Social Media Guide: Why social media marketing is becoming increasingly relevant
In this day and age of millennials, digital natives and generations Y and Z, social media marketing and the use of various social networks is becoming increasingly important for companies. But why?
The emergence of social media and its significance
Sixdegrees.com, the first social network, was launched in 1997. It enabled users to create profile pages, maintain friend relationships and search other users' friend lists. They could also get in touch with other users via messages. Like today's social media platforms, Sixdegrees.com was financed by advertising and therefore offered free use. After that, better-known networks such as Myspace and Facebook were founded. Social media platforms allow users to create, share and network user-generated content. The importance of these platforms is emphasized by The future of marketing: AI-revolutionized strategies further increased as artificial intelligence becomes more and more prevalent.
Who uses social networks?
Over three billion people worldwide use social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube, LinkedIn and Xing. In Germany alone, around 40 million internet users are active on social networks, and the number continues to rise. Social networks are essential for reaching a younger target group in particular. 89% of 16- to 24-year-olds, 71% of 25- to 44-year-olds and even 66% of 10- to 15-year-olds use social networks, according to the Federal Statistical Office. Most users use platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to maintain contacts and be inspired by new trends and products. Visual branding plays a key role here, as it can communicate the brand message effectively. 33% of respondents stated that social media is an integral part of their everyday lives.
Modern brand communication
Around 20 to 50% of all purchasing decisions are influenced by word of mouth. The targeted promotion of products by opinion leaders, also known as influencers, is an effective method of brand positioning. Social signals play an important role in this. Positive signals show that the content or product is good, high quality and relevant. This motivates other users to share the content, which in turn is important for SEO. If all factors match, a post can go viral.
Social networks offer a brand the opportunity to present itself through postings and its behavior on these platforms and to become more approachable for customers. They enable the brand to interact more easily and personally with the target group. They also offer the opportunity to network within the industry in order to better follow current trends and opinions. Social media are therefore an important part of product and brand communication. They are ideal for sales promotion and image cultivation as well as for increasing brand awareness. The Storytelling in brand communication is particularly powerful here for building emotional connections. Social networks can also be used for customer service, market research, HR/HR and research & development. Companies can also benefit from Videos as an effective strategy to strengthen their brand identity.
Conclusion:
A professional social media presence requires time and regular maintenance. With the right social media guide and a well-planned campaign in social networks, you can achieve a lot even with a small budget. The Top 5 online marketing trends 2024: personalization, video & AI offer valuable insights into how companies can further improve their strategy.
brot & salz Tip: Already have a website? Then draw your visitors' attention to your social media channels with suitable social media icons!