BLOG 1: Social media channels

Social media may be today’s the most important marketing channel. Social media is all about the ways in which we create, connect and share content online, and can be used as an integral part of an online marketing campaign. Before there was social media all marketing and advertisements went offline by postcards, newspapers, email or flyers.

Now that the companies have to keep up with their audience they all have online and offline marketing. For example, the biggest change has been I think, that the newspapers went online to also reach the customers online. But there is not only social media for companies and advertisement. The biggest personal social media platform worldwide is Facebook with more than 1 billion subscribers. (guilty I am one of them) But then again also companies use Facebook for advertisements, promotions and competitions.

There are many social media platforms companies use to promote and sell their product, the most popular platforms are, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

Twitter, twitter is an interesting marketing tool, Twitter is often used for the rapid customer service and advertisement. For example, if Justin Bieber posts a new song the fans will retweet it and the song becomes popular.

Instagram, Instagram is often used as a competition platform and is used for promotions. For example, when a cosmetic company wants to do a promotion they often appear on Instagram with a nice photo and a contest to win one of their new products.

Daily life social media platforms used for marketing and advertisement. To begin, I am a social media addict. I sometimes spend more than 5 or 6 hours on all kinds of social media. What do I use? I use everything that is known. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and we can go on a little while. When I am on these platforms I see all kinds of advertisement, some interesting and others really annoying. The most advertisements I see are on Facebook, and Instagram mostly about clothing or make-up. However, I sometimes buy things that come from an advertisement on Facebook.

By Amber van der Poel

Source: Stookes, Rob and the minds of Quirk (2018). EMarketing: the essential guide to marketing in a digital world (5th ed). Quirk eMarketing (Pty) ltd. (Ed.).