Digitalisation and technological advancement have today taken over the world in so many ways. In the case of business methods and models, the entire focus of marketing has shifted predominantly – especially in recent years. Digital marketing is the leading force in online advertising and marketing for businesses across varying industries, and it is only gaining more traction as time goes on. One concept of digital marketing that is enjoying a meteoric rise currently issocial media marketing. The thing about social media marketing that makes it such a phenomenal success story for so many businesses across vastly different industries, is that in many ways, social media is our way of connecting in all aspects of life. When businesses first began using social media as a key digital marketing strategy, people expected it to take off, but perhaps not this intensely and for this long. So, what are the three keys that make it so special, so powerful?

Turning consumer interest into a marketing weapon

Consumers today are more heavily invested in their online presence and the news feeds on their social media platforms than they are in the real world around them. This is especially true for the younger generations, the ones who have grown up positively immersed in and surrounded by digitalisation and technological advancement. The rising sense of importance that consumers place on social media began to become more notable to businesses, and the smartest companies realised that if social media is where consumers are increasingly spending more of their time, that is where they should be exercising more of their marketing power. And so, the vision was born.

Establishing an aesthetic vision

Using social media has a marketing strategy might be something that some companies are still getting used to, but it is also something that is having phenomenal impact across the board. In using social media channels as a key marketing strategy, businesses establish an aesthetic vision that excites and inspires when users click through to the social media page. When consumers engage with a brand that has social media pages that are both so collectively stunning and individually impactful, they always click ‘follow’. Always. And that is where the consumer relationship with businesses through social media first begins. Establishing the vision and successfully carrying it out is fantastic, of course, but it is just the beginning.

Catering to each consumer’s personal preferences

At the end of the day, social media marketing is centred around the concept of perfecting personalisation for each individual consumer. While establishing social media presence is important, so is catering to as many consumers as possible. Social media opens a world of opportunity up to consumers, and the brands that take control of that opportunity and spin it to be personal and special, are the ones who get the most interest. Over time, as individuals ‘follow’ more businesses via social media, their personal preferences become more obvious, and businesses with similar branding either ‘follow’ them in a bid to gain their attention, or begin drawing marketing inspiration from the businesses these individuals follow. And so, the trend grows and grows.