When brands engage in social media marketing, it’s becoming more apparent that simply having a presence through social media channels means nothing if not utilized and managed properly.
Social media shouldn’t be used solely as an extension of traditional marketing channels, because it provides a fundamentally different platform to engage with customers and prospects over traditional means. Effective social media marketing delivers truly interactive advertising by allowing consumers to become actively involved in campaign communications. Brands need to leverage this unique aspect to their advantage, but doing so means thinking outside the box.
Social media channels allow consumers to deliver their own messages about a brand to add relevance to conversations about that brand’s practices in reality. Brands can use social media as a platform to allow their customers to “talk amongst themselves,” so-to-speak, effectively creating brand equity through the fact that consumers are much more interested in hearing about a brand from fellow consumers instead of from the brand itself.
Social media is the epitome of interactive brand communication, which is an integral aspect of any brand’s marketing practices. Through detailed planning and effective community management, social media can provide unrivaled benefit and value for brands large and small. Though it was once deemed a relatively low-key aspect of a brand’s marketing initiatives, social media has taken hold, and those who understand its benefits and how to best utilize it effectively will come out on top.