Social marketing is the modern equivalent of the scenario where groups could sit somewhere common and talk about almost everything happening with them.
So much is the power of social marketing today that not one day passes without the news, release or doom of at least one social networking site. Facebook, Twitter, etc have suddenly taken the world by a storm. is the hype really all that is made out to be?
Advantages of Social Media
Social media allows you to network. If you have been in business for any length of time, you would know that networking is the key to your success whether you are online or off.
Most of the deals made, jobs won, sales picked-up and the wealth created is only due to the amazing power of developing rapport and because you happen to know the right people at the right time. Social media and networking just allows you to do this way faster than you can imagine.
Social Media can help create brands, popularity and help you unleash the true power of word-of-mouth; only this time, it would be on steroids. What people say about your brand will affect your company/brand in multiple ways.
Social media (including blogging) also allows you to give a voice to your otherwise hidden company. It lets you interact with your present and potential customers, vendors, competitors and media seamlessly.
Disadvantages of Social Media
Proper application of social media as a strategy will consume plenty of time and effort. It also calls for full-time work on its execution and management.
Negative consequences of your brand building measures can be extreme. Once the bad word spreads, it becomes very difficult to control it and revert everything back to normal.
Not all businesses are made for social media. Depending on the kind of business you have, you should take a rain check with social media and handle it with care.
More often than not, sites like Twitter can provide a tremendous boost to your bottom line if you know the exact techniques the truly successful people use.
How do you use Social Media?
