Article by Rex Thompson
Within the past few years, social networking has skyrocketed from a frivolous add-on to an essential part of every interactive marketing campaign~In recent times, social networking has launched into a crucial part of every modern interactive marketing campaign~Marketing campaigns today are increasingly dependent on social networking. With interactive promotions, or the practice of promoting brands and services online, social networking has even become the starting point for marketing brands and launching viral campaigns that are able to reach a bigger audience than TV or paper ads had ever accomplished~In terms of interactive promotions, social networking has provided a launching pad for brands and viral campaigns to reach a larger and more quality audience than other media, such as TV commercials and radio ads~Marketing campaigns can now reach a wider, more relevant audience with social networking integrated into their interactive promotions campaign, which is increasingly more effective than TV or radio ads.
Many companies have taken advantage of the free services offered by Facebook, Twitter, and RSS Feeds to get their brand out to a wider audience, but how many understand the true value of what these social networks are capable of doing and why they make such a huge impact on the rise and fall of a marketing campaign~How many companies truly understand the value of social networking and its ability to increase and decrease profits in a marketing campaign~With so many companies taking full advantage of free services like Facebook and Twitter, is it any wonder than many marketers don’t understand the true value of using these? Once marketers begin understanding the precise role of social media platforms, many problems can be solved and overall efficiency of marketing can be improved~When marketers can finally understand the exact role of social media in their campaigns, several problems can be resolved and the efficiency of marketing can ameliorate~Understanding the precise role of social media can increase the efficiency of the entire campaign while solving many other problems in the process.
The first thing to understand is the need to precisely define what social media is~Defining what social media is can be a great place to start~Knowing the exact definition of social media is an ideal place to start. Social media are tools used to share and encourage interaction between users, particularly through social networks devised on Internet platforms such as Twitter and Facebook~Using platforms like Twitter and Facebook, social networks are tools used to share and stimulate interaction between users and the content generators~Strictly speaking, social media is a tool utilized amongst Internet users to share and exchange information of articles, blogs, and status updates amongst online communities. Social media strives to stimulate user-generated content in the form of blogs, comments, status updates, and photos to circulate information amongst various crowds~Various crowds can benefit from the information found on blogs, comments, and status updates that circulate in these social networks~An overarching goal of social media is always striving to encourage user-generated content in various forms, including blogs, comments, status updates and photos.
Marketers love social media, because it appears to do half the work for them~There are many reasons why marketers adore social media, one of them being is it appears to do most of the work for them~Among the several reasons marketers love using social media is because it almost does half of their work for them. In terms of brand exposure and presence, there is almost nothing easier to use, nor as wide-reaching, as social media networks~Nothing is easier to use, nor is anything as far-reaching, as the breadth of social media networks in terms of exposing a brand~When seeking to give brand new exposure and market presence, nothing is easier or as widespread as social media networks. With a few choice words, an eye-catching icon, and a link directing to the brand’s website, marketers can update multiple social media platforms with a single keystroke~In a single keystroke, marketers can release new information through multiple social platforms with eye-catching descriptions, icons, and links~Releasing new information from a brand or company can now be published with one keystroke across several platforms that reach thousands in a matter of seconds. Within minutes, users will either respond, “re-tweet”, or pass along the information to their friends online~Users are then capable of responding and passing the information along to their online network of friends~The information can them be shared among friends and one’s personal network online community. The best case scenario is when the brand’s ad or promotional item goes viral, which is when people start sharing it via word of mouth, a golden technique that is highly difficult to attain through traditional media~In the most ideal of scenarios, the brand will go viral and people will begin spreading it through word of mouth, which is the best way to expose a brand~Unlike traditional media, having the brand go viral through the Internet and eventually via word-of-mouth is the best situation that any marketer can ask for.
So what does this mean for the interactive promotions industry~What does this signify for a nascent industry such as interactive promotions~For interactive promotions, what does this mean? It means that another tool has been added to the box~It signifies that an additional tool and resource has been added to the supply closet~It means an additional resource has joined the toolbox. Social media, when done right, accomplishes what marketers have been trying to do for decades: gain an intricate understanding of their audience and the things they like and don’t like while creating a direct relationship with the consumer~Marketers have been trying for decades to achieve the goal they’ve always strived to obtain, which is an intricate understanding of their audience and building a direct relationship with them~Understanding their audience and building a direct relationship with them is what marketers have always strived to obtain in their goals. It builds trust, understanding, and a mutually beneficial agreement that allows the relationship to flow both ways instead of one~Social media builds trust, understanding and an agreeable system of benefits for both parties~Instead of an one-way direction for a marketing relationship to flow, social media has enabled it to become a two-way system where both parties benefit.
When interactive promotions utilize social media platforms, they often end up being for brand exposure and directing traffic to a website where they can purchase items or fill out forms to receive direct consultations on various services~Often times when interactive promotions seek to utilize social media networks, it is typically for brand exposure or to receive direct consultation on a variety of services~Interactive promotions can sometimes use social media platforms for other purposes, such as gathering consumer information for receiving direct consultation in making their next step. Twitter, for instance, has infiltrated every websites by the now-ubiquitous aqua-hued logo on the top fold their site~Nowadays, Twitter has become an ubiquitous symbol on many sites that wish to have a social media presence~By enabling Twitter on a website, it becomes a way for consumers to identify the symbol with the brand. Companies also create Facebook pages where users can receive a discount off purchases or generous freebies via status updates that link quizzes, advergames, and other interactive promotional activities that engage the user~Engaging the user can be accomplished through Facebook pages that constantly offer new deals and discounts, while links to advergames and quizzes can effectively hook new consumers~There are many methods of attracting and keeping consumers, some of which can include utilizing a Facebook page that dishes discounts and deals with links to advergames and quizzes to keep the interactive promotions campaign alive.
Marketers should exercise caution in using social media as a means to itself~Using social media should be used with caution~Marketers should tread on social media with caution, especially when attempting to use it as a means it itself. In reality, it should remain one of various tools used in interactive promotions and not as a way to rack up followers for the sake of coming out on top~In interactive promotions, this should remain one of many tools that effectively attract quality consumers~Social media tools should be used as a part of an interactive promotions campaign rather than a means to ratchet up as many followers as possible. With tactful, well-time messages in social networks, interactive promotions can be increasingly enhanced without becoming overshadowed~When social networks are effectively implement, interactive promotions campaigns can be enhanced by them rather than overshadowed~Social media should never overshadow an interactive promotions campaign, but rather be effectively complementing.
About the Author
Rex Thompson is a internet marketing and social media enthusiast from Atlanta, GA. In his spare time, he enjoys blogging on the future of interactive promotions and experimenting in the kitchen, especially with sushi.
Image Saint Patrick’s Day Dance in the Garrison Theatre, Oswestry by LlGC ~ NLW
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