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SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING - APPLICATION AND POSSIBLE ISSUES


WHAT IS SMM

SMM (Social Media Marketing) is a brand, product, or service promotion system that involves the use of social networks (such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) to attract audience attention, engage with them, increase brand and product awareness, create or enhance the company's image and its products, and also increase sales and achieve other business goals. SMM encompasses a range of strategies and tactics aimed at creating, publishing, and distributing content on social media platforms.

SMM (Social Media Marketing) includes two main directions: organic and advertising. Each direction has its own usage characteristics:

• Organic SMM involves building a presence and interaction on social media without direct use of paid advertising tools. The main idea is to create interesting and useful content to attract and retain an audience, build an active community around the brand, and spread information about the brand with its active assistance. Organic SMM focuses on audience engagement, including responding to comments, reviews, questions, and supporting dialogue.

• Advertising SMM is focused on using paid advertising tools on social media to achieve specific marketing goals. With the help of advertising settings, social media advertising allows for much more precise targeting of the audience, taking into account demographic indicators, audience interests, and behavioral characteristics. Social media platforms collect a vast amount of personal data that is used for advertising targeting.

Both directions of SMM can work together, enhancing each other's effectiveness. Organic SMM lays the groundwork for advertising SMM by increasing awareness and engagement with the audience, while advertising SMM helps increase the volume and effectiveness of marketing efforts through targeted advertising.


TYPES OF CONTENT

Due to the vast amount of information and constant flow of content on social media, it might seem that communications for each individual brand, product, or service are chaotic. However, this is not the case. An experienced SMM specialist (or SMM marketer) develops a content plan that includes a publication schedule and specific proportions of information based on the following criteria:

• Entertaining content,
• Informational content,
• Brand-related content,
• Advertising content.

Depending on the industry or brand, the proportions between these types of content will vary, but the main principle remains unchanged – having entertaining and informational components is essential. The essence and realities of social media development require such content for SMM success – otherwise, it will not work.

Another important element of the content plan is the inclusion of different formats for presenting information to cover as many people as possible – some prefer long reads, others infographics, and some only watch videos. Again, depending on the industry and product, the content plan should include the following formats:

• Text content,
• Infographics,
• Videos (long and short).

It is also important to understand that each of the popular social media platforms has its own peculiarities regarding the purpose of visit by potential consumers and the content format. For example, what works well for Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok might not be suitable for LinkedIn, and vice versa. This also needs to be taken into account when creating a content plan by an SMM marketer.


MAIN ELEMENTS

In general, when approaching SMM systematically and with expertise, an effective SMM system includes the following main components, which can be used as a checklist:

• Strategy. If a company lacks a clear strategy, it's difficult to determine what exactly it aims to achieve through SMM.

• Target audience. Understanding the target audience, their demographic characteristics, interests, and behavior helps create relevant content.

• Content planning. Defining a publication schedule, themes, and content types helps maintain a balanced and audience-focused approach.

• Content creation. Crafting diverse and engaging content that meets the needs and interests of the audience leads to its growth and expansion.

• Interaction and feedback. Active engagement with the audience, responding to comments and questions, personalizes relationships, and demonstrates the company's attention to audience needs.

• Analytics and metrics. Measuring the effectiveness of campaigns and publications helps identify trends and opportunities for improvement.

• Advertising and promotion. Using advertising tools to expand audience reach enhances brand awareness and achieves specific marketing goals.

• Community and collaboration. Building an active community around the brand, collaborating with influencers, partners, etc., creates a desired dynamic company image.

• Competition analysis. Studying and analyzing competitors' activity on social media, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, helps better navigate the market and stand out in a competitive environment.

• Adaptation and optimization. Based on analytics and feedback, making changes to strategies and plans to enhance overall SMM effectiveness.

These components help create a harmonious and effective SMM system that contributes to achieving the company's marketing goals..


POSSIBLE ISSUES

To conclude, when actively using SMM, it is essential to be cautious and recognize that SMM carries certain risks not inherent in other communication channels, including:

• Negative feedbacks and reputation crises. Social media allows users to publicly express negative opinions about brands, products, and services. Swift and appropriate response in such situations is important to avoid reputation crises.

• Opinion changes. The social media audience can quickly change its opinions about a brand or product, which can impact public perception and brand acceptance.

• Viral content spread. Content can go viral and spread rapidly, but there is a risk of losing control and leading to unintended perceptions of the brand or information.

• Sensitivity to others' opinions. Communicating on behalf of the company in social media requires specific skills in responding appropriately to criticism, feedback, and opinions that may differ from the company's position.

• Authenticity and genuineness. Social media demand a more authentic approach to interacting with the audience; inappropriate or artificial communication can trigger negative reactions.

• Social noise. The volume of information on social media can be overwhelming, making it challenging to track reactions to content and interact with the audience.

• Platform algorithm changes. Social media platforms periodically change their algorithms, which can impact organic content reach and visibility.

SMM is highly significant in modern marketing, helping businesses establish connections with their audience, attract new customers, strengthen brand reputation, and increase sales. However, caution should be exercised when implementing SMM. Adhering to ethical standards, understanding the audience, strategizing, and being prepared to handle various challenges contribute to a successful and sustainable SMM strategy.

Achieving the commercial objectives of a company through effective marketing requires a deep understanding of the market situation, consumer needs, the ability to analyze and explore alternatives, and a creative approach to problem-solving. Our company has extensive experience in defining optimal marketing strategies for our clients' businesses, creating a strong brand and market positioning, as well as developing a marketing mix and implementing the chosen strategy. You can familiarize yourself with the services and solutions our company offers on the "Services" and "Solutions" pages, respectively.