“Do we need SMM or targeted ads?” We hear this question often. The answer depends on the stage your business is at right now. First, let’s look at the job of each.
What is SMM?
SMM is the systematic management of your social media page. It includes strategy and a content plan, posts, Stories, Reels, design, photos and video, and replies to comments and DMs.
The job of SMM is to build trust with a person who visits the page: who you are, what you do, why they can trust you. A well-built page turns a person who came from an ad into a customer.
What are targeted ads?
Targeted ads show your offer through paid ads on Instagram and Facebook to precisely chosen people: by location, age, interests and behavior. The money is paid directly to Meta, and results are measured in messages, leads or sales.
The job of targeted ads is to bring people who don’t know your page yet, quickly and in a controlled way.
The main differences
- Job: SMM builds trust and the brand; targeted ads bring new people and requests.
- Speed: targeted ads get impressions from day one; SMM results build up over months.
- Where the money goes: in SMM, to the team’s work and content production; in targeted ads, to the team’s work and the ad budget paid to Meta.
- What happens if you stop: turn off the ads and the flow stops. The content, followers and trust built through SMM remain.
SMM is the shop window and the salesperson of your store. Targeted ads are the sign that brings people in from the street. One without the other works only halfway.
When are targeted ads alone enough?
When the offer is simple and clear, the page is already in good shape and you need requests fast: for example, a promotion, a new branch opening or a seasonal product. Then a few well-prepared creatives and properly set-up ads may be enough.
Check: open your profile through the eyes of someone seeing it for the first time. Is it clear what you do, how to find out the price, and can they see your work? If yes, you can start with targeted ads.
When do you need SMM first?
When the page is empty or messy, the last post went out several months ago, the product is expensive or the decision takes a long time: for example, real estate, renovation, B2B services. In these fields, people study the page for a long time before buying. If you send ads to an empty page, you pay for impressions, not requests.
Check: if your ads get clicks but your DMs are quiet, the problem is most often not the ads but the page. More on this: 7 reasons your ads bring no customers.
Why do you get the best results when both work?
Targeted ads bring people; SMM keeps and convinces them. Also, content made for SMM (Reels, videos, customer reviews) becomes the best ad creative. And ads take good content to more people.
That is why our SMM service also includes setting up and running targeted ads. If your page is in good shape and you only need ads, you can take targeted ads as a separate service.
In short
- You need requests fast and the page is ready: start with targeted ads.
- The page is empty or the product is expensive: SMM first, then targeted ads.
- You need steady growth: both, under one plan.
We’ll work out together what suits you at the first free consultation, after looking at your page and your current ads.