Fortunately for some, and quite unfortunately for others, social media is here to stay. If my thoughts on this are wrong and you disagree, then please, write about it in the newspaper! Wait—that is quite a long and lengthy process and it is hardly worth the cause. However, a social medialite (Yes I made up a word to describe a user of many media tools) could write the same comments in seconds on a mass multitude of many media tools. For this same reason, the shift in social media has become a negative and positive change for businesses and people in general. What people are saying about you and your company is out there.
For example, a customer experience statistic says, “About 13 percent of dissatisfied customers tell more than 20 people.”[1]. Now, imagine I posted a terrible status update on Facebook about my awful experience shopping at your store and about your quality of clothing. I have over 200 friends on Facebook, whom will see this and will take in account my truthful feedback when shopping for clothing. Now, imagine if I tweet the same message on my Twitter page, and on my MySpace page. The experience is out there floating in the world of media before you as the company has the chance to change my opinion and stop me from telling others. And that’s a lot of eyes reading about your company and creating a negative brand image. What are they saying about you? This shift in social media, affects companies and their marketing strategies and efforts.
That being said, the shift in social media is changing the way as a society companies market themselves. Only 14 percent of consumers trust company generated advertisements, whereas, 78 perfect of consumers trust peer feedback and recommendations. (Social Media Revolution Socialnomics, 2011) Marketers have to find new and innovative ways to continue brand loyalty through social media, because as consumers and media socialites, we trust what our peers have to say about you. On the contrast, social media can bring hype to product where the marketing was not doing so. Through social media, certain brands thrive.
For example, the popular exercise apparel company Lululemon, virtually has zero advertisements. Why does everyone know about Lululemon? Why can Lululemon sell their yoga pants for more than other competitors? More importantly why do consumers pay that price? Social media plays a helping roll in the perception of Lululemon yoga pants. On Twitter Lululemon posts about their wonderful ways of helping the community and boosts consumer morale by giving running tips and work out goals. It’s social media that makes the brand more personal, and consumers begin to create a strong brand relationship with Lululemon. On Twitter there is a page, “Girls in Yoga Pants,” and it shows women in Lululemon yoga pants. Howard Stern even said, “Girls in yoga pants… I think that’s hotter than girls being naked.” Marketers at Lululemon didn’t say, “Yoga pants would make the consumers body look desirable…”—social media created that image of the brand. For Lululemon, it’s a positive thing.
The shift in social media runs deeper than who is saying what about whom. It’s become a tool for keeping in touch with family and friends overseas, for creating brand awareness, for using in the workplace and job fields and for using as an emergency contactor. And it doesn’t stop there. As a society we function on our social media encounters, and it has changed the way we live our lives in the workplace and at home—forever. Therefore, social media has become more than a fad. As a society, it’s impossible for us to digress back to how we lived before the social media tools we use. If one tool dies out, another tool will be waiting to take its place.
[1] Ireland, Linda. Business Insider, blog.
Read more: http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-01-27/strategy/29996467_1_customer-satisfaction-e-commerce-game-statistics
Read more: http://articles.businessinsider.com/2011-01-27/strategy/29996467_1_customer-satisfaction-e-commerce-game-statistics
