By definition, social media marketing is the practice of using social media platforms and tools to promote a business and connect with existing and potential customers. Social media is a place where brands can form and maintain relationships with consumers. Social media marketing allows consumers to communicate directly with brands. This cannot be done through other forms of marketing such as print, outdoor, or radio. With 4.9 billion social media users, making sure your brand is present on social media is essential for success.
How It All Started
In 1997, Andrew Weinreich introduced the first known social media platform called Six Degrees. It was a platform where people could upload profile pictures and make online friends with each other. Shortly after its birth, social media began being used as a marketing tool by businesses everywhere. People saw the potential in what this could do for their business and quickly jumped on board.
In 2004, Facebook was created for students at universities to virtually connect with one another. As its popularity rose, Facebook began welcoming those outside of the university demographic, attracting 50 million users in just months. Very soon after, ‘Facebook Ads’ was created, and the rest is history. Businesses saw the massive benefits of social media marketing and quickly realized that they had to join. In a mere 18 years, utilizing social media in advertising has skyrocketed to become the main influence in marketing decisions made by businesses today.
The Benefits of Social Media
The benefits of social media marketing are certainly extensive, so here are just a few.
- Brand identity: When people think of your brand, you want one thing to immediately come to their mind, your brand’s personality. What does your brand stand for? What is the message behind your brand? With social media marketing, you can constantly show users who you are and what you are selling, creating brand identity.
- Community and loyalty: Creating an online community is made easy through social media platforms. People can join Facebook groups, they can follow blogs that cover topics they’re interested in, they can follow specific hashtags with content relevant to them, etc. When a brand inserts themselves into these spaces, they are surrounded with people who are interested in their goods or services. The more people see your brand in their online social circles, the more inclined they will be to purchase your product. This could lead to eventually become loyal consumers who will pass on your name and likeness to others.
- Real time results: Marketing through social media allows for almost immediate feedback from social analytics showing what is working and what is not. This allows brands to switch up their campaigns much faster than other methods of advertising. It also ensures that you are getting directly to what consumers want and not wasting your time and money.
Media Venue is Here to Help!
Whether it’s via Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn, Media Venue can help get your name into the social space. Contact us for your social media marketing needs today by visiting our website or giving us a call!
