ABSTRACT
Marketing expert Matt Zilli says that cutting-edge marketing involves a fusion of “fulfilling customer needs, storytelling and digital interactions.” Social media can be a powerful ally in each of those marketing areas. Some surveys show that the top social media platforms used by advertisers are, in order, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook Messenger, Pinterest and Snapchat. Marketers use so-called organic messages, which are free updates that organizations post, at no charge, in their own accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media–think of dictionary company Merriam-Webster’s edgy Twitter account, for example. Marketing analyst Michael Stelzner says that the top five advantages of social media marketing, both paid and organic, are increased exposure of organizations and brands, increased traffic to company websites, generating leads for eventual sales, improved sales and developing loyal followers. In addition to building relationships with potential customers, a goal of social media marketing is to gather information about consumers.
