How Social Media Has Changed Marketing?

Social Media has revolutionized not only the way we communicate and interact but also marketing practices. It was not time along that traditional marketing relayed on television, print, radio, direct mail and outdoors to sell and promote a product. Today, social media has lead marketing to use different communication strategies to persuade a target audience to take some action in relation a product or service (Ferguson, 2016). The intention is to drive consumer behavior by selling a product’s unique value proposition while using Internet, email, mobile, blogging and social networking channels (Ferguson, 2016).

The traditional media was a one-way communication, which a brand message was repeated to increase consumption. Marketers and publicists were used to having control over the message sent to a specific target audience (Ferguson, 2016). After the introduction of Internet and social media, it became a two-way communication. Marketers and publicists are creating a dialogue among their target audience where they are listening their target audience’s needs and desires.Then, they provide a solution through the usage of their product or service. Consequently, companies are forced, to be honest, and transparent with their target audience.

Although the traditional media seems to have been taking over social media, an integrated marketing strategy always included both approaches to guarantee to send and to reinforce a brand message. Every communication channels, such as television, print, radio, direct mail, outdoors television, Facebook, Twitter, email, and blogging serves a particular purpose. For example, print can be used to promote or increase long-term brand awareness while Facebook is used to develop and release a new product. The new challenged faced by marketers and publicists is choosing carefully, which communication outlet are using to reaching out to their target market.

Marketers and publicists are trying to find innovative and creative ways to incorporate the traditional media and social media to sent and reinforce a brand message through integrated marketing.

References,

Ferguson, P. (2016.) How The Digital Age Has Changed Marketing Channels Forever. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ajagrawal/2016/02/15/how-the-digital-age-has-changed-marketing-channels-forever/#432db9c5e309

Demos, L. (2015). Social Media Changed Marketing. Retrieved from: http://www.borczdixon.com/social-media-changed-dynamics-marketing/