Social media is transforming the world of marketing communications. The intention of this article is to attempt to assess whether this development is a blessing to marketers or will it turn out to be a curse.

Click here to read this article in full.

The growth rate of social media can best be illustrated by the growth of Facebook. Worldwide, there are over 1.39 billion monthly active Facebook users which is a 13 percent increase year on year. (Source: Facebook as of 28/01/15). The cynics respond by saying 93% of the world’s population is not on Facebook but aren’t they missing the point?  Already social media marketing has become a powerful new weapon in the marketers’ communications armoury. Any brand nowadays needs to define their position as to how social media fits into its overall communications policy. This may be easier said than done.

Advantages of social media marketing

Social media has the power to put a brand in touch with potentially millions of consumers. More marketers are using social media to build stronger relationships with their customers. According to a report from the UK Direct Marketing Association, 71% of organisations cite brand building as the purpose of their social media strategy. Ideally the emergence of social media allows organisations a new way to communicate with their customers. Social media marketing activity usually focuses on creating content that attracts attention, generates online conversations and encourages consumers to share it with others via their social networks. The idea is that such communications have more resonance because they are coming from a more trusted source than the brand or company itself. Additionally social media marketing represents a relatively inexpensive way for companies to undertake marketing campaigns.

There is clear evidence that the effective use of social media as a marketing activity does produce results. There are also examples of brands being burned by poorly judged attempts to exploit social media. We are still seeking to understand the marketing ramifications of social media.  What is certain is that things will never be the same again. We need a new way of thinking about marketing to ensure that social media is viewed as a blessing rather than a curse.

Here at Aspect Market Research we work with you to ensure your social media strategy is reaching the right audience and getting the response you want.

Get in touch to find out how we can help you and your business or call 0161 831 7171

Image: “www.flickr.com“