Social Media Marketing at a Glance
Quick! What do Barack Obama, Dove soap and the food chain Wendy’s have in common?
Tough question, isn’t it?
But hey, If your answer has the words “social media” or “viral” in it, then you’re on the right track.
Social Media Marketing’s Power Is Unleashed!
From beauty soap, food chain companies and aspiring politicians, anyone living in the 21st century is aware of the power of the Internet and social media. The examples above have all used social media marketing campaigns to further their cause or to promote their products with huge success.
Chris Hughes, head of Barack Obama’s online campaign arm in 2008 (he is also popularly known as a co-founder of Facebook), is celebrated as the man who helped catapult Obama’s social media campaign into high gear, thereby getting the man elected as president of the United States. He used standard social media marketing tools such as Facebook and a dedicated social networking website called My.BarackObama.com.
Through striking advertisements and YouTube videos, Dove’s “Campaign For Real Beauty” not only promoted Dove’s brand but also generated awareness regarding society’s distorted view of beauty.
In November 2011, Wendy’s @GirlBehindSix promotional campaign generated more than 20,000 Twitter followers for the food chain in a one-month period – a feat that has been relatively unmatched by other close competitors.
Wendy’s promotional campaign
Social media marketing is truly an awesome process to behold. Let’s start off with some of the basics:
1. What is social media marketing?
The term speaks for itself. It is a process wherein social media websites, instead of traditional media outlets like television, radio, newspapers or magazines, become the platform for marketing campaigns.
2. How does it work?
The workings of social networking websites differ a lot from each other. For example, a marketing campaign running on Twitter would require a different approach from one on Pinterest. Despite these differences, the basic premise is still the same; a piece of online content is produced that reflects a brand’s particular message, and depending on how interesting or viral that content is, it will then be shared by people on social networking sites, thereby generating buzz and traffic for the brand in question.
Content that’s shared among social media sites.
3. Why does it work?
Simple. People just love to share stuff. The Internet and online social networks just made the process a whole lot easier, cheaper and more accessible. Unlike traditional media, social media gives businesses the opportunity to interact directly with their customers and engage them on a more personal level.
Interaction between Dell Support staff and a potential customer
4. How important is it to marketers?
Mastering the ins-and-outs of social media marketing DOES take time though. It is not something that you can learn overnight. But still it is a very worthwhile investment. The results gained through social media marketing can be easily tracked through social analytics tools, and also, can be a treasure trove of ideas that come directly from people who matter the most in any business – the customers.
Go back to Social Media Marketing for Web 3.0 series.
About Daniel Tan
