Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
PROJECT ON
SESSION 2017-2019
SUBMITTED TO SUBMITTED BY
FACULTY OF ENGLISH
DEPARTMENT OF KALINGA
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Certificate
Project guide
Of Kalinga university,
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DECLARATION
Of Kalinga university,
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Acknowledgement
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ABSTRACT
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TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction…………………………………………………….………07
Definition…………………………………………………………………09
Research Methodology and Data Collection………………10
Social media marketing success factors………….………..13
7 Hard Truths About Social Media Marketing……………15
Background……………………………………………………………...20
Conclusion………………………………………………………….…….28
History of social media marketing…………………….………29
The Evolution of Social Media Marketing…………….….33
7 reasons why social media marketing is important for
your business…………………………………………………………..42
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INTRODUCTION
When using social media marketing, firms can allow customers and
Internet users to post user-generated content (e.g., online comments,
product reviews, etc.), also known as "earned media," rather than use
marketer-prepared advertising copy.
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marketing and advertising. Social networking sites act as word of
mouth or more precisely, e-word of mouth. The Internet's ability to
reach billions across the globe has given online word of mouth a
powerful voice and far reach. The ability to rapidly change buying
patterns and product or service acquisition and activity to a growing
number of consumers is defined as an influence network. Social
networking sites and blogs allow followers to "retweet" or "repost"
comments made by others about a product being promoted, which
occurs quite frequently on some social media sites. By repeating the
message, the user's connections are able to see the message, therefore
reaching more people. Because the information about the product is
being put out there and is getting repeated, more traffic is brought to
the product/company.[4]
Social networking websites are based on building virtual communities
that allow consumers to express their needs, wants and values, online.
Social media marketing then connects these consumers and audiences
to businesses that share the same needs, wants, and values. Through
social networking sites, companies can keep in touch with individual
followers. This personal interaction can instill a feeling of loyalty into
followers and potential customers. Also, by choosing whom to follow
on these sites, products can reach a very narrow target audience. Social
networking sites also include much information about what products
and services prospective clients might be interested in. Through the use
of new semantic analysis technologies, marketers can detect buying
signals, such as content shared by people and questions posted online.
An understanding of buying signals can help sales people target
relevant prospects and marketers run micro-targeted campaigns.
In 2014, over 80% of business executives identified social media as an
integral part of their business. Business retailers have seen 133%
increases in their revenues from social media marketing.
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Definition
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Research Methodology and Data Collection
There are several different ways to conduct a research and the very
first step is to decide which research approach to use. The approach
can be decided between two different options: deductive reasoning
and inductive reasoning. Deductive reasoning starts the research “top-
down”, meaning that the researcher starts the study with a general
knowledge following with more detailed information of the actual
matter. The inductive reasoning starts with the other way around
focusing first on the topic and developing the research into a more
general theory at the end.
When the idea of the research is clear, it is time to start thinking of how
to collect the data needed and which methodology to use. The
researcher will have to choose a methodology that will best suit her
project and meet the goals of the research. There are several different
research methodologies and contexts to use them, but only the most
common ones qualitative and quantitative research methods are
introduced here.
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research, if the research question starts with the questions what, why
and how, rather than with questions concerning quantity. Qualitative
research is all about understanding why people are behaving the way
they are and how things could be done differently. This research
method does not include big samples of people, but is more focused on
some specific group of people. Even though these two methodologies
differ from each other, both of them can be used in a same research.
Often the answer to a research question cannot be found without using
the mix of both methodologies.
As in this research the goal is to find out how should the social media
marketing of a case company be improved in order to achieve new
customers from Finland, the qualitative research method is chosen.
However, in order to be able to answer the question, a quantitative
method must be implemented as well. For that reason both, qualitative
and quantitative research methods will be carried out.
After selecting the right methods for the research it is time to start
collecting the data. In a research project the data means the
information that will be gathered for the research project. The data will
help the researcher to conduct the study and to build a clear picture of
the matter being studied.
In this research the primary data was collected from a web survey,
concluded among the students of Lahti University of Applied Sciences.
The purpose of the survey was to find out is Finnish youth is using social
media when searching for information of accommodation options.
Other source of primary data was an interview with a person working
for the case hostel. The interview was done via email and questions
were open end questions, allowing the person to answer freely.
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Another important source of information for this thesis was secondary
data, which was collected from literature, articles and from Internet
based sources. The following figure represents the data collection
methods of this research.
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Social media marketing success factors
1. Set business goals for your social media - it's best not to experiment
without a clear idea of how social media will support your business
goals.
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to social media marketing, so clear strategies are needed to show how
to achieve these.
6. Deploy best practice approaches for the core social media platforms.
Each social media platform such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube has
unique characteristics and audience needs. There is also a bewildering
array of tools to deploy and etiquette to follow so you won't be seen as
a spammer.
