Social media marketing (SMM) is a rapidly growing trend in modern advertising and marketing. The primary purpose of SMM is to create an online presence and then encourage consumers/members of a forum to pass on this online presence to others. Essentially, the goal of SMM is to generate a buzz about a product so that it can gain traction in the market. This can be done by engaging in conversation with specific demographics or sharing information about current events. This information is passed along in a variety of ways, ranging from blogging, vlogs (videos), podcasting, and article submission. It is an increasingly important tool for businesses looking to maximize their online exposure and reach.
Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Foursquare have all recently started offering tools for advertisers and marketers to advertise their products. Some of these are paid services, while others are free for all. In most cases, social media marketing is simply the use of various social media sites and platforms to promote a service or product. Though the terms digital and e-marketing are dominant in academic circles, social media marketing has become increasingly popular for researchers and practitioners alike due largely to its low cost and ability to reach target demographics. Some companies have also begun experimenting with SMS advertising which allows them to target a specific SMS message list, which they believe has the potential to increase sales.
In addition to reaching target audiences through SMM efforts, it is also crucial to keep in mind that these audiences have a tremendous amount of influence over the buying decisions of many customers. As such, it is essential to engage in social media marketing at all stages of development to ensure a steady flow of new contacts and potential customers. As always, make sure that your company is approachable by all types of people in order to gain an audience that is receptive to your offerings. A professional and engaging social media marketing team will do wonders for your company.