The advent of social media has been a welcome addition to the communications world because it allows us to interact with our audiences in a peer-to-peer way like never before.  However, it has brought new challenges to the lexicon of communicators.  So-called “social media experts” like to use the term “social marketing” when referring to the buzz marketing that is common practice using social media tools.  However, many of these people are not communications professionals and do not realize they are conflating the term “social marketing” with “social media marketing.”

Social marketing has been around for decades and refers to the practice of using commercial marketing techniques to effect behavior change.  Examples include anti-smoking campaigns, safe sex education messages, and other public education efforts mostly, but not exclusively, in health communications.  It is important to make a distinction and spread awareness of the correct lexicon within media circles.  It should also be noted that the two are not mutually exclusive practices.  In fact, social marketers are increasingly using social media to promote their public education efforts to reach their audiences in the most effective way.  In fact, there is much social marketers can gain from using social media marketing to connect with target audiences.

For a lengthy and annotated definition of social marketing, see here.