Social Media Marketing

Today’s world is a Facebook world. A Twitter world. Social media websites have become an integral part of our culture – and business owners are taking note. With 400 million active users, Facebook is the largest single web site in most countries, capturing 1/4 of all time spent online. If your company wants to reach your target audience, influence their behaviour and market products or services in an effective way, it’s time to communicate with them in their preferred medium. It’s time to consider social media marketing.

In the age of social media, the rules have radically changed as consumers demand a more honest and direct relationship with companies with which they do business. Gone are the days of relying on flashy ad campaigns or carefully-crafted press releases – the public seeks direct communication with a company, and appreciates the transparency displayed by social media marketing. Businesses, however, will now have to make an informed decision – they can wall themselves in and become increasingly controlled and hidden, or use social media marketing and encourage interaction, reveal their human side, and forge new relationships with their customers in a different medium. So now that the old game is over, ask yourself this: what can your business do to succeed in this transition?

What is Social Media Marketing?

Social Media Marketing (SMM) is rapidly becomming the most popular form of online marketing. Harnessing the power of Social Media Networks such as Facebook, advertisers are now able to spread their messages and ads to millions of consumers instantaneously. In its most basic explanation, SMM can be described as the modern form of word of mouth advertising, in fact, it’s even been dubbed as electronic word of mouth (eWoM).

How does it work?

In short, it’s a snowball effect. Advertisers and companies begin by breaching out to their loyal followers (those who have liked their Social Media page), from there they’re relying on eWoM to get their message spread quickly and efficiently. With Facebook, a particular advert or message could have become widespread through user’s desire to “share” the content with their peers, before long everyone is talking about it – that’s what we call “going viral”. Similarly, Twitter allows its users to “retweet” posts and comments that advertisers have made – generally speaking it’s the more creative Twitter posts that maximise on eWoM. SMM the most cost-effective way of advertising and is little wonder that more and more businesses are integrating their brands and websites into Social Media Networks.