Examples of Social Media

Social media refers to digital technology that enables people to share information with others. It includes various websites and applications.

Businesses utilize social media to market their products and services, interact with customers, and research consumer trends. It also assists businesses in connecting with employees and creating brand loyalty.

1. Social media marketing

  This involves creating and sharing content on these networks, as well as monitoring user responses to that content.

Many companies utilize social media as a marketing strategy to boost brand awareness, engage with customers, and ultimately boost sales. Frye’s Instagram account boasts 200K followers that help promote their products.

Social media was initially created as a way for individuals to share personal information and messages, but has evolved into an invaluable platform for businesses to engage with their customers. It provides two forms of engagement: direct communication (eWOM or electronic word-of-mouth marketing), as well as passive “liking.”

No matter the type of social media a company uses, there are certain essential steps that must be taken for its success. These include researching buyer personas and audience, selecting the correct platforms, and creating an editorial calendar.

2. Social media monitoring

Social media monitoring is a valuable tool that businesses and brands can use to monitor what people are saying online about them and their brand. It also assists in gathering feedback and responding to customer complaints.

Social media monitoring offers the perfect opportunity to collect data that will enable you to refine your communication, content quality and selling strategies. It also allows you to gauge consumer trends and identify any holes in your marketing plan that need attention.

One of the primary objectives for social media monitoring is to safeguard your brand reputation. If a complaint or comment goes unresolved, it could escalate into social momentum and cause a PR crisis for your company.

Social media sites allow users to re-share posts, creating the potential for content to go viral and spread rapidly across multiple platforms. Thankfully, social media monitoring tools can track this behavior so you can stay on top of things like content resharing and hashtag campaigns.

3. Social media advertising

Social media advertising differs from traditional marketing in that brands can target audiences based on demographics, interests, behaviors and more. It’s an effective way to reach new markets and boost brand awareness.

Social media advertising success depends on creating ads that stand out from their peers. They should be visually striking and boast captivating headlines that encourage users to scroll back and discover what lies beneath.

Businesses can utilize various social media platforms for advertising campaigns, such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn and Twitter. Each has a distinct user base and audience so it’s essential that you select the platform which best serves your company’s objectives.

Furthermore, many social media marketing platforms provide ad tools to assist marketers in reaching their business objectives. Some of these services are free-to-use while others require a monthly fee for use. Analytics reports from these programs enable businesses to monitor their campaigns and determine whether or not they’re performing well.

4. Social media research

Social media research involves investigating social issues and trends related to online content consumption. This type of investigation is essential for researchers across various fields, such as information systems (IS).

Literature reviews on this topic often focus on user-generated content, though some also explore how social media can facilitate organizational networking. With the rise of fake news and other forms of disinformation, it has become increasingly important to understand how people use these tools and how bad actors spread misinformation.

A review of 132 papers published in selected IS journals between 1997 and 2017 revealed that most studies focused on the behavioral aspects of social media, reviews and recommendations, and integration for organizational purposes. Moreover, negative stigma attached to using social media at work was explored, while some studies highlighted its positive aspects as well.