When you think about marketing, what do you picture?
Chances are, it's a TV commercial or an ad in the newspaper. These are traditional forms of marketing that have been around for decades, and they're still used today. But what happens when you consider the fact that most people spend more time on social media than they do watching TV or reading newspapers?
Social media has changed the face of marketing forever. It's become an indispensable tool in the arsenal of any company looking to grow its brand and reach new customers. And while it may seem like social media is here to stay, there's still plenty of room for improvement—and plenty of ways you can leverage the tool. Social media has allowed consumers to play a much larger role in the way that brands market themselves and interact with their customers. Instead of just being passive recipients of advertisements, people can now actively engage with brands on social platforms. The relationship between consumer and brand has been flipped on its head, and this means that marketers need to adapt accordingly.
It's not just that social media is more popular than ever before, or that it's easier to use than ever before. It's not even that social media has become so influential that it can drive elections and change countries' policies.
Social media has changed the game by fundamentally altering how people interact with each other. It has transformed how we communicate with each other and how we learn from each other; it has made us more aware of ourselves and our own needs and wants; it has given us access to tools for sharing our ideas—and collaborating on those ideas—that were previously unimaginable.
And as we've seen all these changes happen, marketers have been forced to adapt their strategies accordingly. They can no longer simply launch an ad campaign or post some content on their website when they want to reach out to customers or clients; they must think about what kind of content matters most to their audience, and whether they should be always engaging directly with those audiences (or whether they should be using bots).
We don't have as much control as we might have thought.
We've entered the age of the consumer. Simply put, that means that while we have a level of control over who we target - the consumer can just as easily mark us as irrelevant, spammy - or just irritating. And they can do that by simply not engaging with us anymore. The consumer is in control, and we must respect that. It's not as complicated as driving an alternate route to avoid seeing an irrelevant billboard - or switching channels during a commercial break. Social media has simplified the process of filtering relevancy, and it's as easy as clicking "not interested".
The evolution of social media has been the fastest-growing trend that’s been transforming the way we do business in person and online. Our advances in technology have created a story of establishing and nurturing personal connections from near and far away. The notion of distance no longer has the same significance as it had before in the barrier of communication between businesses and consumers. Businesses are using social media to engage with customers, and promote their products and services, while also staying up-to-date on what’s trending in the news. Social media has given business owners a platform to connect with their audience in ways that were never possible before. Social media has become an essential tool for businesses looking to expand their reach and connect with customers on a personal level.
It has come a long way from being a basic direct electronic information exchange and evolved into a virtual place to hang out, and a sophisticated retail platform. This is the most vital marketing tool of the 21st century, and it has drastically changed since the early digital network initially debuted.
The growth of social - and its users.
With 3.48 billion active social media users around the world and an average of 135 minutes spent online by users, every organization should consider having an online presence. Businesses have personified themselves by giving their brand a friendly voice and unmatchable customer services that allow for building a relationship with the customers at a human level.
What do we think?
It's no longer a one-way street. We're not just marketing to a persona; we're marketing to people - and with that comes a level of responsibility that many of us weren't truly prepared for. We're now responsible for being part of the conversation. The days of talking at people, and assuming that they'll be receptive to whatever message you have are over. Social media has changed the way we communicate with one another, and as marketers, we need to adapt. With the future of social media looking bright, including advances in virtual reality - it's time for marketers to play a game of catch-up! We all know that what worked a year ago might gain little traction today - it's time to prepare for the next big thing. The easiest way to do it?
Stay ahead of the curve! Keep reading, learning, and adapting to new trends. You'll be happy you did.
