Before you can discuss social media it is important to first establish what social media is. In order to do this, it is easiest to dissect social media into the two words that it is made of. Media is defined by Out:think as an instrument of communication. Therefore, social media is a social instrument of communication (Admin, 2011). This definition of social media most often includes websites that don’t just provide information, but also interact with individuals while doing so. Traditional media channels communicate one-way, from the organization to the target audience. Information is provided, however individuals are unable to respond. Social media transforms this one-way communication into a two-way conversation. The ability for consumers to interact and network so easily and efficiently gives them a substantial amount of power.
This distribution of power makes it important for organizations to be aware of the different categories of social media websites identified by Out:think, such as social networks, bookmarking sites, media sharing, and microblogging (Admin, 2011).
Social media allows individuals to connect with friends, meet new people, and stay in touch with the world. This connectivity allows companies to connect with the world for a very small price. Social media is now exploring the doors that Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin, and other social media websites have opened. These websites have given companies, both large and small, the opportunity to connect with stakeholders on a much more personal level.
Media sharing and microblogging websites such as YouTube and Twitter give businesses the means to stay connected and share their messages in the same networks as their customers. Media sharing websites allow individuals to upload and share pictures and videos to millions of people, often at little or no cost. Twitter gives companies the ability to react almost immediately to their consumers, which can be a double edged sward for public relation specialists.
Social media sites continue to change as technology improves. Over the past years the number of social media sites has drastically increased. While Facebook and Twitter continue to be the most popular social media websites, other websites such as Pinterest have emerged in the past year. Individuals are also using social media as a tool to enhance TV-watching into a more immediate and shared experience (Nielsen NetView, 2012). In addition to enhancing TV- watching, a study performed by Neilsen (2012) revealed that individuals are primarily using social media as a method of keeping in touch and networking with others.
Social media provides a path of two-way communication between the consumer and the company. One of the most beneficial aspects of social media is the opportunity for engagement that it creates. Consumers are becoming weary of traditional advertising. Social media not only provides a more credible way to advertise to consumers, but also a way for companies to respond to consumers and take action. Research shoes that roughly one quarter of social media users say they are more likely to pay attention to an ad shared by one of their social connection (Nielsen NetView, 2012). Social media allows consumers to generate word-of-mouth that can reach people in ways traditional advertising could never do.
Admin. (2011, Sept 6). The 6 types of social media. Retrieved from http://outthinkgroup.com/tips/the-6-types-of-social-media
Nielsen NetView. (2012, July). State of the media: The social media report 2012. Retrieved from http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/newswire/2012/social-media-report-2012-social-media-comes-of-age.html
Taylor cameron 