digital marketers aiming to maximize their social media marketing efforts is Landingi. Its user-friendly platform simplifies the creation of high-converting landing pages tailored to your campaigns, allowing you to seamlessly connect social media engagement with tangible business results. Whether you’re running a giveaway, running social media contests, launching a product, or leveraging influencer collaborations, Landingi’s robust features, such as drag-and-drop editing, AI-powered features, and A/B testing, ensure your landing pages are perfectly aligned with your objectives.
Don’t miss the opportunity to elevate your social media marketing strategy – try Landingi for free and see how it can transform your digital marketing campaigns today!
