The use of social media platforms as a marketing strategy

The use of social media platforms as a marketing strategy

The use of social media platforms as a marketing strategy is vital, especially in the age of smartphones and computers. Research indicates ‘social media users have passed the 3.8 billion mark’ (Kemp, 2020). As the marketing manager of an online company, I would choose different social media platforms based on the number of users. A report by Chaffey shows that “Facebook and Instagram, two of the most popular social networks, are particularly useful for marketing to millennial and Gen Z age groups. (Chaffey, 2020) I would, therefore, capitalize on Facebook and Instagram.

Creating captivating content for my target audience is crucial to achieving marketing goals. To do so, I would apply the following approach.

1. Outline the marketing objectives- I will use the SMART framework in setting the goals, ensuring they are nine with my business objectives. Objectives will help come up with the right content for the audience.
2. Identify and understand the target audience- I will create audience personas that will help anticipate the needs and wants of potential customers. I would also use social media analytics that will provide in-depth information such as the languages they speak and where they live on potential clients. This information will enable me to come up with content that will capture and retain the attention of my potential clients.
3. Research competition- Researching competition will enable me to know how well their product is doing and which social media platform works best for them. It will also help me see the content that the target audience relates to best.
4. Create content and choose ways of promoting the campaign- I will opt for images and short videos for both Facebook and Instagram and use tools like ‘Canva’ and ‘ Animoto’ to help create the photos and videos. I will also seek the services of a celebrity where possible, making sure to create content that evokes emotion

Social media advertising is essential due to its many benefits, some of which include:

Its reach. As earlier established, social media users are more than 3.8 billion; therefore, advertising on social media is bound to attract many potential customers.

Affordability- the price of social ads is not as high as that of other forms of media such as print media and advertising on television and radio stations.

As much as social media advertising has its benefits, one of the significant challenges it possesses is legal risks. Since social media advertising presents consumers with a platform of commenting about products and services, anyone can make a public comment that may be misleading to consumers, which can make a company face legal action. To mitigate this risk, I will ensure my company issues disclaimers on public comments.

Social media has the potential of opening up a business to a vast array of customers with the correct content and strategy. Social media advertising has many benefits, as discussed earlier, but has risks attached. It is crucial to critically analyze all these factors before embarking on such a campaign,

Works Cited

Chaffey, Dave. (2020, April) Global Social Media Research Summary, 2020. SmartInsights https://www.smartinsights.com/social-media-marketing/social-media-strategy/new-global-social-media-research/

Kemp, Simon. (2020, January 30).Digital 2020: Global Digital Overview. Datareportal. https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2020-global-digital-overview