Social Media: It Starts Here.

Social Media is all over the place. In the last 10 years, the platforms that social media encompasses have boomed more than anyone could've imagined. Whether we are constantly scrolling on our phones through Instagram or Facebook, Social Media has become a large part of people's lives. At this point, it's almost essential for businesses to invest in social media platforms in order to succeed.

But what does that actually do for businesses?

Businesses are striving to connect with their target markets, and that can happen through multiple strategic ways. But Social Media is proving to be its own successful form of marketing. Some jobs are just for the purpose of operating businesses' social media platforms. It can be used as a metric with multiple levels. This includes engagement with likes, comments, mentions, shares and so on. But it can also strengthen brand awareness. It becomes a place where discussions and word of mouth are much more powerful and reached, than in person. When a brand is already established, the use of Social Media actually increases that awareness and reaches demographics that may have never been thought about. There are three key ways that Social Media marketing can be an essential asset to businesses, according to Moz: Relationships, Feedback, and Integration.

Relationships

Human beings depend on relationships for many things. We are, after all, social beings. But Social Media takes this to a whole different level. That gap between big corporations and the consumers and been reduced, because people can build relationships through these platforms. Think of a Jenga tower, if you want to build a stable tower, you need a good foundation first. That’s how Social Media creates valuable relationships with consumers. It’s less focused on the purchaser-aspect and more forward looking of what that person can do to help your business flourish. If you think about how close we are to celebrities, politicians, authors, or others, there is no other way to be more connected with them than Social Media. Thanks to Twitter, I have the ability to see what former President Obama is doing, just by typing in his name on the search bar. Thanks Twitter!

This ties back to people and businesses being more tight-knit. If I am interested in how a company, like Nike, is doing social good for their consumers, all I need to do is search for their Facebook to see what work they are up to. In another way, consumers also have the power to voice concerns they have, and that goes a long way for how a company handles that. The relationships founded in these spaces are what allow for a better understanding of consumer’s wants and needs. Get to know them before you lose them forever.

Feedback

As relationships are vital, so is the immense feedback that comes from it. When people trust businesses to take their relationships seriously, they will offer new ways to develop products or improve on services. That information is far more valuable than we could have ever had. Social Media allows for this when people can leave comments or write direct messages. The insights that are offered could be the thing that increase customer engagement for the business.

Integration

Looking at how both of those elements matter, it’s now time to ask, why aren’t you using Social Media to its full potential?

My position in the Ethnic Student Center (ESC) at Western Washington University has taught me why integration is so important when it comes to Social Media. The amount of information that comes from various ethnic clubs allows me to easily pass along the message to everyone in the community with just the click of a “post” button. Without Social Media engagement, it doesn’t feel like clubs are getting the real support and awareness that they need. The ESC’s ability to integrate this method into our daily tasks is what keeps the community together. When it comes down for finding that “home away from home” on campus, Social Media is what enables us to communicate that message.

If you really want to build a community rather than just a business, social media is what helps you get there. There is no other efficient way to build trust and authenticity without the use of platforms that can engage people.