Social Media Marketing: Meaning, Scope and Importance

Social media marketing (SMM) refers to techniques that target social networks and applications to spread brand awareness or promote particular products. Social media marketing campaigns usually center around:

• Establishing a social media presence on major platforms
• Creating shareable content and advertorials
• Cultivating customer feedback throughout the campaign through surveys and contests

Social media marketing is perceived as a more targeted type of advertising and is therefore believed to be very effective in creating brand awareness.

Social media presence is a necessity for many customer-driven enterprises as it gives the impression of a more immediate connection between the customer and the seller. Moreover, campaigns spread through social media are believed to have more resonance because they are usually discovered through links shared by trusted sources. The rich data available through social media can allow advertisers to target their message to very specific audiences, providing the potential for better results.

SCOPE

There is huge scope of social media marketing. Since everything is going digital today, social media plays most important role in it. People prefer online platforms more than physically troubling themselves. That may be in case of work, studies, shopping, tickets booking, etc. Thus anybody wanting to move towards social media marketing is a good option 

In today’s highly interactive marketing environment, social media is catching up fast amongst marketers. A number of brands are trying to connect with their target customers across a range of social media platforms. There is a huge scope for social media marketing in India as majority of Indians are now voraciously active on social media.
With the experience of marketing in social media. Here is my opinion.
The scope is very wide, and In terms of careers this is one of the most sought-after field.
There is literally huge competition in big brands on social media so these companies are always search in social media experts.
The potential scope for Social Media in India is huge as it is the world’s 10th largest economy and also has world’s 2nd largest population.
90% of all companies which were surveyed admitted that upto 15% of their overall marketing budget is spent on social media.
Social media marketing will keep on benefitting from the innovative, financial and social changes in the nation and Indian organizations should have a strong marketing methodology set up to receive maximum benefits.
Therefore, the Social Media Manager must be aware of different aspects of digital marketing on social media and know-how of the tools and processes

IMPORTANCE

Build Awareness

If people don’t know about your business, they can’t become your customers. Social media boosts your visibility among potential customers, letting you reach a wide audience by using a large amount of time and effort. And it’s free to create a business profile on all the major social networks, so you have nothing to lose.

Communicate Authority

Customers are increasingly savvier and more discerning about which businesses they support. Before making a decision, they’ll do a quick search to browse your website and social media.

Will they find an empty storefront or a rich source of information? Setting up robust profiles that you update frequently with relevant content will build your brand’s authority and make sure you make a positive first impression through social media, showing that your business is trustworthy, knowledgeable, and approachable.

Look for ways to demonstrate your expertise as a thought leader in your industry—like writing pieces related to your expertise or expanding on your company’s mission. By showing what your business offers and values, you will establish confidence in potential customers.

Show Authenticity

Customers aren’t interested in businesses that publish dry, corporate-style social media posts.

Instead, let your brand’s personality shine through in everything you share on social media. What does your brand voice sound like? How does it represent who you are?

Practice getting your tone just right, whether it’s casual and funny or formal and friendly. Be true to who you are, not who you think you should be. Followers want to see real people behind your social profiles. Show them.

Encourage Engagement

Social channels evolve, constantly releasing new features, and this rapidly changing environment can be intimidating for some business owners.

But remember: you don’t have to do everything. Play with new ways to connect with your audience, and give yourself permission to learn as you go. One day, you could post a series of Instagram Stories to give customers a behind-the-scenes tour of your office. The next, you could host a quick Q&A session via Facebook Live video streaming. Over time, you’ll get a better idea of your followers’ preferences.

You can create engaging video content for social media with a simple setup—good lighting, a smartphone, and a tripod. Also, do a test run before you go live to make sure your internet connection or hotspot has enough speed to avoid delays and interruptions.

Provide Support

Social platforms have successfully broken down barriers between companies and their customers. Now, instead of calling a customer service line, many people turn to Facebook or Twitter to solve problems or find information.

Develop your reputation as a responsive, caring brand by offering support through social channels:

• Create a system for tracking customer comments, questions, and complaints on social media.
• Respond as quickly as possible to questions and concerns.
• Go out of your way to be positive and helpful.
• Listen to criticism and make customers feel heard.
• Know when to resolve public conversations in private messages.

Grow Affordably

Marketing costs add up, and not every business can afford huge campaigns. But you can get a lot of value for your dollar with social media advertising. Your business, regardless of size or budget, has an opportunity to grow your audience and reach your objectives through ads on social platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

When building an ad campaign, know who you’re trying to reach and what goal you want to achieve so you don’t waste any of your budget on unhelpful advertising. Avoid overly salesy ads, and opt for content that educates or entertains (or does both at the same time).