Social Media is online interactivity technologies which permit the generation or sharing/reuse/exchange of data, ideas, career aspirations, and various other forms of human expression through virtual communities and online networks. Social Media has been in vogue since the mid-1990s, when Internet technologies were still in its infancy. But these technologies paved the way for many new social media tools and applications, which are now part of everyday life. Today, Social Media has become an essential aspect of many people’s lives.
The popularity of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Orkut has reached a level of convergence, where users from different age groups, backgrounds, income levels, and interests have come together to share information about their lives, common interests, news, games, hobbies, and social activities. In fact, these sites have become so popular that they are fast outpacing search engine results and leading the charts in most Web search inquiries. While social media platform is used to share information and communicate with others, these same websites serve a vital purpose of connecting business and professionals. Businesses use these sites to network, form partnerships, exchange information, and project company goals and objectives.
While many businesses are aware of the benefits of participating in online community forums, few companies take advantage of the growing number of social media networks to promote their brands and products. LinkedIn is one of the first and most popular social media networks which has tapped into the need of business professionals to connect with peers. The number of LinkedIn connections is now a reflection of the company’s success and brand visibility. Twitter another very popular social media network is used by many marketers to get the attention of their audience.
With social media platforms like Orkut, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, businesses are now realizing the power of consistently generating high quality leads. Businesses may not realize the value of utilizing their social media platforms to drive qualified leads, but these sites provide an amazing opportunity for businesses to generate leads while engaging on a more personal level with prospects. Twitter, for example, allows entrepreneurs to track the progress of each prospect through its analytics tools. While most of the activity on Orkut takes the form of direct messages to followers, Orkut lets users track user activity on their profiles, such as posts and replies.
Another effective way to make use of these platforms is by using them to share information about your company. LinkedIn allows users to share information about themselves, such as job history and professional background, as well as connections and professional relationships with other business professionals. This platform also allows users to connect with other business owners to exchange ideas and thoughts. Twitter, in particular, is a great source for . By using the appropriate keywords and links, Twitter can easily transform from a social network into a powerful marketing tool.
It is essential for businesses to realize that social media marketing is just another form of online advertising. While social media can greatly increase your company’s visibility to potential customers and clients, it does not necessarily make your business immune to the same trends and competitive environments that traditional advertising venues are used to combating. Using Twitter, Orkut, LinkedIn, Facebook, and other platforms appropriately will help ensure that your messages remain relevant to the audience you are trying to reach, while also increasing your presence in the social media community. This will enable you to create a bridge between your audience and your advertising campaigns, helping to ensure that your company remains a dynamic force in the marketplace.