I remember being relatively slow to adopt social media in the beginning, but now, I could not imagine my life without these platforms. The explosion of the various platforms in recent years is enough to send me reeling, and now they are woven into the very framework of everything I do daily. They serve many purposes, from connections to education to promotion and beyond.
Sites and Applications
While there are a wide variety of social media platforms from which to choose, and I may have joined practically every one, there are only a few that I gravitate towards on a given day. I am most drawn to Instagram and Facebook, probably because most of my friends and clients are there. I am a member of many Facebook groups for personal and professional reasons. Despite the privacy issues associated with the platform in recent years, most of my contacts are there. I am nearly fifty years old, and my generation is most comfortable with Facebook, so it makes sense that this would be one of the top platforms for me. Instagram runs a close second, which is logical because the same company owns both platforms. I can easily get lost in this site’s wealth of photos, information, encouraging quotes, and updates. Again, I am the right demographic to prefer this platform.
I can also be found frequenting:
- Twitter for promos and news
- TikTok for fun videos
- YouTube for my workout, inspirational, and music videos
- Pinterest for recipes, inspirational quotes, and craft projects
- LinkedIn for professional information and connections
Positive Or Negative Reactions
I have become quite discriminating regarding digital media as I choose what to consume on these platforms. When I see posts that are inflammatory and/or take sides on various social issues while attacking the other side, I tend to unfollow (if possible) and ignore them if all else fails. I refuse to take the bait and respond negatively. I prefer someone to share an honest opinion without being nasty towards the other side of the issue. I follow an array of diverse individuals on social media. However, I prefer those who spread positive, motivational messages that encourage and uplift instead of those who tear down and judge. I adore watching cute videos of babies and animals, but I avoid videos that show gratuitous violence and seek to deride others for certain behaviors. I believe in the way things used to be that we do not need to all agree on every subject, and a disagreement does not mean that we have to be hateful nor cannot be friends. I eschewed Twitter during the pandemic because the entire platform was overall very negative for me, but I have come back as they have made changes. I am always skeptical of what I may read on Facebook and Instagram regarding newsworthy events since “fact-checkers” are often biased and try to keep me from reading the side of the news that I may choose to digest. I am displeased with that. I do not like videos that have rampant profanity and/or nudity or sex. I will never understand why that is even allowed on social media.
Digital Media Preferences
My preferred digital media is high-quality photos connected to positive quotes and videos with inspirational messages. I will easily reshare a short quote that speaks to me on any platform. I relish reading updates from my friends in the industry on both Instagram and Facebook, especially since I am most comfortable with these platforms. Reading text with rows of hashtags is a turn-off for me. If the text is long, has a photo or two, and is written in an authentic, engaging style, I will probably read the entire post. Otherwise, I may merely skim the post or read the headline. It does bother me when big companies (especially) have jarring, poor grammar on digital media, although I can be forgiving if the content is high quality.
Email Preferences
I receive emails from companies and work for a company that regularly publishes emails (at least three per week). When I receive an email from a company, I look for an engaging title that intrigues me (but is not “clickbait”). Moreover, I also look for an easy-to-read format. The message must resonate with me, and the company needs to do more than merely try to sell me something. I need high-quality photos, short, engaging copy, and personal touch. I do my best to incorporate these very things into the emails I send out for my company and those I send out on my employers’ behalf. It is essential that all emails from a brand are easy to identify and truly make a connection with me in the same way they share the information. Rarely do I click on an email where a company is only selling products or services unless I already have a connection with the company.
Use Of Digital Media
Social media marketing is all the rage today, and I have studied it extensively due to my profession and business. I used to think that social media marketing was successful if that post resulted in the customer purchasing a product. However, as I have studied social media marketing, I have learned that many brands do not understand the purpose of social media marketing. “Social media is not a sales platform, so your strategy needs to move away from sales as a focus” (Sri, n.d.). Instead of focusing on sales, the focus should be on brand awareness, community nurture, and high-quality content. Businesses using social media to discuss their products and sales miss the point entirely. “Social media is a communication channel, so you should be using it to talk and engage with people” (Sri, n.d.). Companies that can do this are leading the charge on social media.
Social Media Marketing Examples
Some top examples of social media marketing that have worked well are from Dove, Apple, and Planters. Dove presented images of what real beauty looks like and challenged stereotypes with their hashtag #ShowUs. Apple generated interest through user-created content in “The Shot on the iPhone Challenge.” Planters generated entertaining content with their #RIPPeanut hashtag when they “killed” off their mascot Mr. Peanut. While all three campaigns were unique to the brand, in every case, they were successful because they communicated with their customers instead of merely selling them something. Brand awareness was created for all these brands due to these marketing campaigns, and they are seen as some of the most successful in social media marketing history (Bredava, 2023).
References
Bredava, A. (2023). 17 Awesome Examples Of Social Media Marketing. Search Engine Journal. https://www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media-marketing-examples/380202/#close
Sri, B. N. (n.d.). Why isn’t social selling working for you on Social Media? The Latest Insights About Digital Marketing | Metrixa Blog. https://blog.metrixa.com/why-selling-isn-t-working-for-you-on-social-media-and-what-you-can-try-instead
