Social Media Marketing and its many uses

Social media marketing developed as technology and social media evolved – giving businesses access to new tools and resources. It was particularly revolutionary as it allowed brands to create a community of customers through personalized content. However, there are a multitude of other benefits to today’s most popular form of marketing. 

1. Leveraging existing audiences through influencer marketing

Maryville University summarizes influencer marketing as a type of social media marketing that utilises endorsements and product mentions from influencers (individuals who have a dedicated social following and are viewed as experts within their niche) in order to gain popularity. Influencer marketing has been extremely efficient in influencing purchasing behaviors and leading to higher brand engagement for various reasons. For one, influencers have strong relationships with their followers and are often considered experts in a specific niche that they use their platform for. These relationships and niches make their opinions on a product valuable to consumers who follow them, as shown by statistics that indicate 49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations before making a purchase.

2. Understand what’s working

In addition to being a method to attract new customers, social media can be used as a research tool. Apps such as Instagram and TikTok now have insights that allow users to check their conversions and statistics and see who is interacting with their page and how frequently. Interestingly, this usage dates back to a time before Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok ever existed. In 1980, the company Usenet was established as one of the oldest public access computer network communications systems. It institutionalized topical forums, subject lines, posts, replies, and message threads; but what did that mean for businesses? The application enabled early ethnographic research that businesses would need in order to develop appropriate marketing and operational strategies. In other words, it was the first use of social media for deducting data that would later be used by the business. 

3. Learn from competitors

Businesses have access to the pages of other competing brands, meaning they can see their posts and progress, influencing their responses, their branding and their marketing. It’s practically a game of tug-of-war over an overlapping target market.

4. Monitor cultural trends and incorporate brand-specific concepts that entice customers

Self acclaimed “chronically online”, GenZ consumers are known for jumping from trend to trend, as their favorite influencers create new ideas for what is considered “cool”. If companies understand what their customers are interested in and what trends they are following, they too can join in on trends and tinker products to match the everchanging wants and needs of their customers to keep them returning to their businesses. 

5. Establish loyal following through sharing relatable, personalised, trendy content 

Social media has allowed brands to create communities through personalised content, breaking the barrier that previously existed between customers and distanced enterprises. On platforms like TikTok, brands have developed voices that their consumers love, adopting humourous personalities that speak to GenZ and millennial users. Whether it’s through replying to others’ videos, or posting content of their own, brands like Duolingo, Brita, and PineSol have raked up tens of thousands of followers from content that users adore.

As AI develops and personalised FYP content continues to become more intricate, the uses of social media for businesses will likely skyrocket. Without us realising, marketing strategies of all companies are increasingly changing the way we consume everything in the world, making them more important than ever right now.