Uses of Social Media

To stay in touch, sharing what they believe in, support a brand/ cause etc.

Social media is a platform for people to stay connected and to share their stories. The amount of time people spend on social media is increasing. This is because social media has fast become quickly integrated into the everyday lives of people. Platforms like Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram made it easier to keep in touch with family and friends. They also allow family and friends to join online conversations and to have a ‘real life/ instant update’ on what’s going on in life. Almost everyone has a profile on those social platforms and updating is made easier with more accessible devices such as smartphones which are on the hands of people most of the time.

The main uses of social media are:

1. To stay in touch with loved ones, friends, people

The usage of social media allows worldwide connectivity. Social platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Skype etc are the fastest and the most convenient ways to connect people. Such social platforms allow one to be able contact each other (as and when they want) and gives people connection to the outside world where communication is made easier. People no longer have to travel long distances to visit their loved ones and at the same time allows bonds to remain strong despite the distance. The use of social media also allows instant updates which can help families ease their minds.

2. Passionate in sharing what they truly believe in

People generally love attention and sharing about their experiences in hopes to gain others’ opinions. Some constantly feel the need to express themselves thoroughly and to let their experience/ feelings be known to others. They can come up with different views on a topic to share and generate tons of different responses (supportive or not) from it. The readers/ audiences know they are reading something they like and believe. By sharing experiences with people, it helps to build relationships/ gain values between the readers. Nowadays with the accessibility of social medias, it is also easier to connect with readers – building relationships online.

3. To support a cause/ brand

Social media when used appropriately can help build awareness which leads to actions. When influencers use social media to support campaigns, they help to spread awareness, reach and educate more audiences about it – reaching more people that could not be done so previously. Influencers are trusted voices and are good at spreading the word, this encourage conversations and actions among the audiences. One example would be the most recent and known challenge on social platform – the ALS challenge, where people including celebrities, politicians, business leaders threw buckets of cold water on themselves. ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. Through the spread of such challenges on social media, it helped promote awareness and at the same time encouraged people to become more involved.

4. To keep up with changes

Nowadays, the popularity of promoting products online on social media platforms has been rising. To keep up with the changes, more have been turning to social media platforms to be kept updated on the latest brands/ products advertised by influencers. Therefore, influencers play a huge part in selling and promoting the company’s brand and product. To correctly target the right influencer that brings value, it is important to correctly identify the right target audience interests. Reaching out directly to the influencer might appeal to the company due to the low cost and easy accessibility. However, it might not be successful- due to misinterpretation and thus a mismatch. Companies can consider contacting an influencer marketing agency to identify the best suited influencer for the product, and to ensure the potential of the product/ brand to be promoted is stretched out to the maximum possibility.

Pros of using an influencer marketing agency

An influencer marketing agency helps

• Create and facilitate influencer marketing campaigns
• Maintain strong relationships with brands and influencers to create and execute campaigns that produce optimal results for both
• Identify the right influencer for your marketing campaign, negotiate prices and measure results