The marketing model mix – understanding Facebook’s research

As an organisation that bangs the drum for brand marketing on social media, Zavy believes that brand marketing makes direct response more effective. We also believe that as direct response is easier to measure (and what gets measured, gets managed) than brand marketing, marketers tend to lean on it more than they should.  

So it's fair to say Facebook’s research in to the Marketing Mix Model piqued our interest.

The research investigated how brand and direct advertising on Facebook worked - if the two strategies could work together to help achieve long and short-term goals. Facebook worked with Analytic Partners and Group M to study the the results of over 500 Facebook brand and direct response campaigns by 21 businesses, over a three year period.  

Here are three key takeaways for marketers:

1. There’s no silver bullet:

Both brand and direct advertising campaigns on Facebook are “consistently effective” in driving sales. While direct marketing campaigns lead to more conversions (which makes sense, they’re targeting people further down the funnel), brand campaigns are less expensive and reach more people.  

2. Find the right marketing mix for your industry.

The research found that industry really matters. Lower funnel marketing can be powerful tools to achieve goals – but “in certain instances, brand campaigns can be more effective than DR campaigns in driving sales.”  

3. Do both.

‍It’s not a matter of “one or the other”. Facebook’s insights show that a “full funnel” approach could benefit marketers. Lower funnel is effective, but more expensive. Upper funnel marketing, Facebook says, “can drive incremental sales” – and are a valuable tool. You might find more success by doing both – aka, a “full funnel approach”.

Zavy is all about harnessing social media as a brand building tool. Facebook’s research gives more credence to brand building activity as an effective driver of ROI. But we think there’s more to it than that. A healthy, strong brand provides a reputational backbone that makes direct response marketing more effective – and builds your brand for future growth.  

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Want to learn more about how Zavy’s social media insights can help your brand? Get in touch with us.