Two decades ago, the marketing world was a very different place. Television, radio, billboards, and print media were all common places for advertising. 

Only 5% of the US population was active on social media in 2005, but that number has already increased to 72%. 

Social media usage has become pervasive, resulting in the emergence of social media marketing. Over the last few years, the marketing landscape has seen extraordinary shifts. 

Let’s examine how social media has changed the marketing world over the years. 

Accessibility

Marketing used to be one of the most challenging aspects of starting a new business. No one knows your firm exists until you market it. However, traditional marketing is costly, and the results are frequently insignificant.

The fact that social media marketing is open to everyone is a major changing factor. Creating an account on any platform is simple, and there are no upfront expenses. Many firms are able to reach their target audiences only through organic marketing strategies, never having to pay for ads. This allows small businesses with minimal resources to reach out to clients in ways they never have before.

Engagement

The foundation of social media is community. It flourishes when people interact with the companies they care about. It has grown in popularity as a source of knowledge. People listen to what consumers say on social media. As a result, it’s critical that your brand is represented correctly, especially when communicating with its target audience. 

You have the option of speaking directly to your audience, either publicly or privately. You can offer a different side to your brand by expressing individuality – this is crucial for every business. 

Regular interaction with your social media followers is an excellent approach to promoting your company and attracting new customers. It will assist your company in becoming an industry leader and provide you with a competitive advantage. Consider how this will affect your company’s KPIs on an internal level. It’s also completely free to use.

Customer Service

Social media has become a customer care hotline with brand interaction. Users are contacting brands through social media channels to receive answers to their questions or to vent their frustrations. 

Emailing, filling out forms, and calling customer service lines can be time-consuming and frustrating, which is why companies are turning to social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. 

It’s a more efficient technique for getting a response from a representative and promptly resolving consumer issues. While providing excellent customer service is a great approach to increasing brand engagement and reputation, it can have drawbacks. 

Because it’s in the public domain, a complaint can go viral in seconds. What are your options for dealing with this? By being humane and responding to the user.

Video Marketing

Users of social media prefer videos. Although video marketing existed before, businesses can create and advertise videos for a fraction of the cost with the help of social media.

You can develop content in the format your target audience wants as a brand. While regular Instagram image postings may seem more appropriate for your brand, you must go where the interaction opportunities are.

Currently, this includes both established social media channels with video-specific capabilities as well as emerging video-focused social media networks like TikTok.