How companies are using social media as a marketing tool
With the emergence of social media as the one-stop-shop for all business related issues, its humungous popularity has also struck the right chord with celebrities and sportspersons alike to liaison with their fans.
THE ADVENT of social media has indeed brought a revolutionary change in the approach and techniques used by marketers. Traditional marketing concepts have given way to e-commerce websites and e-mail marketing. Marketers are increasingly using the social media platform to engage with their customers and promote their products. With the proliferation of social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, almost every netizen has become a writer, critic or publisher, and marketers are leaving no stone unturned to leverage this channel. Facebook, which claims to have more than 800 million active users across the world, continues to be the favourite medium among small businesses to enhance brand visibility.
A recent study found that cost effectiveness, ease of use, popularity and better-than-expected results are driving organisations to stride into social media. The Marriott hotel chain’s chairman and chief executive officer Bill Marriott’s blog, which was started in 2007, is a fine example of how organisations can benefit from this medium. Within a year, the company earned additional revenues of more than US$5 million from people who booked rooms after visiting the blog.
Apart from helping organizations develop client relationships and build customer loyalty, the social media tool is effective for promoting internal communications with staff. Several companies keep their customers as well as staff abreast with their day-to-day activities by posting updates on social media websites. The recent innovation in mobile technologies and the growing use of smartphones has made the world a smaller place to live in and has paved way for uninterrupted communication for people in every nook and cranny of the world.
Use of this channel to attract new talent is also fast gaining ground and becoming the most sought-after tool for recruitment marketing. Organisations are targeting expert professionals from all over the world to position themselves as potential employers, regardless of the geographical distance.
Different business use online marketing for different purposes: tourism companies target websites such as Flickr and Yahoo! Travel for travel-related packages; and publishing houses team with sites such as Amazon.com and Flipkart for discount on books.
Other than marketers, celebrities, such as politicians and film actors, also use social networking sites to liaison with their followers. Amitabh Bachchan, one of India’s most well-known actors, recently revealed the much-awaited news about the birth of his granddaughter on Twitter, outstripping the traditional ways of convening press meeting or distributing press releases.
The social media platform is certainly quick, cost efficient and easily accessible, and is here to stay. Every business—large or small—should explore and leverage this medium, both outside with customers and inside with staff.
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