The use of social media platforms to maintain
contact with friends, family, coworkers, customers, or clients is referred to
as social networking. Social networking on websites like Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn, and Instagram can have a social function, a business one, or both.
Social media sites are a crucial foundation for marketers looking to engage
customers. With 2.91 billion monthly users as of December 31, 2021, Facebook is
still the biggest and most widely used social network.
The other most popular are Instagram, Facebook
Messenger, Twitter, and Pinterest, according to Statista.
How do social networks work?
Social networking involves developing and
maintaining personal and business relationships using technology. Social media
sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are used for this. These websites
allow individuals and businesses to interact, build relationships, and exchange
news, ideas, and information.
Families far apart can stay connected through
personal social networks such as Facebook. They can share photos and updates
about things happening in their lives. People with similar interests might also
connect, especially strangers. Through hashtags, lists, and groups, people can
locate one another.
Marketers frequently utilize social media to promote
brand loyalty and raise brand recognition. Social media marketing makes a
company more approachable to potential customers and recognizable to its
current clients, which helps promote a brand's voice and content.
For instance, a regular Twitter user may discover a
business through a news feed before purchasing a good or service. A company's
chances of attracting and keeping new consumers are improved by increasing
brand exposure.
Marketers use social networking to increase
conversion rates. Gaining a following gives you access and interaction with
potential, current, and past clients. Sharing blog entries, pictures, videos,
or comments on social media enables viewers to react, visit a business's
website, and buy products.
Advantages and disadvantages
of social networks:
Social media can influence individuals and
corporations – both positively and negatively. Therefore, it is important to
consider the advantages and disadvantages of using these social networks.
Advantages
As was already noted, social networking enables
people to keep in touch with family and friends that they might not be able to
do otherwise due to separation or a simple lack of communication. Additionally,
people can interact with others with similar interests and forge new ties.
Companies may communicate with both present and
potential customers thanks to it. They can also generate, advertise, and raise
brand recognition through social media. Additionally, they rely on client
feedback and evaluations. The more customers publish information about the
company, the more valuable the brand authority becomes. This leads to more
sales and higher search engine rankings. Social media can help establish a
brand as legitimate, credible, and trustworthy.
Social media can be used by a business to showcase
its quality of customer service and strengthen client relationships. For
instance, if a customer tweets a complaint about a product or service, the
business can respond immediately, apologize, and take appropriate action.
Disadvantages
Social media can be very influential in spreading
misinformation like an avalanche. This became more and more widespread after
2012. Information starts as rumors that spread faster than facts. One study
found that misinformation is shared 70% more often than factual information on
Twitter.
Social media networking can have an equally damaging
impact on society. On social media, brand criticism can spread very quickly.
The PR department at a corporation can have a virtual headache as a result.
Although social media is free, building and
maintaining a business profile takes hours weekly. The cost of these hours adds
up quickly. Businesses need a large following before a social media marketing
campaign generates a positive return on investment (ROI). For example, sending
a post to 15 followers does not have the same effect as sending a post to
15,000 followers.
Examples of social networks
The corporation behind almost every good or service
you use has a social media presence. It is hard to think of a significant
corporation that does not use social networks to do business, sell products,
and advertising. If you want your firm to succeed, being active on social media
is not just a wise business move but also a must. Here are two instances of businesses
that are operating ethically.
Taco Bell
More than 1.4 million people follow Taco Bell on
Instagram, and over 2 million people follow them on Twitter. The business uses
social media to interact with its audience by providing information about its
menu, personnel, and restaurants. Additionally, Taco Bell publishes humorous
tweets and Instagram postings that receive tens of thousands of likes,
retweets, and comments.
In 2014, Taco Bell started a petition on Change.org
to demand the taco emoji. The business used social media to spread the news.
Taco Bell fans added 33,000 signatures to the petition. When iOS 9.1 was
launched in October 2015, Apple debuted the taco emoji.
Kylie Jenner
Social media usage is something that anyone can
learn. After all, this is the era of the influencer. Over 314 million people
follow Kylie Jenner on Instagram, 36.4 million follow her on Snapchat, and 39.6
million follow her on Twitter.
The teenage influencer and reality TV star promote
her image and brand on social media. She is also a businesswoman and advertises
Kylie Cosmetics on social media. She is now listed on Forbes' list of self-made
women, young millionaires, and Celebrity 100 of 2020, thanks to her success
with her cosmetics line. Want evidence of its scope? When the celebrity tweeted
the link to her fans in February 2016, the company's lip kits were sold in just
10 minutes.