How has marketing been influenced with the adoption of social media technologies?

Résumé du document

The advent of the internet has completely modified our lifestyle. Through social media, we spend more time in front of the screen looking for information, sharing passions and communicating with our family, friends or strangers in communities with similar interests. Thanks to the social networks. Now the consumer has more power therefore he can easily and freely express his interests. The internet has become an important and effective communications platform for every micro and macro- economic player.

The evolution of technology and the reduction of equipment costs have allowed us to use these media extensively. Social media and technology have become a major part of contemporary communications. Twitter became the fastest growing social media in 2009 and Facebook registered 350 million users the same year (800 million today). This makes Facebook the third world "power" after China and India. This social media phenomenon has changed the way of communicating.

Furthermore, in the last three years we have witnessed a massive arrival of the mobile internet: laptops, smartphones and tablets. Today, an internet user must be able to find information immediately. We feel the need to communicate with the world, to share our ideas and creations and to comment on products and services we use. For that reason companies have no choice other than to follow the trend and join the social media.

Extraits

[...] The social media can become a dangerous weapon to be used against companies when conflicts arise between a company and unsatisfied customers. We have to bear in mind that social media evolve rapidly by meeting consumers' demands. The company has to adapt to the market by working quickly and adjusting to consumers' needs, while maintaining efficiency in order to gain competitive advantage. References Amandine Pacaud Les médias sociaux : un nouveau pilier du marketing mix. [online]. Available at: . [Accessed the 27th December 2011] Caroline Haillet Dites, c'est quoi votre stratégie médias sociaux [online]. [...]

[...] According to a study of Forrester (2009), the 4Ps of the classic mix marketing have changed to 5Ps of social media marketing. - Purpose: This is the first step; the company needs to set some objectives to be able to choose the best social network in relation to its strategy. - Patience: When a company joins a new social network, it takes time before the business becomes successful. - Persistence: Once a company is on a social network, it has to regularly post news, so that customers stay in tune with the company and the company keeps in touch with them. [...]

[...] [Accessed the 5th January 2012] Cédric Denaud Et si vous passiez à la Relation Client sur Internet ? [online]. Available at: . [Accessed the 27th December 2011] Christine Delarbeyrette L'impact des Médias Sociaux sur l'Entreprise. Essec, MS SIAI / AM SMIB 2008 2009. [pdf]. Available at: . [Accessed the 29th December 2011] Frédéric Cavazza Les 4 P du social marketing. [online]. Available at: . [Accessed the 5th January 2012] Frédéric Charles Social CRM: la relation client se déplace sur Internet . et le SI la suit ! [...]

[...] Available at: . [Accessed the 5th January 2012] Manu Présence sur les médias sociaux : tout est question de stratégie [online]. Available at: . [Accessed the 28th December 2011] Michelle Golden Social Media Strategies for Professionals and Their Firms: The Guide to Professionals and Their Firms. [e-book]. Hoboken, New Jersey. John Wiley & Son, Inc. Available at: . [Accessed the 5th January 2012] Ross Dawson Plan Stratégique des Médias Sociaux. Advanced Human Technologies [pdf]. Available at: . [...]

[...] Integrating the codes of social Web (transparency, exchange and commitment) is now crucial. This involves using a different way of communicating but the challenge remains the same: to build customer loyalty. Although the social media became a new channel of building relationships with customers, companies still have to work hard to understand how to differ from competitors which are, for most of them, already on social networks. Companies can differentiate through the followings: Personalize the customer's relationship on the Web Today, most brands are on social networks. [...]