World Social Media Day was established by the website Mashable in 2010 as a way of recognising the digital revolution that has transformed the media into a social environment; it has been celebrated on 30 June ever since.
Portugal joined the initiative in the very year it was established, in 2010.
World Social Media Day takes place on 30 June.
The day is celebrated through informal gatherings of people from all over the world, either online or in person. Some events are streamed live online and are open to everyone, to make the occasion a truly social one. The focus of these gatherings is on sharing knowledge about topics that cut across social media and the specific characteristics of each platform.
Some of these events provide a wealth of information to social media and/or marketing professionals free of charge; one such event is, for example, the Social Media Day Summit.
In fact, social media is becoming more important with every passing day. Although certain pioneering social media platforms such as Myspace are no longer relevant, others have become obsessions, such as Facebook and Twitter. Companies themselves have recognised the importance of social media, using sites such as LinkedIn to recruit staff. Snapchat, Vine and Instagram are other examples of popular social media platforms.
A social network is a social structure comprising people or organisations, connected by one or more types of relationship, who share common values and objectives. One of the key characteristics in the definition of networks is their openness, which enables horizontal, non-hierarchical relationships between participants. “Networks are therefore not merely another form of structure, but almost a non-structure, in the sense that part of their strength lies in their ability to form and dissolve rapidly.”
Although one of the principles of the network is its openness and porosity – given that it is a form of social connection – the fundamental link between people is forged through identity.
Online social networks can operate at different levels, such as social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, MySpace, Badoo), professional networks (LinkedIn), community networks (social networks in neighbourhoods or towns), political networks, military networks, amongst others, and enable us to analyse how organisations carry out their activities, how individuals achieve their goals, or to measure social capital – the value that individuals derive from the social network.
Social networks have become increasingly important in modern society. They are characterised primarily by their self-organising nature, their horizontal structure and their decentralisation.
One thing that the various types of social network have in common is the sharing of information, knowledge, interests and efforts in pursuit of common goals. The growth of social networks, in this sense, reflects a process of strengthening civil society, against a backdrop of greater democratic participation and social mobilisation.
With the various social media platforms, consumers are in constant contact with brands. This is a result of the technological revolution which, through tablets and smartphones, puts the world at the consumer’s fingertips, and has led to a revolution in marketing and in the way companies communicate with consumers. Because of this phenomenon, brands across a wide range of business sectors are realising that traditional marketing techniques are becoming increasingly less effective and more costly, this is because segmentation in ‘traditional’ marketing is far less effective and the impact cannot be measured immediately, unlike with digital marketing and, in particular, social media marketing.
Brands can no longer control either their own communications or what is said about them on social media. Consumers have taken control and are actively involved in the entire communication process, to the extent that brands now have to provide content that is relevant, pertinent and tailored to consumers’ desires and needs in order to be ‘allowed’ to speak to them. This phenomenon is directly linked to an emerging concept in marketing and communication: earned media.
Nowadays, with constant access to the internet and, consequently, to social media, consumers share their honest opinions about all their experiences with their circle of influence (friends and followers). What ultimately happens is that people begin to trust these reviews and the information provided by consumers themselves more than they do the brand’s own communications.
Social Media Marketing
Social media has created a new way of exploring the dynamics of the relationship between businesses and their customers; social media marketing is more personal and interactive than any other medium, however, it is also important to bear in mind that these new tools, which emerge every day, are becoming increasingly complex and difficult for the average user to understand. Professional management of social media marketing requires the study and understanding of other areas, such as online communities and connections. Marketing and communication are therefore currently following a path characterised by the existence of diverse, two-way communication channels through which brands engage with their consumers and vice versa.
Online social media currently serve as a platform for interacting with customers and potential customers, helping to build loyalty. They also allow this interaction to take place in real time, as these networks are online 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, meaning that companies and their users are connected almost automatically, and are always aware of each other’s opinions. For example, if a company launches a new product but wants to know whether or not it will be successful in the market, it can conduct a survey amongst its followers and, after analysing the responses, determine whether the product will be accepted as it stands or whether it needs to be modified. All this happens in real time or within a matter of days, whereas with older systems, the process used to be much more complicated and time-consuming. Social media even allows companies to carry out a form of market research at a very low cost.
Of all the social media platforms that exist today, Facebook is perhaps the one that seems to have the greatest impact, given its size and reach, and given its ability to evolve and reinvent itself, thanks to the many comments from its thousands of users.
- SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA
Recognising the power and potential of social media, BeWide aims to help all businesses grow and achieve results in this arena, through an active, capable and dynamic team.
All you need to do is set up a Facebook page (or page on another social media platform) for your business, and we’ll take care of the rest!
