Can you imagine a world without social media? We don’t either. Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter, and Youtube have completely covered the Earth: according to the Datareportal Global Overview report, more than 50% of the world now actively use social media.
Social networks have no age or professional restrictions. People of all specialties, backgrounds, and ages are tirelessly chatting, studying brands, learning something new, and just watching funny doggy vines.
So what functions do social media perform and what is their role in our lives?
Social media main functions
1. Reflecting identity
According to one of the top Instagram growth services, any account, no matter whether it’s an influencer, brand, agency, or individual, primarily reflects identity. Everything you post on the Internet reflects you, your principles and values.
On the other hand, social media SHAPE the identity. Roughly speaking, all user reactions to news, content, statements of someone in the media, as well as updates in the lives of other people posted on social networks, form the awareness and sense of “self”.
2. Opportunity to keep in touch
Almost all social media have built-in tools for connecting with other users. How do they communicate? With the help of hashtags, mentions, messengers, challenges sharing, and so on. In this way, you can meet like-minded people, for example, those who follow the green movement or seek the best hunting tools, increase self-esteem, share an idea, discuss sensitive topics, or simply exchange a few words to maintain socialization.
3. Enabling permanent sharing
“Social” means sharing between people. This can be the exchange of knowledge, practices, experience, entertainment content, and much more.
Modern users distribute and receive more content in less time than all of humanity has done before. This is why people “hang out” on social media more than anywhere else.
4. Establishing new contacts
One of the main social media goals is to make new connections by forming interest groups. Here we often find people who share similar thoughts to receive social support or encouragement.
5. Promotion
It’s generally accepted that social media promotion is more suitable for the B2C market. But the modern possibilities of these tools allow promoting the business-to-business and peer-to-peer markets.
Today social media are a tool for increasing loyalty to a person as an expert, a way to create a personal brand, direct sales, increasing the company’s recognition, counteraction to negativity, and even recruiting.
Promotion and marketing team to work as brand collaboration can do wonders for your business and provide it with a better future. As a modern and innovative trend in marketing strategies can really help in your business promotion in a more efficient and effective way.
Social media in business: does it make sense?
Almost 4 billion active users are registered on social networks, and all of them are buyers to one degree or another. This cannot be avoided in an age of mass consumption. Study your target audience, can it be on social media? If so, then your company should be there too.
Well, it all depends on what exactly you are selling. A Boeing buyer is unlikely to go to social media to choose a plane. Also, don’t forget that there is a ban on certain types of services and goods: alcohol, cigarettes, pharmaceuticals, etc.
For another type of business, starting a social network is not a recommendation, but a basic necessity in modern conditions. What does it boost?
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Position in the search engine
Active work on social networks affects the position of a project or organization in search results. And the wider your presence on various social media, the higher your position in Google.
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Users attraction
Don’t forget that social media are used not only by existing customers but also by potential ones. Use social media so that more people can find you.
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Virtual “face-to-face” communication with clients
Clients value sincerity and personal communication with the company team. Social networks are like a magic wand in this. What’s more, you can get valuable feedback here and use it to improve your products or workflow. This way you can show that the customer’s opinion is a priority for the company.
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Working with custom content
By correctly launching various contests and challenges, you can encourage customers to create completely free advertising content on their own. Let’s recall the Coca-Cola personalized cans or the Starbucks decorated cup contest, for example. Users happily uploaded the photos to the media and promoted brands for free.
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Economy
Working with social media is much less costly than, for example, paid website promotion through contextual media advertising. And if you devote the proper amount of time and effort to the release of quality content, you don’t have to pay a fortune at all. Sheer profit!
Final thoughts
It’s impossible to get away from using social networks, they are very strongly entrenched in the consciousness of mankind.
We assume that after reading the article, you have no more distrust and skepticism about social media’s significance in our lives and in business. Feel free to register on popular platforms and promote your account. But remember, the main thing is not to lose reality.