“The Intelligence of the Universe is Social”, Markus Aurelius
The word 'social' can simply be put as friendly gathering of individuals or groups to share and expand interest or values. It describes the intrinsic human nature to bond and operate together in a communal manner for recreative, religious, cultural, economic or political reasons. In fact, researchers such as Bruce T. Lahn and colleagues of Howard Hughes Medical Institution, believe that the evolution of large brain in the human species occurred in two stages, mainly to facilitate the complex process of mastering human relations and languages to interact, communicate and collaborate effectively with large groups of people. Perhaps this explains as to why we continuously improve innovation in telephone, telegram, postal service, mobile, Internet and other advanced technologies than constantly bridges communication with one another.
The word 'social media' was only officially entered as an adjective in etymology of words since 2008, unlike its other proxy terms 'social networking' (1984) and 'social network' (1971). Social media refers to online platforms that provides an avenue for users to create profiles of themselves, connect, interact and collaborate with their social contacts via text, audio, video, live streaming and messaging exchange. Some of these platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram are seamlessly integrated in our daily lives.
“Coffee and a Smartphone for Breakfast”
Checking your Facebook status, along with other news feeds on smartphone every morning is a familiar image in most households today. All notification and messages are readily waiting for further perusal, as we click on the neatly arranged icons of various social media applications that we use to connect with others on our mobile devices. Our social, personal, professional and communal lives are increasingly integrated in our smartphones, benevolently unifying various social tasks to the best use of our time and resources. The non-believers who complain about the commotions that social media causes in their lives are really small in percentage, and perhaps suffer from a lower social intelligence required to manage the labyrinthine of the increasingly connected world. Though, this group is expected to follow the adoption of social media eventually. After all, you are in full control to manage your social media uses in similar ways that you manage interactions with other communication tools prior to the Internet.
“Understanding Social Media – I Just Tweeted that I blogged”
As users use these platform at no cost, platform owners on the contrary generate income by serving ads to their users. The accuracy and relevance of these ads are improved tremendously by tapping on the insights extrapolated from the content generated and shared voluntarily by its users. For example, if a user posted about a book they read recently or liked a certain reading group, an advertisement of an upcoming book of similar category might be served to that particular user based on patterns isolated from correlation of data amassed from their profile, likes and posts.
This targeted advertising approach practised by social media platforms, presented unprecedented growth opportunities for millions of small and medium sized businesses with a lot less capital. The promise of greater reach, relevant audience, expansion, lower operational overhead, hassle free promotion and quicker results, are just to good to be passed up. Plus advertising in other traditional mediums such TV and print is still formidable in cost for smaller ventures.
“User Generated Content Hardly Escapes Humanity“
However, if this approach is based on the insights pulled from user generated content as stated above, should we be concerned with the quality, validity, appropriateness, authenticity and legitimacy of the data that social media and thousands of digital marketing companies, tout to us, as the utopia of marketing? After all, we are products of social occurrences with the capability to be machiavellian in varying degrees to achieve a desired state. Should we question the reliability of data in social media? How often do social media users post misleadingly or include fake information? Evolutionists and social researchers (see Brynes and Whittens, 1998), state that we may be exposed to a high degree of noise data meant to mislead, emphasise one’s image or simply obtain something cunningly, although this human trait is ubiquitous and is not limited to social media. Does this mean we abandon promoting our business on social media altogether?
“The Opportunity of Securing More Mileage for Less Bucks”
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| Illustration 1 - Sample Projection of Social Media Advertising |
Truth is, while we should continuously question social media platforms on the quality and authenticity of their data (the more frequently you question, the higher the chances that they will improve it), data discrepancy does not affect your business, just the effectiveness of your marketing dollar. The 1.5% estimated average click through rate for some social media platforms such as Facebook or Twitter is still a good start (see illustration 1), as long as business owners are aware of the data issues that their direct and indirect social media advertising providers are exposed too. Understanding the risk and limitations of these platforms can aid in better understanding of online advertising; fruitful conversations with service providers; suitable strategies and smarter investment of your chump change, resulting in real growth and higher sales conversion rates.
“Visual Content is more than 40 times more likely to get Shared on Social Media than other types of Content. (Source: HubSpot)”
Inevitably, advertising on social media will only work if you have an adequate online presence. A website, online store, blog site, social media pages (e.g Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest), or just a combination of few at the least. Good news evidently is that, this isn’t an expensive affair and there are free tools to get started and sample some online strategies without much technical knowledge. Content and a sharp messaging is nothing new nor exclusive to the online world. Good content drove businesses even before the invention of Internet and social media. Even though highly visual content with messaging that arouses the senses and engages the audiences, creates the best momentum.
“Many a Thing Small Has made Large by the Right Kind of Advertising”, Mark Twain
Success though, is not imminent as some eager ignorant marketeer would suggest. Most shops will have to plan and execute campaigns in phases to identify and learn what works best for their businesses with a clear idea of what call to action needs to be driven in each campaign stage e.g. like page, buy a product, submit email address, download app and etc. As such receiving lukewarm response or non-response from the audience in the first few runs should be considered normal and should be budgeted as an opportunity cost to successfully reap growth benefits of social media advertising. What is important though is to constantly assess and improve your strategies in addressing shortcomings e.g conversion hindered by sluggish system despite high traffic to site; refinement of key words; unclear call to action upon click through and etc.The essence of advertising has always been the same. The narration and telling of a timeless, magnanimous story and how your product supposedly will affect your customers in the most intimate way possible. This story telling opportunity however was for a long time limited to businesses with funds to burn. Social media platforms have flipped this playing field by allowing just any business to participate with the lowest entry cost ever imagined. One thing is definite. Not taking this chance will surely be a mistake.
