Social Media Marketing or Advertising? What’s Better For Your Budget?

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Bet your starting to think about next year’s social media marketing plan. And as importantly, where will social media marketing fall into the mix? Will there be more? Less? The latest Advertising Trust report from Neilsen may offer some insights to help you in your planning process.

One of the strongest reasons to increase your social media is the the number one source of consumer trust and action is “Recommendations from people I know”.  Trust and action are often hand in hand, and we can’t discount the value of trust, but its also hard to measure. However, what creates trust and what creates action can be different. For example, consumers report that humorous ads resonate most with them. We know that humor is a powerful tool, especially in social media. It might be more powerful than cats, dare I say (GASP). However, humor is rarely what makes people take ACTION.

The action taking piece is the one I’m always most interested in looking at more closely. And its really no surprise that word of mouth leads the pack. Ads on social networks have a lower trust score than they do action score. That’s actually true for several advertising types. With respect to social media, there are two key take aways:
1)  Use social to build trust and be very aware of what motivations exist for taking action.
2) The power of your tribe: when they share what you’ve got, its a more credible source. So be very aware of what and why people share on social. Tribes deeply impact our actions.

Now, the challenge with a report like this is that these results are all self-reported. The challenge with self-reporting is that people don’t always really know why they do what they do. I know, YOU always know why you do what you do. Or do you? Your motivations may not always be clear even to you. That’s why I started Captivation Motivation Training. 

Just remember, what type of message you use impacts trust and action. Decide what you’re trying to establish in every single post. Be purposeful in your social media practice and you’ll find that you can actually be more human.

 

 

 

PS: If you’d like to download the Neilsen Report for yourself: click here

This post originally appeared on Akamai Marketing

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  50. Songspot
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  51. AI Image Metadata Cleaner
    AI Image Metadata Cleaner says:

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  52. DwellShift
    DwellShift says:

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  53. Photo Text Editor
    Photo Text Editor says:

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  54. Robin
    Robin says:

    The article’s point about the gap between trust and action is valuable, especially when considering how self-reported data can mislead. It’s a reminder that stated preferences often differ from actual behavior, just as viewers might claim to seek quality but still watch movies online out of convenience.

    Reply
  55. depth map generator
    depth map generator says:

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  56. veida
    veida says:

    The distinction between building trust organically and driving immediate action with ads is a useful way to frame a limited budget. For teams creating visuals to support either approach, ChatGPT Image Prompts from Veida AI (ChatGPT Image Prompts) could help generate ideas without adding a large production cost.

    Reply
  57. Francis
    Francis says:

    Just tried GestureSynth.me — a brilliant, privacy-respecting browser instrument that turns hand gestures into expressive music using local webcam tracking. No install, no account, no data uploads—just pure Web Audio creativity with chord control, theremin-style pitch, and a built-in loop sequencer. If you’re exploring how interactive media can build trust *and* drive action (like the Nielsen report discusses), tools like this show how authentic, human-centered tech experiences resonate deeply. Worth checking out for musicians, educators, or devs curious about gesture interfaces:
    GestureSynth.me

    Reply
  58. Eric
    Eric says:

    Great insights on the trust–action dichotomy! This resonates deeply with what I’ve seen in interactive learning tools—like Sandboxels.cc, a browser-based falling-sand simulator where users *build trust* through experimentation (e.g., watching water flow or circuits activate) and *take action* by designing volcanoes, gardens, or logic gates. It’s not just play—it’s embodied understanding. If you value hands-on, low-barrier science exploration that sparks curiosity *and* concrete creation, check it out:
    Sandboxels.cc

    Reply
  59. ai bikini generator
    ai bikini generator says:

    Great insights on the trust–action gap in marketing! It’s refreshing to see data-driven clarity on *why* social media and ads serve different roles. If you’re looking for a tool that bridges that gap—by letting users *experience* products authentically (not just see ads or read reviews)—check out the AI Bikini Generator: it turns a single photo into realistic, shareable try-ons in under a minute. Perfect for building both trust *and* action—especially when your audience trusts peer-like visuals over polished ads. Try 3 free generations here:
    AI Bikini Generator

    Reply
  60. Text Remover
    Text Remover says:

    While working on my last design project late at night, I spilled coffee near the desk and needed a reliable text remover to clean up a cluttered screenshot before sending it to the client. This online text remover saved me time when I tried to Remove unwanted text from images online with AI. Upload your image, erase text automatically, and download a clean, natural-looking result in seconds.

    Reply
  61. Hotel Lobby AI
    Hotel Lobby AI says:

    Great insights on the trust-vs-action dilemma! This is exactly why tools like Hotel Lobby AI are so valuable: they let brands create authentic, shareable social content *fast*—no ad budget needed. When your audience sees real people (even AI-enhanced!) having fun in a “hotel lobby” moment, it builds trust *and* drives action—because it feels human, not promotional. Perfect for teams testing organic reach before committing to paid ads. Try it free and see how viral-ready content can amplify your social strategy without stretching your budget. Check it out here

    Reply
  62. car jump video generator
    car jump video generator says:

    While diving into the ‘Should You Use Advertising or Social Media’ discussion, I noticed a key point about building trust versus generating action. Given this, a useful tool to consider is the car jump video generator which can create captivating and engaging video content to potentially drive action. This aligns with the findings about how humorous ads resonate, by offering a way to generate visually appealing content that captures attention.

    Reply

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