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7 Hard Truths About Social Media
Marketing
You’ve likely heard that social media has the potential to help you
multiply your revenue, far in excess of what you spent over the course
of the campaign. A few years ago, there were reports of businesses
seeing returns of 100, 200, or even 1,000 percent, and even today,
most marketers will tell you it’s one of the highest-ROI online marketing
strategies available, in part because of the low costs and nonexistent
barriers to entry.
Despite the fact that 77 percent of marketers are using at least one
social media channel to market their business, only 48 percent of
businesses claim to see any ROI whatsoever. There are many reasons
for this discrepancy—most of which are accounted for in the following
points.
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2. It takes significant time and effort to be successful.
Social media isn’t something you can “turn on” and expect to start
seeing an increase in revenue or conversions. It takes time and effort to
build a successful social media presence; you need to have a thorough
understanding of your target market, you need to carefully craft your
messaging and time your posts adeptly, and on top of that, you need to
be active consistently, engaging with your audience, sometimes for
months or years, before you see a return on the investment. Chances
are, you won’t break even your first month, both because it takes a
long time to generate a significant following and because you’ll make
lots of mistakes when you’re first starting out.
Let’s say one of your fellow business owners tells you they’re seeing a
500 percent ROI. That’s impressive, but where is it coming from? Are
they measuring that based on the number of visitors they’re getting
from social media? Based on an increase in sales that may or may not
have come from the channel directly? To make things even more
complicated, are they calculating costs accurately, including the time of
the full-time employees working on the campaign? In most cases, ROI is
self-reported, so it’s hard to ensure you’re getting an accurate account.
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4. Social media ROI depends on other marketing channels.
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company page can get without paying, in part to ensure that
mainstream users have a less commercial experience when browsing
their newsfeed, and in part to drive more necessity for paid advertising.
At some point in the not-so-distant future, ads may be necessary to be
seen on social media. Social media ads can yield a positive ROI in their
own right, but they’re inherently costlier than purely organic strategies.
Just one piece of viral content can quickly scale your social media
presence from “amateur” to “professional,” but the science on viral
content is fairly limited. Even if you have all the “right” ingredients in
place, there’s still an element of luck to your success. A competing
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piece of content might see 10 times as many shares as yours just
because it was timed differently, or because the right person happened
to see it first.
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Background
Social Media is a relatively new form of marketing that just about every
business today is at least aware of, if not already utilising it in some
form or another.
The global fixation with social media, or social networking as it’s often
referred to, can be easily compared to the hysteria of the Internet
revolution in the 1990’s. As reported by Mangold and Faulds (2009),
this marketing medium differentiates from the traditional
communication channels in terms of reach, frequency and immediacy,
with the most obvious difference being user-generated content.
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Business Investment
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Consumer Choice and Motivation
From the above, it can be understood that social media has a profound
impact on consumer choice in terms of brand and product selection
and that it is key to engage effectively with customers. There is a lot of
literature that discusses social media impact on consumers and why
businesses should engage with customers, exploiting social media to
provide value added etc. The main aim of this essay is to look into
various key researches in this area and to provide an overview of
effective social media marketing strategies for businesses.
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Social Media Strategy
While social media has its benefits, it is important that businesses are
acutely aware of their own social media strategies. One faux-pas might
prove to be detrimental to brand image and performance. For example,
an indepth study conducted by BusinessWeek (2009) discusses social
media hype and the disadvantages it may have on a business. For
instance, the potential risks social media marketing poses if employees
waste their time on social networking sites instead of on productive
tasks in the interests of the organisation. It also forewarns of blunders
that could have a profound negative impact on the business itself. This
statement is supported by providing evidence in the study that many
social media campaigns fail and it sites the example of one such
campaign by Saatchi & Saatchi’s campaign for Toyota Matrix, which led
to a lawsuit of $10 million (Groth, 2011). If this happens with a small
and medium enterprise, it may reap havoc on the business. The study
by BusinessWeek (2009) also says that it is hard to quantify the
outcomes that social media creates, such as trust and loyalty.
Hence it is important to have a good and well thought out social media
strategy tailored to the organisation’s needs. For example, selecting
which social networking sites to subscribe to and what kind of content
should be posted, and how frequently, are a key areas of a social media
strategy.
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One global organisation that appears to have mastered its social media
strategy is car manufacturer, Ford. In a recent case study the researcher
explains how Ford has included the key success elements in its strategy
including customised posts, user connectivity through tone of voice and
perhaps most importantly, a social media team that reads and responds
to every single comment made by followers (Ratcliff, 2014). However, it
is worth noting that Ford has worked out what works for its own
business, and this exact strategy may not necessarily drive the same
achievement for different organisations.
