7 Reasons Why is Social Media an Important Part of Inbound Marketing

In 2025, social media and inbound marketing are two inseparable terms. Like earlier, social media is no more just a place to scroll memes or watch trending reels.

People spend hours on social media platforms and while scrolling they discover new brands and products and make buying decisions, even before visiting their websites.

This change in the user behavior is one big reason why social media is an important part of inbound marketing.

In fact, 93% of marketers say their business traffic increases with social media marketing efforts. But how does it actually work? 

What makes social media such a strong inbound marketing channel? And what effective methods can you use to make it work for your business?

In this handy guide, we’ll will know reasons why is social media an important part of inbound marketing and find ways to implement inbound social media marketing.

Social Media: Inbound or Outbound Marketing?

Is social media inbound or outbound marketing? The truth is, social media can be both inbound or outbound. It all depends on how you use your social media​ presence for marketing.

Inbound social media marketing means naturally pulling people in by creating valuable content and winning their trust.

In simple words, when you share informative posts and build a community using social media platforms, you are implementing an inbound marketing strategy on social media.

On the other hand, Outbound marketing involves reaching out to a larger audience through social media ads or cold outreach messages.

In practice, social media is more commonly used as an inbound tool by small businesses that want to build brand awareness and establish a strong social media presence.

84% of B2B marketers use social media for distributing content and outreach campaigns which is part of an inbound marketing strategy.

Similarly, larger businesses use social media as an outbound marketing strategy to run paid ads and campaigns to improve conversions. 

Why Is Social Media an Important Part of Inbound Marketing?

1. Social Media Influences Buyer Decisions

The world has over 8 billion people, and 62% of them are active on social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

That’s billions of people seeing what others are talking about and recommending every single day. Today, social media influences each decision people make in their lives.

We mostly buy what we see. Just like how kids want a toy they saw in someone’s hand, we adults feel the same way when they scroll. A trending post or reel is enough to influence what we mainly buy.

In fact, 78% of consumers research brands or products on social media before making a purchase.This is why social media in marketing is now a core part of the inbound marketing strategy of every brand out there.

How Stanley Cup Influenced Buyer Decisions Through Social Media?

For example, when the “Stanley Cup” water bottle went viral on TikTok, sales skyrocketed. The brand didn’t rely on ads. It went viral with just people sharing their experience making it a must-have item. (source)

2.  Social Media Inbound Marketing Enhances Brand Trust and Loyalty

Another reason why is social media an important part of inbound marketing is because it helps to improve brand trust and loyalty.

In the past, people trusted brands they saw regularly on TV in those repeated ads. Today, social media plays the same role. The more people see a brand on social media, the more they are likely to trust it.

Social Media Inbound marketing helps you build that trust by sharing regular posts and engaging with your audience on social media to build similar trust. 

You can also share behind-the-scenes content and respond to comments, queries, and complaints. This consistent interaction helps you build brand trust and fosters loyalty.​

How Does Zappos Build Brand Trust On Social Media?

Zappos exemplifies this approach. They actively engage with customers on platforms like Twitter and Facebook to address their concerns, this helped them build a loyal customer base. (source)

3. Social Media Drives High-Intent Traffic to Your Website

People spend most of their time on social media platforms. In the United States alone, people aged between 18 and 24 spent 186 minutes per day engaging with social media platforms.

This makes these platforms a great way of attracting people to your website. You can share helpful content around problems, offer relevant solutions, and provide clear calls-to-action (CTAs), to guide these users to your website.​

HubSpot is one of the best examples of effectively using an inbound social media strategy. HubSpot shared educational content on social media platforms with CTAs. This helped them attract high-intent users to their websites and convert them into loyal customers.

Learn how Hubspot used social media to drive traffic and conversions here! 

4. It Boosts SEO and Website Ranking

When you use a strong inbound marketing strategy, your content gets shared, liked, and mentioned more often compared to others. 

These actions help to build your brand authority and tell search engines your content is useful and relevant.

Over time, a good social media presence leads to natural backlinks and helps in SEO. People start discovering your blogs or product pages and start linking them on their own platforms.

Brands that use social media marketing to promote helpful content get better traffic and more visibility.

Real-Life Example: How Moz Boosted SEO with Inbound Social Media Marketing

Moz used social media to promote their website content and engage with their community. By consistently sharing such insights, they naturally build backlinks and improved their SEO. (source)

5. Social Media is Cost-Effective and Scalable

Social media marketing is one of the most budget-friendly ways to reach a large audience. Compared to traditional marketing, it costs 62% less and offers better results.

A well-planned social media marketing strategy allows businesses to engage with their audience without needing to spend heavily on ads. They can use user-generated content to promote their business.

This approach helps in boosting inbound marketing strategies and helps in forming meaningful interactions.​

How Starbucks Used User-Generated Content to Boost ROI

Starbucks used inbound social media marketing by encouraging user-generated content. They encouraged coffee lovers to share photos of their drinks with hashtags like #RedCupContest.

This led to thousands of posts across Instagram and Twitter during the holiday season and boosted the social media presence of Starbucks.

