Social media marketing has come a long way in the past few years. Social media marketing companies such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have become so expansive that they attract visitors in the millions. It is estimated that visitors watch over 100 million YouTube videos per day. There are more than 30 million active Facebook users, and over 19 million visitors to Twitter. So what exactly is “social media marketing”, and what are some of its advantages?
Simply put, social media marketing is a “rendezvous” of multiple online communities, with one goal in mind: to generate exposure. This about it. There are millions of people interacting in these online communities, sharing ideas and opportunities, providing the perfect atmosphere for larger corporations to increase their exposure and attract prospective customers, ultimately perpetuating a cycle of increasing revenue.
By allowing supporters of a company the authority to promote their products, an individual is provided compensation for advertising and promoting a product, through various online mediums. Here’s how it happens: someone works as a representative of a company. As a representative, he/she will get paid a fixed rate of X for going onto online forums and interacting with other individuals on messageboards, promoting a certain product. As a result, whoever is a part of that particular online community will get exposure to the company and its products, and they may become a customer. If they do, they may recommend the brand to friends and family. If they do not, they may recommend the brand anyway – the point is, the company is getting exposure, from people, to people.
When was the last time you saw a commercial for a product that you suspected was “too good to be true.” You probably did not pay any attention to it, and flipped the channel. What if that same product was advertised on an online forum or blog, by someone who has used the product, and SWORE by it? People are more impressionable when they get a firsthand opinion from someone who does not stand to directly benefit. Many online sales reps aren’t paid. Those “unofficial” reps are still very much heard, and they are much more numerous.
This is just one example of social media marketing, but it clearly illustrates its advantages: low costs and higher yields, greater exposure to further establish a company and distinguish it amongst others, and generating overall publicity at the cellular level, so to speak.
Ali Hussain
2K Computer Solutions
http://2kcomputersolutions.com