Throughout the past century, advancements in technology have revolutionised marketing. It started with the radio, where brands could talk directly to their customers, then moved to TV, where you could add pictures with the audio. Now we’ve moved into a brand new era with the advent of social media.
Growth of social media
Social media has exploded over the past decade, with many of the most used apps on our phones being social media apps. As the internet has grown, social media has allowed people to connect in a way that has never been possible. People spend hours daily browsing social media apps, so a company that decides to not advertise on social media platforms will surely miss prime opportunities for pitching products. Therefore, thousands of companies across hundreds of industries advertise on social media, whether it’s game developers hyping the latest AAA video game, online casinos advertising online casino real money games, or food companies promoting their latest product.
Ways in which social media affected online marketing
There are many ways that social media has affected the world of marketing, as businesses have adjusted to their new platform, be it Instagram, Twitter or TikTok, and new kind of audience. Let’s take a closer look at what those are.
Business gaining a personality
One of the primary ways social media has affected marketing is that businesses have developed their personalities through their social media presence. While brands have always upheld a particular image, social media allowed them to personify it with posts representing the kind of company they are, while capturing their audience’s attention. An excellent example of this is fast food social media accounts like Wendy’s that interact with their audience, post memes, and provide a human side to an otherwise monolithic corporation.
Relationship between marketing and data
A huge benefit of social media as a medium of advertising for businesses is that they can get real-time data on the performance of their ads. Companies can use this data to tailor their adverts to their customer base, leading to better-targeted ads for consumers and more business sales. With TV, radio, or print ads, companies would have to wait to gauge any noticeable increase in sales over the coming weeks. Whereas with social media, you get instant feedback on who’s clicking on your ads, whether they buy anything, and a lot more data about who they are and what they like.
Access to the global market
With previous forms of marketing media, such as TV or print, advertisers were limited to specific networks or publishers that would display their ads to a limited number of people. And only the most significant events would get anywhere close to worldwide exposure. However, as social media is not a localised form, any ad posted on a social media platform gives advertisers access to a global market. The wider access means smaller companies can advertise their products worldwide and access a market that otherwise wouldn’t have known existed.
Using social media to meet marketing objectives
One of the main aims of growing businesses is brand awareness. Getting them in the door becomes easier if people are familiar with your brand and what you do. Advertising is how these companies do that, and with social media, it’s now easier than ever. Small companies can run cost-effective, targeted ad campaigns that target their most likely audience. Once they’ve completed the objective of acquiring that regular customer base, companies can then use their platform to expand their brand even further. And they are finally able to create a fully-fledged marketing campaign.
Conclusion
Social media will eventually be remembered in marketing history as TV and radio were. For now, it’s a significant platform a company can use to advertise their business and grow their brand on a broader scale. What’s more, it’s never been easier or cheaper to do so.
