Outline
1. Introduction
a. Thesis
b. Purpose of social networks
c. Overall application of social networks
2. Application of social media
a. Users of social networks
b. Implications on businesses
c. Content of social media
3. Consumer targeting through social media
a. Identifying trends in social media
b. Analyzing trends in social media
c. Making business decisions on social media trends
4. Integration of social media
a. Identifying optimal integration strategy
b. Choosing optimal social media network for the business
Thesis
Social Networks facilitates the creation of virtual social setting for people to interact, while contributing towards innovation and development of various business enterprises through key strategic measures.
Introduction
The invention of social networking has revolutionized the way people interact, work, and conduct their lives. The innovation and progressive development of social networks, such as Facebook, continue to provide people with a virtual forum to connect, share ideas, news, and life moments with one another. A distinguishing aspect of social networks is that they do not require physical presence for people to communicate or interact.
Application of Social Media
Individuals, businesses, companies, governmental, and non-governmental entities have taken up social networking as a critical marketing and public relations enforcement tool. Businesses have experienced a surge in their online activities since customers are able to make orders and give feedback as a result of business marketing through social media networks. It is evident that social networks have significantly changed how people interact and work.
The social media has significant bearings on the determination of the business’ bottom line through influencing customer trends, marketing strategies, brand targeting, and accessing instant feedback on various issues. The application of social media as a marketing tool integrates an evaluation of the desired results and outcomes in terms of goals and objectives.
Most people use social media to connect, interact, and share with others; consequently, they become part of an interactive virtual system. Such a system of sharing and exchanging information includes individuals presenting dynamic behavior and attributes that are identifiable through their use of social media.
There are those who must post texts, video, or audio content on social media constantly, there are others who share existing content with people in their social circles or friend lists, and others whose interest is to glean information without making any contributions. While these individual behaviors and trends on social media users may seem inconsequential, they have significant value on businesses and companies that make use of analytical tools that can tell them which individuals should be targeted by social media advertising and promotion campaigns.
Consumer Targeting Through Social Media
The strategic use of social media can enable an organization further its business objectives through targeted marketing and advertising strategies. Social networks, including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, are uniquely designed such that organizations can observe and predict a designated user trend. Therefore, marketing and advertising strategies are developed such that they conform to certain unique online trends and behavior of social media users. In addition, each social network site has its most visited pages that a significant number of people constantly visit.
The placement of adverts in such popular pages, such as those belonging to superstars and celebrities, can increase the number of potential consumers exposed to the advertisement. While the placement of an advertisement may have varied expected outcomes for the organization, it is critical to evaluate the rationale for placing it on social media. For instance, the aim of the advert may be to increase the number of viewers of a certain category of content, the number of visitors to a link embedded in an advertisement or the number of people buying a product after watching such an advertisement.
Therefore, organizations can develop marketing strategies that, when incorporated in social media, will have the desired outcome. It is prudent for a company to make a comprehensive assessment of social media users and place advertisements strategically to ensure optimal results. For instance, a company can adopt a promotion strategy where people with a high following on social media can post promotional material in their social networks; hence, exposing the material to a wider audience. In addition, people with highly active social media trends can be targeted by such advertisements; however, their online activity must be assessed to determine whether they create new content online, share content, or merely login to observe or respond to posts without adding anything new.
Integration of Social Media
Technologies have advanced significantly to the extent that handheld devices are sufficient to connect an individual to the world, conduct financial transactions, and store information remotely. However, the most significant aspect of modern technologies is their integration to networks that make it possible for various functions to be conducted remotely with ease. Businesses have invested in technological infrastructures and systems that seek to improve productivity, individual performance, and reduce operational costs.
Among the systems that have made this possible is the use of social media that enables companies to interact with their employees, business partners, shareholders, and customers. Social Networks such as Skype and Google Hangouts have integrated video capabilities that make it possible to engage in group video chats. These enable companies to conduct meetings where participants are in remote areas; hence saving on costs and time.
In addition, social media facilitates quicker transmission of information, especially if the targeted audience is spread out across varied geographical locations. The selection of social media or network is highly dependent on the content, targeted audience, and objective of the company. Therefore, it is prudent for a company to do a comprehensive analysis of social media in order to determine which one will be able to produce the desired outcome in line with organizational goals.
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Organization
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