Understanding social media and its impact on your business is critical. Static websites are no longer the pinnacle of communication, as today’s consumer seeks engagement and two-way conversations.  As consumers are increasingly empowered to take control of brands online through user generated content, blogs, forums etc, marketers must adopt new ways of approaching brand management and marketing their products/services.

How the World has Changed…

The day of the one-size fits all advertising approach has come and gone.  Traditional scatter-shot advertising methods and online marketing strategies are no longer relevant to today’s consumers. In the past, marketers reached out to consumers by utilizing two channels: Television & Print advertisements.  In this form of “intrusion” marketing, the company designed the marketing message, and chose when and how they communicated to their consumers, and unfortunately, consumers had to put up with it.

Now, we have morphed into a model of “engagement” marketing, where consumers now control which marketing mediums they want to engage with, and when they want to be engaged.  On top of losing control, marketers are also now facing a larger variety of marketing channels than ever before.  Due to the development of Web 2.0 and other digital technologies, consumers are  inundated with marketing messages from a variety of sources, including: video games, website advertisements, online video advertisements, and email, and they are getting sick of it.

People want to engage in interactive relationships with brands.  There are numerous content options and channels to choose from, with the user deciding when and how to engage.  The result is a shift in power, from companies to consumers, forcing companies to engage on the consumer’s terms.  Social Media is one way for businesses to take advantage of this shift, and thrive in this new marketing space.

Social Media Marketing

Social media, by its design, is a collection of specialized hubs around the net. Some are large platforms, like FaceBook and LinkedIn, which have demographics for the larger group, and have multiple layers of specialized subgroups internally. Others start with a very narrow focus, like Ning groups, which appeal to narrow niche markets.  These targeted communities allow marketers to engage with consumers on their level, and develop relationships with consumers that could lead to brand promotion and even evangelism.

Because social media marketing is very targeted, it is easy to drill down to the niche, community, group, or even an actual person, who will be the most likely to become your customer. And remember, social media marketing is relationship-based, so when new traffic arrives, a connection has already been established. This relationship is the key to brand and customer loyalty.