Social Marketing

Social Marketing

Social marketing is a strategy used to influence people’s behavior for the benefit of individuals and society. Unlike commercial marketing, which aims to sell products, social marketing promotes positive social change—such as health, safety, or environmental responsibility. Examples include campaigns to stop smoking, promote handwashing, or encourage vaccination. It uses similar tools as traditional marketing: research, audience segmentation, targeted messaging, and media channels. Social workers and NGOs often use social marketing to raise awareness and drive community participation in development programs. It plays a crucial role in behavior change communication.