Social media is not the responsibility of one single person within the
organisation, rather a collective responsibility of all employees. Social
media policies and ‘etiquette’ guidelines need to be developed and
strictly adhered to, in order to prevent the risk of employees wasting
time and also to clearly define who owns the
communication/conversation, the level of transparency in
communications, the tone and frequency of messages, building trusting
and long-lasting customer relationships etc. The social media strategy
should also specifically define the outcomes, the ways in which to
measure these outcomes and the total spend on social media activities
along with dedicated resources.
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overall online marketing strategy and share contents with the users in a
social media-friendly ‘pressroom’. Effective collaboration and providing
value content plays a major role in determining the success of a social
media marketing strategy (Evans, 2010).
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Return on Investment
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Conclusion
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History of Social media marketing
The growth of social media has created a need for platforms to evolve
with consumers demands for something new and entertaining. Over
the years there have been many networks that have been slow to
implement changes or unable to adapt their platform to demands of
consumers.
Believe it or not social media did not start with Facebook, the idea of
social media began in the early 1970’s as a result of aspects like e-mail,
the first e-mail being sent in 1971. With the first solely social
interaction site developing in 1997, Six Degrees.
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The importance of understanding the history of social media marketing
is not only the development of the platforms but how they also offer
something unique for the customers and offer a personal, yet
sometimes interruptive form of advertising for businesses. Knowing
how to use social media marketing for your business properly and
acknowledge upcoming platforms as well as out-of-date sites gives you
advantage over others. At the moment Video is a hot trend but images
do still have more engagement on social media, so be sure to use the
right method for your business. There are so many different trends
available and with the platforms continually updating it is more
important than ever to make sure that you are creating content that
your audience will see. Your audiences are now more accessible than
ever with the help of these social media sites providing advertising and
specific targeting opportunities.
The majority of the sites that are still relevant are using Paid Advertising
on their platforms, this is increasingly important as businesses want to
be where consumers are, and if your platform is good enough it will
have the people. Using Paid Advertising on social media allows you to
target specific demographics, choosing the right social media marketing
strategy will determine the success of your campaign. For example,
Facebook’s demographic has shifted over the years and now 73% of 30-
49 year old’s are using the social network! If you are wishing to target
this audience, it would be illogical to put money into advertisements on
Instagram for example where the demographic is much younger.
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As well as primarily using social networks to advertise, they will allow
you to monitor audience trends and adapt to them. Social networks
also let you to communicate with your audience directly, by doing this
you are making your brand more personable; breaking down the
impression that your accounts are being run by corporate robots.
Overall, social networks allow you to get your name out there, by
interacting with your target demographic this can create a chain effect
in growing your business.
If you are unsure of whether you are up to date on the social media
marketing platforms available for you business or if you are unsure that
you are using them correctly for your business, get in touch for a no
obligation conversation.
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The Evolution of Social Media Marketing
A Brief History
Before there was social media, netizens in the 1970s and 1980s spent
most of their time on social networks like dating sites and online
forums. Six Degrees, Livejournal, and Friendster were the earliest form
of social medias.
The dot-com bubble of 1995 – 2002 was a critical event that allowed
the internet to become a viable marketing tool. It began with search
marketing, prompting brands to create websites to establish an online
presence. As Google, Yahoo and MSN’s search engines evolved,
companies turned to SEO strategies to remain at the top of search
results.
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When web 2.0 sites – blogs in particular – increased in popularity,
marketers began to recognize the potential of content marketing.
Inbound marketing, where more value is added for the customer and
business is earned, starts replacing age-old “buy, beg or bug” outbound
marketing strategies.
In 2003 – 2004, the arrival social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn
and My Space initiates the shift of internet users from multiplayer
online games into social networking sites. Eventually, businesses picked
up on the positive effects of a social media site presence on e-
commerce and started creating their own profiles on the popular
networking sites.
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effectiveness of marketing and overall customer satisfaction. 83% of
customers who post complaints on a brand’s social site like Twitter and
get a reply state that they are satisfied. This helped companies retain
more of their customers, resulting to increased existing customer
transactions.
There are over 2 billion people online at any given time. Around 23% of
the total time spent on the internet is spent on browsing or interacting
within social media sites. At least 53% of individuals who are active on
social media sites such as Facebook are following a brand. With the
help of global internet, more and more customers (if not all) are
expecting their brands to have an online presence.
This year’s tablets, iPads, and Android-operated phones will only make
internet browsing all the more accessible for consumers, and social
media marketing will allow companies to reach out to more target
markets. As long as the internet exists, social media will remain an
important part of marketing strategies.
