Social Media and Digital Marketing

Social Media and Digital Marketing

“Social media is the term commonly given to Internet and mobile-based channels and tools that allow users to interact with each other and share opinions and content. As the name implies, social media involves the building of communities or networks and encouraging participation and engagement”. (CIPR Media Channel)

For almost twenty years, Social media has grown and has become a very huge part of everyone's world. From several websites that have been created, from Facebook, twitter, tumblr, LinkedIn et al. Social media keeps on growing and growing and as generations keep growing and more users and more websites keep coming up. I remember when facebook was first created, I was in my third year of university and it was only geared towards university students in north America. I remember that one had to use their school email to sign up to facebook. It was a website that targeted university students to reconnect with each other. But by the time I was graduating university the website had expanded and included anyone who had an email address and it did not matter what part of the globe you were in you could just use your email address to sign up to facebook and reconnect with old and new friends. Almost 15 years later, Facebook has grown into a multi billion dollar company with Shares on the stock exchange and thousands to millions of new users daily signing up. The power of Social media.

“Digital marketing is an umbrella term for the targeted, measurable, and interactive marketing of products or services using digital technologies to reach and convert leads into customers and retain them.The key objective is to promote brands, build preference and increase sales through various digital marketing techniques. It is embodied by an extensive selection of service, product and brand marketing tactics, which mainly use the Internet as a core promotional medium, in addition to mobile and traditional TV and radio.” (Wikipedia)

Digital marketing has become a predominant form of advertising and brand building over the years. A lot of businesses, big or small are relying heavily on digital marketing in order to grow, build, maintain their brand, customer base and product. Most print media houses, publishing houses, television stations, are turning to digital marketing. Since the introduction of technological communication devices, like smart phones and tablets, consumers are turning to the communication devices, for their newspaper articles, a lot of television stations are using their websites to broadcast some of their shows so that people on the go can access their favourite shows without having to run home to their television sets to watch their shows. Since, news is constantly changing, people want real time information therefore a lot of media outlets are resulting to digital marketing and media to gain real time information.
In recent years, Social Media and Digital marketing are used side by side and it according to wikipedia it has been coined to be Social Media Marketing. Social media marketing, the use of social media or social network platforms to market or brand a product. Since social media and social networking sites such as facebook, twitter, instagram, pintrest, youtube et al are websites that are very popular amongst consumers, a lot of companies are using Social media as a way to reach to their consumers. It also allows personalization of the brand with the consumer. For instance, companies like Proctor and Gamble have turned to social media to attract consumers. If a consumer is seen viewing a product on a social media website, that product and other female products will be advertised on their social media pages to allow them to draw them to the brand and other products. Another way the digital marketing and social media merge is when a consumer starts to follow a page on social media, similar brands or businesses notice that a consumer is following a page they most likely would try and get the consumer to also follow their page or advertise their products on the consumers page in order to attract the consumer to the product or the brand.
A lot of brands are using consumers as ways of advertising their products and brand. When a consumer purchases a product and reviews it on social media, it can attract the brand or the business to reach out to the consumer to act as the brand ambassador for the product. Especially if the consumer is one to purchase that brand often and is extremely loyal to the brand. It is very common amongst health and wellness products, where health and fitness people such as personal trainers, or body builders, promote a product on their social media pages, the companies are asking the consumer to advertise the product for them at a fee that is far less than advertising via, television or print. For example, Patti Labelle, recently launched her sweet potato pie, a consumer called James Wright, posted a youtube video eating a slice of the pie and giving a hilarious raving review of the pie. Due to the video going viral, James Wright not only enjoyed over night fame, but the pies were sold out in store at Walmart and online. He also had the opportunity to meet with Patti Labelle and be invited to her thanksgiving dinner. (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3321059/Viral-review-triggers-run-Patti-LaBelle-pies-Walmart.html)
Social media is a very powerful tool especially when it comes to Digital marketing, according to an article in Forbes magazine for enterprenuers there are a few tips that is mentioned by the writer, that social media can promote conversion of customers. Brands and products that use social media a lot to promote their product or to interact with their consumers, it helps build brand loyalty , consumer conversion of new customers, retention of old customers. When brands, are constantly updating their social media pages, responding to reviews and questions, updating and enhancing their products it drives more consumers to use the product.



In conclusion, social media and digital marketing have become synonomous with each other, they go hand in hand when it comes to branding and brand promotion. Social media is a very powerful tool when used correctly can increase KPIs for the brand and the product. It can also be a very useful advertising tool that cost less than print and television advertising. As social media, worked for Patti Labelle's pies there are various businesses and even consumers that are enjoying the benefits of Social media in Digital marketing.

APA REFERENCES

CIPR Social Media Panel (April 2011)CIPR Social Media Guide (#ciprsm) Best Media Practice Guide. Retrieved from: http://www.cipr.co.uk/sites/default/files/CIPR%20social%20media%20best%20practice%20guidance%202011_0.pdf

Wikipedia: Digital Marketing Definition Retrieved: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_marketing

DailyMail.com Reporter and Associated Press: ( 17^th November 2015) James Wrights's Patti LaBelle sweet potato pie review sparks. Retrieved from: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3321059/Viral-review-triggers-run-Patti-LaBelle-pies-Walmart.html

Social Media, Friend or Foe?