6. Inbound Marketing on Social Media Shortens and Supports Customer Journey

Inbound social media marketing helps in each stage of the customer journey from creating awareness to consideration, and final decision.

• Awareness: You can share engaging and educational posts in different forms like text, reels, and stories to introduce your brand to a wider audience.
  
  

• Consideration: You can share customer reviews and product demos to help your potential customers evaluate your offerings.
  
  

• Decision: You can have direct interactions with your audience and guide them toward making a purchase.

According to a study, 70% of consumers are influenced by social media when making purchasing decisions. By implementing social media in your marketing strategy you can provide relevant information at each stage.

This approach not only captures attention but also shortens the customer journey. Customers sometimes directly buy from social media even without checking other things.

How Nike Engaged Customers Throughout Their Journey

Nike exemplifies this inbound social media marketing strategy by using Instagram stories, posts, and live sessions to create awareness, provide product details, and build a community around their brand to support customers' decision-making process.

This way, their inbound marketing strategy helped them establish a great social media presence and helped to guide potential customers through their journey.

7. Social Media Presence Increases Customer Engagement

A strong social media presence keeps your brand top of mind. Social media isn't just for posting updates you can use it to talk with your customers by replying to their comments and addressing their complaints.

When you converse with your audience, it helps you build real connections and show customers you care. 

Studies show that 63% of consumers say their loyalty to a brand is significantly influenced by the quality of customer support they provide on social media. ​

How Zomato Engages Their Customers

Zomato, an India-based food delivery app posts memes and food jokes people love to share. They also use Instagram stories to ask polls like “Biryani or Pizza?” This keeps followers engaged with quick interactions.

This kind of marketing through social media turns followers into fans. It is one of the best moves in any inbound marketing strategy.​ 

What are the Effective Methods for Inbound Marketing Using Social Media?

Now that we've already learned why is social Media an important part of inbound marketing let's look at some practical ways to make it work for your business.​

1. Collaborate with Micro-Influencers for Authentic Reach

Partnering with micro-influencers (those with 1,000 to 100,000 followers) is one of the best moves you can make to do inbound marketing on social media. These influencers have a more engaged audience and if they talk about you, it builds better trust and increases conversion rates. 

For instance, beauty brands like Fable & Mane have seen increased engagement by collaborating with nano and micro-influencers, who produce genuine content that resonates with their followers. (​source)

2. Diversify Across Multiple Social Media Platforms

Don't limit your presence to just one platform. Brands that spread their efforts across multiple social media sites see better results in inbound marketing.

A study found that companies with a diversified social media strategy increased their total web sales by 2% to 5%.

3. Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)

One of the best ways to do inbound marketing on social media is through user-generated content. People trust user-generated content, such as reviews or photos, more than ads or influencers. 

You can share this content to show appreciation for your customers and build trust among others. 

For example, when Starbucks encouraged customers to share photos of their drinks with hashtags like #RedCupContest, it led to thousands of posts across Instagram and Twitter during the holiday season.​

Final Thoughts: Why is Social Media an Important Part of Inbound Marketing

With a strong social media inbound marketing strategy, you don’t just attract people; you can make them want to be a part of your brand story naturally. Social media is important because it drives high-intent traffic, influences buyer decisions, builds trust, and boosts SEO, all essential for a successful inbound marketing plan.

Whether you’re a small startup or a large corporation, social media helps you connect with your audience, engage with them, and build a loyal customer base. It’s not just about likes and shares; it’s about creating meaningful relationships that lead to long-term growth.

If you're ready to elevate your inbound marketing game, it's time to rethink your social media strategy. 

Better Marketing can help you create a tailored social media marketing plan that will turn followers into loyal customers. Let’s build a stronger online presence and grow your brand together! Contact Us.

FAQs

1. Is social media inbound or outbound marketing?

Social media can be both. When you share helpful content, engage with your audience, and build relationships, it's inbound marketing. However, when you run paid ads to push messages to a broad audience, it's outbound marketing. 

2. How does social media contribute to inbound marketing strategies?

Social media enhances inbound marketing by allowing you to share valuable content, engage directly with your audience, and build trust. This approach increases your social media presence and attracts potential customers naturally. ​

3. Are paid social media ads part of inbound marketing?

Typically, paid social media ads are considered outbound marketing because they push messages to users. However, if these ads promote valuable content that attracts users to your brand, they can support your inbound marketing strategy. ​

4. Is posting a free sample of our product on social media considered inbound or outbound marketing?

Posting about a free sample on social media is usually inbound marketing. You're providing value and encouraging interested users to engage with your brand voluntarily.

5. What are some low-hanging fruits for inbound marketing?​

Some of the low-hanging fruits for inbound marketing are:

• Optimizing your social media profiles.

• Regularly posting valuable content.

• Engaging with your audience's comments and messages.

• Encouraging satisfied customers to leave reviews.

• Utilizing email marketing to nurture leads.

6. How can I effectively promote my digital product through social media?

To effectively promote your digital product on social media, you can create valuable content that shows how your product solves problems. Share engaging posts, eye-catching visuals, tutorials, and videos to grab attention.

You can also engage with your followers by responding to comments and messages. Or even run targeted ads to reach the right audience.