Megan Berbaum
Exercise 4: Data Discussion
1
Logged-In: Businesses Connect to Consumers; Facebook as a Frontrunner
Google it. Search the first company that pops into your mind. Whether you search its name or
“[insert company here] social media,” you are bound to get multiple links to various networking
sites. Why is this? Social media is now popular amongst businesses because it helps build
customer relationships. Businesses should try to incorporate some aspect of electronic media
into their marketing strategy to increase both brand awareness and brand loyalty.
Trending Social Media
Figure 1
Current social trends have
people buzzing, literally.
Smartphones, tablets, and
computers are humming
with status updates to
sites like Twitter and
Facebook. People today
are constantly logged-in.
Figure 1 portrays the top
eight social media sites of
2012. The vast majority of
people stay connected
with friends and family,
creates online scrapbooks,
or creates journals through these sites. However, what makes these sites so important?
Two of the sites listed in Figure 1 are networking platforms, two are picture-sharing platforms,
two are blogs and two are professional networking platforms. These sites are popular because
they relate to a variety of audiences. Many even reach across multiple audience segments. These
sites are a technological form of self-expression. People want to feel connected to others and free
enough to express themselves any way they please. For this reason, many may belong to
multiple platforms.
Facebook as a Frontrunner
The data shows that Facebook is a social network super giant. This is likely because the site has
connected itself with other platforms. Today, one can join almost any social networking site by
simply logging in with his or her Facebook username and password. This interconnectivity may
be why the site has such a strong user base.
Megan Berbaum
Exercise 4: Data Discussion
2
Social Media Marketing
Because social media is a popular trend in society, businesses have taken notice. It is virtually
impossible to find a company without some social media presence. Marketers have grown to
realize the multiple benefits of popular media websites. Figure 2 represents data collected from
a group of
Figure 2
marketers
surveyed to
indicate if they
would increase
their media usage
for 2013 across
multiple
platforms.
Possible reasons
for the increase in
usage could be
due to a majority
of them ranking
in the top eight
social media sites
of 2012 (as seen
in Figure 1). The
only exception to this would be YouTube, which could very well be in the top ten, since it is a
popular video sharing site online.
Another reason marketers may increase their social media presence is because these platforms
allow marketers to promote brand awareness and create brand loyalty at a relatively low cost.
Marketers can post promotions via Facebook and Twitter, which show up on followers’
newsfeed. Photo-sharing sites, such as Pinterest, can help promote brand identity. For example,
if a company wants to convey an eco-friendly attitude, it can post pictures related to the
environment and going green. The social networking sites mentioned in the second graphic offer
marketers the opportunity to reach customers in their own ways, which target consumers like
never before.
Marketing through Facebook
“Like this page.” Three simple words underneath a photo advertisement on the side of one’s
Facebook page are all it takes to create brand awareness. This could be why Facebook ranks
second for increased utilization in marketing. One possible reason why it falls under the video
giant, YouTube, could be that the site allows users to upload actual television commercials.
Currently, Facebook has the largest number of unique users (as seen in “The Top Social
Networks in the United States in 2012”). Facebook also tailors its advertisements based on what
users like. For example, if one user is into fashion and likes companies like American Eagle and
Hollister, he or she is likely to have an advertisement for Forever 21 appear on their homepage.
Audience analysis can help companies reach and build relationship with consumers.
Megan Berbaum
Exercise 4: Data Discussion
3
Current Trends
Without a doubt, social media has become a societal norm. Both businesses and consumers are
logging-on to create a public image, whether it’s via text, audio, visual, or any combination of
the three. Marketers search for trends both in and outside of their physical company. Since
social media has such a foothold in society, it is only natural for business to flock to them as
well. Because of this shift in marketing strategy, businesses are able to connect to consumers on
a more personal level.