Showing posts with label What is social media marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label What is social media marketing. Show all posts
Monday, 30 June 2014
Saturday, 7 June 2014
Monday, 2 June 2014
Understanding the Role of Social Media in Marketing
What the heck is social media and what role does it play in my marketing? This is probably a question I wouldn't have received two years ago, but yet today it's the most common question that enters my inbox.
First off, let's talk about what social media is. Social media represents low-cost tools that are used to combine technology and social interaction with the use of words. These tools are typically internet or mobile based. A few that you have probably heard of include Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and YouTube.
Social media gives marketers a voice and a way to communicate with peers, customers and potential consumers. It personalizes the "brand" and helps you to spread your message in a relaxed and conversational way.
The downfall to social media, if you could call it that is that it must be a part of your everyday life in order to keep the momentum and attention you need for it to be successful.
If you think that social media is only for the small business owners that are trying out an experiment, I have to correct you. Here are just a few companies that have become involved in social media:
Absolut Vodka - Online Video on YouTube and Using Facebook to house their Top Bartender fan page.
BMW - Utilizing Facebook to promote their 1-Series Road Trip and they have created a Rampenfest Pagefor fans.
Dunkin Donuts - That's right they've found value in social media and have set up amicroblogging Twitter account.
Barack Obama - In my examples, I can't leave out future President Barack Obama. He has been seen as a leader in the use of Twitter during the Presidential Election. He has over 170,000 followers and is following over 165,000. Personally I remember the "twitter buzz" during the Presidential Debates as well as the election.
As you can see we have adult beverage companies, exotic automobile manufacturers, pastry shops and our future President using social media tool, it's not to hard to figure out that there is something to it.
What role should it play in your marketing? As most of you know my view of marketing is it's a tool we use to inform consumers about our products, who we are and what we offer. Social media does that. Here is how:
- We can use social media to provide an identity to who we are and the products or services that we offer.
- We can create relationships using social media with people who might not otherwise know about our products or service or what our companies represent.
- Social media makes us "real" to consumers. If you want people to follow you don't just talk about the latest product news, but share your personality with them.
- We can use social media to associate ourselves with our peers, that may be serving the same target market.
- We can use social media to communicate and provide the interaction that consumers look for.
As you can see social media carries with it a lot of value, but how do you do it right?
- You cannot just depend on social media, you must integrate it with other vehicles of marketing. While social media will create awareness, I'm not convinced that in the beginning it will sell a million dollars worth of product. That's not to say that one day once you've built up your social media "stardom" that it won't, but it probably won't happen tomorrow.
- Be yourself, reflect personality. There are no written "right" or "wrong" rules when it comes to social media, only you can determine what will work for you.
- Be consistent, if you do not plan on being consistent don't do it at all - it's a waste of everyone's time.
Success stories are abundant when it comes using social media from headhunters that find job applicants to new businesses that want to introduce a new product as well as already established Fortune 500 companies that want to strengthen their brand. The role of social media in your marketing is to use it as a communication tool that makes you accessible to those interested in your product and makes you visible to those that don't know your product. Use it as a tool that creates a personality behind your brand and creates relationships that you otherwise may never gain. This creates not only repeat-buyers, but customer loyalty. Fact is social media is so diversified that it can be used in whatever way best suits the interest and the needs of your business.
What Is Social Media Marketing?
Social media marketing refers to the process of gaining traffic or attention through social media sites.
Social media itself is a catch-all term for sites that may provide radically different social actions. For instance, Twitter is a social site designed to let people share short messages or “updates” with others. Facebook, in contrast is a full-blown social networking site that allows for sharing updates, photos, joining events and a variety of other activities.
Why would a search marketer — or a site about search engines — care about social media? The two are very closely related.
Social media often feeds into the discovery of new content such as news stories, and “discovery” is a search activity. Social media can also help build links that in turn support intoSEO efforts. Many people also perform searches at social media sites to find social media content.
Search & Social Media Marketing News, Strategies & Tactics
Here at Search Engine Land, we provide social media marketing information and news in a variety of ways:
How To: Social Media Marketing is our section that is devoted to practical tips and tactics about social media marketing. Also see the related How To: Facebook and How To: Twitter sections.
Social Media Marketing Library Archives: This area of Search Engine Land provides a collection of all stories we’ve written on the topic of social media.
In addition to covering social media marketing generally, Search Engine Land also has areas specifically about particular major social media sites and social search sites:
- Delicious
- Foursquare
- Google+
- YouTube
- Social Search Engines
- Word Of Mouth & Buzz Search Engines
Social Media Tips At Marketing Land
Marketing Land is the sister site to Search Engine Land that covers all facets of internet marketing, including social media marketing. At Marketing Land, you’ll find regular news coverage about social media marketing. It also offers three dedicated columns on the topic:
Social Media Marketing Advice At SMX
Search Engine Land produces the SMX conference series. Many of our SMX events have topics that cover social media. There’s also our annual event entirely devoted to social media. Check out the site to learn more: SMX Social Media Marketing.
Also be sure to subscribe to our free SearchCap newsletter! SearchCap has a recap of all the day’s social media marketing news from sources all over the web, as well as the day’s news from Search Engine Land and Marketing Land.
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