Today Social Media is everywhere and quite often it makes the headline. More and more companies are using it as a new way to market their product, it is even becoming recognized as an integral part of marketing strategies. But the big question remains:
is Social Media Marketing the new thing around the block, or is really a trend that will stay?
PRWeb mentions in its latest press release, 22 May 2009, What Does Social Media Marketing Really Mean? that according to several experts " social media marketing is a cost-effective way to combine marketing and market research, and it's here to stay."
It also states that "essentially, social media marketing boils down to something simple:
find out where people online are talking about your brand, or could be. And then, join the conversation," said Gabriel Shaoolian, Creative Director of Blue Fountain Media (bluefountainmedia.com). The persistent nature of online interaction means that this has the long-lasting effects of traditional advertising, but the immediate interaction means it also has the revenue-driving power of traditional sales."
It also points to the fact that Social Media Marketing can be managed via highly interactive site and looks at both the up and down sides of several social media network.
Many Social Networks such as Facebook or Twitter allows you to build and "create groups that focus on your company and products, and to engage your customers through them."
The positive side is that by establishing relationship with people you interact and build a system of trust and reference.
The downside is that sometimes it looks like an overcrowded room and it might be hard to make yourself noticed.
But keep in mind that social media marketing is not only about those Social Networks, it is also about forums and blogs. (...)
Social Media Marketing is a trend to stay and "Gabriel Shaoolian is optimistic about the long-term future of Social Media: "It can be tough to navigate at first, but once you start really talking to your customers, that dialogue is priceless." The social media marketing world keeps on changing, but these sites are all great ways to get a good start. Social media marketing isn't for every business, or every marketer, but its impact is hard to ignore. At Blue Fountain Media, some of the most successful marketing campaigns have had a strong social component, and more and more of our clients are embracing online discussion as a great way to get their product traction and open up new markets.