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7 reasons why social media marketing is
important for your business
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Cost-effective
Social media is a good way for engaging and interacting customers. The
more you communicate with the audience, the more chances you have
of conversion. Set up a two-way communication with your target
audience so that their wishes are known and their interest is catered
with ease. Moreover, communication and engagement with customers
is one the ways to win their attention and convey them your brand
message. Thus, your brand will reach more audience in real terms and
gets itself established without any hassle.
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Improved brand loyalty
When you have a social media presence, you make it easier for your
customers to find you and connect with you. By connecting with your
customers through social media, you are more probable to upsurge
customer retention and customer loyalty. Since developing a loyal
customer base is one of the main goals of almost any business.
Customer satisfaction and brand loyalty typically go hand in hand. It is
essential to often engage with your customers and start developing a
bond with them. Social media is not just limited to introducing your
product, it is also a leading platform for promotional campaigns. A
customer sees these platforms as service channels where they can
directly communicate with the business.
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Marketplace awareness
One of the best ways to find the needs and wants of your customers
instead of directly communicating with them is Marketplace awareness.
It is also considered as the most valuable advantage of social media. By
observing the activities on your profile, you can see customers’ interest
and opinions that you might not know otherwise if you didn’t have a
social media presence. As a complementary research tool, social media
can help you get information and a better understanding of your
industry. Once you get a large following, you can then use additional
tools to examine other demographics of your consumers.
For making your business more powerful, brand loyalty and customer
satisfaction both play a major role, but it all comes down to
communication. When customers see your company posting on social
media, especially replying to their queries and posting original content,
it helps them build a positive image in their minds. Regularly interacting
with your customers proves that you and your business care about
them. Once you get a few satisfied customers, who are vocal about
their positive purchase experience, you can let the advertising be done
for you by genuine customers who appreciated your product or service.
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Increased traffic
One of the other benefits of Social Media is that it also helps increase
your website traffic. By sharing your content on social media, you are
giving users a reason to click-through to your website. On your social
account, the more quality content you share, the more inbound traffic
you will generate while making conversion opportunities.
Final words
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improved brand loyalty, healthier customer satisfaction and much
more. Your competition is already increasing on social media day by
day, so don’t let your competitors take your probable customers. The
earlier you start, the faster you see the growth in your business.
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How to Develop Your Social Media
Marketing Strategy
Before a few years ago, you could get away with building a social media
marketing strategy on a whim. But with 30% of people saying they
engage with brands on social at least once a month, purely existing isn’t
going to cut it anymore. If you’re not fully engaged and emerged in
accomplishing the goals set in your strategy, there will be serious
effects on your desired results.
The first step is to establish the goals and objectives you want to
achieve. A key component of setting effective goals is determining what
metrics you’ll use to measure them.
You should use the acronym S.M.A.R.T when setting these goals. Each
objective is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-
Bound.
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An example of this from our Home Décor client above would
be: “For Instagram we will share client photos that showcase
our products in real homes. We will do this by posting three
client photos a week. The target for each is at least 50 likes and
5 comments.”
“You can’t know where you’re going until you know where
you’ve been.” Take a look at where you are and consider a few
points:
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How does your social media presence compare to your
competitors?
Age/Gender
Location
Income
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Interests
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Wrong.
You know who your ideal customer is as you used that research
to create your mission statements. Here are a few examples of
content you could create:
Images
Videos
Blog Posts
eBooks/Infographics
Company Updates
Gifs
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If you’re unsure of what types of content to produce, try the
social media rule of thirds. It’s important to have a good mix of
content to engage the audience prior to trying to sell your
product or service:
Last but not least, the most important step when it comes to
social media success. Trial and error will be your best friend
when it comes to analyzing data and making tweaks.
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Track the number of clicks, leads, or purchases your ads
Analytics
Now that you have the ‘Why’ and the ‘How,’ you need the
‘What.’
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Checkmark #1: What are your brand’s social media goals?
and error, you will reach your core audience much faster.
stay on track.
Checkmark #2: What social platforms will you use to reach your
audience?
o Facebook
o Instagram
o Twitter
o LinkedIn
o Pinterest
o Snapchat
o Yelp
o Google+
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o Age Range
o Gender
o Income
o Education
o Behaviors
o Interests
your content.
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o The amount of clicks on your content determines how
Checkmark #5: Who are your competitors and what are their
strengths and weaknesses?
media pages
o Videos
o Photos
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o eBooks
o Webinars
o Blogs
o Case Studies
Checkmark #7: What are the best time and dates to post for
your target customer?
Checkmark #8: How will you track and optimize your social
media efforts?
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opportunities, talented employees, and better products. But
don’t take the short way out. If at first you don’t succeed, don’t
give up. Stray away from being comfortable and what’s safe.
Social media is a marathon, not a sprint.
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Preference
ww.wikipedia.com
www.targetstudy.com
www.hintedu.com
www.quora.com
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