Do you know how many users logged into Facebook yesterday? 175 million – give or take a million. Not only are Facebook and other social media channels changing the way people communicate with each other, they’re affecting the way people educate themselves about the products and services they are interested in. Marketers have found ways to tap into this communication revolution. A highly targeted form of Internet marketing, social media marketing makes use of online networks and user-generated content platforms to widen a business’ Internet footprint and engage its target audience.
Why Participate in Social Media Marketing?
Although it is still in its formative years when compared with traditional marketing tools, social media marketing is a ball that clever marketing strategists everywhere are picking up and running with – and using to score big for their companies. Why do they think social media is such a useful marketing tool? Let’s take a look at a few reasons:
People prefer to do business with companies they know. Social media provides a unique way for businesses to engage their target markets, cultivate interactions, and develop associations into business relationships.
It helps companies keep an ear to the ground. By monitoring what prospects are saying, social media marketers can gain valuable insight into how their companies, products, and services are perceived and use this information to further their marketing, sales, and product development objectives.
Social media isn’t going away any time soon. In fact, the use of social media for marketing is on the rise. According to SEMPO’s State of Search Marketing Report 2011, 84 percent of queried companies are using Facebook for marketing, up 11 percent from last year. The take-home message here is that companies that are not engaging in social media marketing might be left behind by their competitors.
Getting Started With Social Media Marketing
Like any marketing tool, social media should be used with a clearly defined strategy in mind. Jumping into social media without having a game plan may set a company up for failure. By developing solid strategies with achievable objectives, marketers can make social media a successful part of their companies’ marketing efforts. Did you enjoy this article? Make sure you get the latest articles delivered to you hot off the presses by subscribing to our RSS feed.
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