The incredible reach of social media throughout the world is probably not one of the aspects of the internet’s development you would have thought of ten years ago. The rise and rise of the mobile phone industry, leading to smartphones and now tablets, means you can keep in contact with whomever you want, whenever you want and wherever you are.
It’s not surprising, then, that the business world has embraced social media even though it wasn’t initially designed for businesses to use. Businesses realize that they have the opportunity to connect and communicate with you.
Image source: pixabay.com
Building trust
Rather than just post information on products and services, businesses want to build up a relationship with customers, and it’s a useful strategy. If, for example, you follow a business on Twitter, instead of bombarding you with advertising and low prices, they could post something more personal or relating to a charity they support. By engaging your interest and not smothering you with ads, they have a better chance of striking up that relationship, and you may be more likely to become a customer or client.
Global influence
Many businesses have global interests, and they can harness the power of social media to get their messages across to those they might not otherwise reach. Strategies here, such as using Facebook to connect with people, need to be carefully thought through before being implemented. Different countries use different social media platforms, for example, and cultures are different too. Sound research should ensure that, as far as possible, businesses put out a positive, friendly image.
International politics
Social media was a major player during the so-called Arab Spring, where thousands of people in countries such as Egypt and Libya used platforms such as YouTube and Twitter to communicate with each other and the outside world to inform about developments and send pictures and videos of what was happening, frequently live. For telecommunications companies, the instant access to rolling news, when often they were unable to have reporters on the ground, proved invaluable.
Afghanistan – a case study
The Middle East has been plagued by turmoil in many places for many years, not least Afghanistan. You may not have heard about Ehsanollah Bayat, but he established the country’s major mobile telephone network, Afghan Wireless, and has thus enabled many millions of Afghans to be connected to their friends and relatives as well as business associates. It covers every province, and has been a key enabler in business development and the establishment of new industries.
Being available
Thanks to social media, businesses effectively never close. They can contact you at any time, and you can choose to access information from them at any time. This can be especially useful for global businesses as they can tailor their messages to specific time zones and respond quickly to orders and requests.
Surfing social media
Successful businesses are ones that can adapt quickly to new opportunities, and by using social media outlets to connect to millions of potential customers and clients, they open up new opportunities for the future.
from Darlene Milligan http://ift.tt/1FFg41S via check out these guys
from Tumblr http://ift.tt/1PZN83X
No comments:
Post a Comment