Social Media as Business Marketing Utility Tool

Gone are the days of classifieds, pamphlets and handouts, advertisements and conferences. It’s now the age updates and shares, likes and dislikes. The new age of marketing has entered new vistas. The unique blending of technology and marketing has awed users and businesses worldwide. Social Media is the in thing and most businesses are utilizing this exclusive utility tool and technique to promote and to profit.

Since the year 2008 there has been a considerable rise in the branding and marketing activities of various companies. About 16% of existing businesses on the internet said that blogs and network advertising were some of the most effective ways of promoting businesses. Online distribution of news, press releases, user reviews and ratings, discussion groups, social profiles on networking sites were among other successful business strategies.

With social networking and social media in the broader sense of the term creating a niche in the marketing industry, various companies and business owners are now considering tagging over emailing. Business communication is changing at a rapid pace, with companies using tagging and Share techniques to spread information and news not just to customers but for internal staffs as well. The contributing fun environment in the workplace is one of the greatest hikes. These social tools aid collaboration and dissemination of information. And without surprises, no trainings are required for using Facebook or Orkut.

Social Media has a new healthy flavor too, with Non Profit organizations utilizing to drive opinions nad donations for social causes. This refers to Social Good. Social Good is a budding concept embraced well in west, however to what extent this good would be for the society depends on other factors too. Recently launched ‘Sweet Sixteen Foundation’, which has set out to celebrate lives of 300 orphans surviving from the Haitian earthquake and Alabama tornadoes, is one of the finest examples of Social good. Utilizing one of the most popular networking sites – Facebook, the organization has touched millions of hearts.

Social Media has unfathomable uses out of which these might be categorized a few of them:

Introducing new products and services; sharing success stories on YouTube can become viral and thus boost branding.  Facebook Social Profile can also demonstrate what the company does and showcase its portfolios in front of prospective clients.

Social Media is thus a vast ocean that has enough to offer everybody. However it has tags attached too. A lot depends on the clients’ awareness and openness to go public the social way.