Social media in today's world has become one of the most popular tools used by individuals, companies, groups, families and anyone possible. Sit on a train in Toronto and most people will be on their phone, either on a social media website, checking their newsfeed, reading the news, catching up with current affairs, blogging,interacting and playing games. It has become such a powerful tool that no matter what part of the world an individual will most likely belong to a social media website, be it Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. There are many social media channels that are use world wide but the most common social media channel used today is Social Network Webistes.

The digital marketer in today's world relies strongly on social networking websites.  For instance its a cheaper way to advertise a product, or service especially when you have customers vouching for the product or service. With the use of hash tags and tags, consumers are able to tag their their favourite brand name or company and by doing that give free advertising for the company or brand.  A few years ago, my sister had the opportunity to travel to New Orleans and attend the Essence Music Festival. It is one of the biggest events in the African American community. Lots of celebrities attend and a lot of musical performances. Once my sister returned from the festival she posted pictures of her experience at the Essence Music Festival and hashtagged Essence.  A few days later, Essence Magazine contact her to ask if it was ok if they use her pictures to advertise the festival. The hashtag gave Essence free advertising and also my sister showcasing how much fun she had it would pull more attendees for the next festival. Brands like Nike, Coca Cola are turning to individuals on Social Media networking websites to advertise their products calling them brand ambassadors since these brand ambassadors show case their products and if the brand ambassador has a lot of followers, the likelihood for the product to gain more customers is greater than relying on other forms of advertising.

There are several disadvantages of Social Media Networking for the marketer, once a several people post negative reviews of a product or a service it can greatly affect their consumer base especially if there are many negative reviews. With websites such as twitter where customers can rant and rave about a topic in 140 characters or less, the wrong feed can send the wrong message into the twittersphere and that can have a wider reach.

During the past recent Canadian elections, most of the politicians turned to social media as a way to campaign and also reach the youth . By doing that the youth were able to get involved in the issues and also be more inclined to vote. Especially the millennials and generation z prefer social media networking websites than watching television its the best way to attract the right crowd.

Social media Networking, is a very powerful tool in today's world, it can be a positive thing especially for companies and individuals. Especially when it comes to advertising a service or product, building a consumer base and maintain a loyal consumer base. But it can also be a negative tool, because it can take one bad review or several to tarnish the image of a brand or an individual. Therefore, once used it can prove to be an excellent tool but when it lands in the wrong hand it can destroy a positive image.


References
www.twitter.com
www.facebook.com
www.essence.com
Stokes, Rob :E-Marketing: The Essential Guide to Marketing in a Digital World. 5th Edition

Deal Hunter or Casual Shopper the 21st Century guide for the female online shopper.

Online Shopping  has become the norm for the 21st Shopper, with the busy lives that most people live their lives behind technology. Be it behind their computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones people will find the easiest way to make life less complicated.  The simplest way to get things done without moving from their desk by just a click of a button most people will choose.

Welcome to the 21st century where shopping does not involve driving to the stores to shop, but sitting on your couch, browsing the internet and finding the right deal and purchasing a service or a product in a manner of minutes.

One of the main aspects of online buyer behaviour is goals and aspirations of the consumer. The importance of whether saving money or using some of credit to purchase the goods or service. For instance, for a major purchase looking for low imterest form of credit will be considered so that payments can be made gradually without pain or difficulty.  Another main aspect that the individual fills in society, for example, consumers with young children will shop differently, from someone who is single and works full time. Also different from a white collared professional to the blue collared.

When marketing professionals are looking buying behviours of consumers they look at the various buying trends of the consumer, for instance, the different shopping trends between men and women. Certain products and services are targeted to the different genders.

The importance of these trends and observations to the digital marketer, is whether marketing through digital means are working. The use of social media does it influence the online consumer to buy the products, review, and recommend.

Personal, social media is a strong digital tool for the markter because of the influence it has on the consumer. When consumers is going through social media to determine whether a product is worth purchasing.

We are in a world where, consumers spend more time online than in the physical world. This is the best time for a digital marketer because of all the technological advancements. Digital marketing is here to stay and needs to be embraced by all.

References:
What is buyer behavior? (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-buyer-behavior.htm

Online buying behaviour, Columbia Business School
https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www0.gsb.columbia.edu/mygsb/faculty/research/pubfiles/1168/predictors_of_online_buying_behavior.pdf&q=Main%20aspects%20of%20online%20buying%20behaviour&ved=0CCYQFjABahUKEwiiwLix1KfIAhVJXB4KHaEqCpU&usg=AFQjCNHhWSbm7EZwnFqtHNBQS4KS9Ci55Q&sig2=MKoF3DOPByjovBWasicd5g

Digital Marketing by an amateur

Living in a world where technology rules the world, it is essential to get with the times. No matter where one turns, we are greeted with technology and various ways to communicate with one another.

Growing up at a time where the marketer reached the consumer via television,  billboards, newspaper and radio; it is interesting to see that three decades later, consumers can be reached , via social media.

As I continue to post over the course of time, I will continue be discussing ways digital marketing is changing and improving our world and reaching our consumers and increasing the consumer base and ROI on businesses.

Although digital marketing can be a scary and daunting process at least for me, I am willing to overcome it in order to become digitally saavy and an expert in the field of digital marketing.