We all know at least a social network or someone who uses it. People utilize them to communicate, share ideas and events, to stay updated on what they like or simply to be known on the Web. The first social networks were created in the early 1990s, but very few people used them or were aware of their existence. Recently, having more and more people accustomed to the Internet and its tools, social networks are part of the daily routine of many of us. In terms of analysis of the results and satisfaction, among many marketing experts it is spreading the idea that having a presence on websites such as LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter is now almost a must in order to keep up with the modern marketing.
Pros of the Social Networks
The social network may be considered a marketing tool which helps to interact with potential clients by creating communities and web pages. Other activities consist in updating these web pages with the latest commercial events, ads, promotions, increasing the web traffic and creating blogs for discussion.
The social networks can also allow us to be aware of the level of our own business, analyze and take inspiration from others' companies to create new marketing concepts, have feedbacks and be in touch with the global marketing business.
Therefore thanks to the Internet one can extend his business to such a level and reach out for clients that could be hard to imagine only 20-25 years ago. Here are some other advantages of the social networks:
- Word of mouth
- Market segmentation / General Marketing
- Public Relations
- Communication between companies and consumers/clients
- Brand positioning
E-Commerce Business
Even though there are countless tools for communication, social networks remain the most direct form. Individually, any of us can "click and like" his/her favorite page, checks what it is about and interacts. Social networks have radically changed the equilibrium between companies and consumers.
However, for many companies, it seems hard to understand how these social media can actually benefit their affairs, which, in many cases, are still performed through traditionally procedures.
Through the use of the Internet, many companies are rapidly shifting from the Brick&Mortar industrial model to the Click&Mortar model, which is based both virtually online ("click") and in traditional physical stores ("mortar" = concrete). That is because nowadays employers try to find new ways to reduce the operating costs, transactions, to speed up the deliveries and to improve the overall business.
As a result of the consumers' love for social media like Facebook and Twitter, more and more companies have decided to reduce the gap between them and the consumers, by starting to massively using the social networks platforms, too, almost as a sort of extension of their business.
The Impact of the Social Networks on the Marketing
The basic feature of the social networks is the possibility to create a page/account which makes possible to interact with all the other users. It is very common that forums for discussions are created, and they are about any kind of topic...like literally! In many pages ideas are shared, but also feedbacks and comments about products, services, companies and other aspects of the marketing. Many users now trust these forums in order to decide whether or not buying a given product. Therefore the social networks are becoming more and more an extremely powerful tool to influence people and direct them to choose your product and/or service.
Some Competitive Advantages given by the Social Networks
Visibility and Brand Awareness: an online presence, especially in the social networks, helps the companies to improve their visibility and enhance the diffusion of their products/services.
SEO: it is extremely important and strategic to focus on the popularity of a website, and in order to accomplish that, a continuos updating and sharing of contents is required. The more and the better this will be done, the more likely the website will be among the top results on Google. Make your website unique, appealing and full of good content, and people will visit it.
Earning the consumers' trust: the reputation of the company will be ensured by giving an imagine of professionalism and transparency. Through the social networks, consumers feel more involved. A happy consumer/client will be more likely to speak positively of your company to his/her peers, friends and family.
Increasing the sales: the stream of information in the social networks is overwhelming and it happens at a very fast pace. Everything changes quickly and so the companies must act if they want to engage more and more clients. The only way is to provide them with news, updates, offers, promotions, and new ideas tailored to the consumers' tastes, in order to sparkle their interest and curiosity.
In Conclusion
Social networks are proving to be an excellent tool for marketing and means for any type of business, either Bricks&Mortar or virtual store. Thanks to the handiness of access, communication will be immediate and successful, enhancing public relations, reputation, and profits. Competition is part of this game: the more you utilize it, the harsher rivalry becomes. However, if well managed, the "social networking marketing" can be extremely fruitful.
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