The Power and Importance of Social Media for Business
Social media is an effective
way to get a message across quickly, especially in recent years. It seems social media has
rapidly evolved into its own world of communicating digitally with people from
all over the world. With that said, social media is not only used by
individuals for personal enjoyment, but it is also a place where businesses can
share their information and engage with their customers as well. Because of
this, social media platforms have become an essential and unique tool for both individuals
and businesses. There are numerous platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,
and blogs (which hold a unique position because they are a place where someone
shares their personal ideas in their own space, almost like they’re sharing a
story with an audience. This blog post will discuss social media and the benefits
for businesses using social media platforms to effectively connect with people in
a digital way.
I believe one of the most important and fascinating advantages of social media is that it has the power to reach so many people so quickly. We’ve all heard of stories or videos going viral, and we have social media to thank for that happening. It also seems like stories that are false or almost unbelievable spread even faster. In fact, there is an article that talked about a study that three MIT students held that found fake news is shared faster than real and true stories. “For instance, false news stories are 70 percent more likely to be retweeted than true stories are. It also takes true stories about six times as long to reach 1,500 people as it does for false stories to reach the same number of people.” (Study: On Twitter, False News Travels Faster Than True Stories, 2018). There is just something fascinating about false stories that grasp the attention of people more than real and true stories. So, if you ever want to go viral on the internet, it may be time to consider coming up with a false story to get the attention.
One major positive
aspect to using certain social media platforms is that there are free options
out there. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are all free to sign up for and
use. This is especially a plus for small businesses who are trying to get their
name out there but don’t want to spend extra money on advertising their products.
This is major for these small businesses because once word spreads about their products
(and hopefully it’s a good word), the positive reviews can quickly spread
bringing in new customers. “Data from Meta also shows that 83 percent of Instagram
users say they discover new brands while using the platform. Those users are
then able to share posts with friends, increasing brand awareness further.” (Peek,
2024). It seems social media has completely changed the way that people find
out about new and upcoming businesses.
I think we all secretly
enjoy scrolling through someone’s Instagram who we admire from time-to-time
(but not in a creepy way, of course). We like to see what these people are
doing, or what they’re up to. I believe that
brands or businesses who use social media to market their products almost humanizes
them in a way. People like feeling as if they can personally relate to someone
or something, and usually people want to be “in the know” about the newest or
trendy products. Businesses using social media have an angle where they can post
content that makes their audience feel involved. There is a Forbes article that
discusses how brands can be successful with using social media. “From there, brands became more human, and the
possibilities became endless. Many brands started to realize the best way to
connect with audiences was by behaving the way they do on social media: by
having fun.” (Kline, 2022). Brands who have fun with their content
can feel more relatable, which I believe will bring in more business for them
in the end. I also think this is good for business because once a person is
driven to a brand because they are intrigued by their content, this could
create a very loyal customer base. The power of social media for business and
marketing communication is seemingly undeniable. The cost-effective and
attention-grabbing content is an indispensable tool for any business, given
they post the right content. If businesses continue to lean into using these
platforms and follow certain trends, they can potentially create further growth
for themselves.
Study: On Twitter, false news travels faster than true stories. (2018, March 8). MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. https://news.mit.edu/2018/study-twitter-false-news-travels-faster-true-stories-0308
Kline, J. (2022, June 23). Humanization: the key to brand success on social media. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2022/06/22/humanization-the-key-to-brand-success-on-social-media/
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