08 Jul Techipedia on the Definition of Social Media Marketing
What is the definition of Social Media Marketing? Well, Techipedia author Tamar Weinberg asked that very question of several online marketers, social media strategists, and writers. The responses were varied, but overall, the answers seemed to grasp on to the idea of listening, conversation, and the relationships created therein. It also is widely noted amongst those who were asked that social media marketing is often creative, playful, and yet focused. I believe these aspects, along with the ideal of social media marketing utilizing existing technology to make marketing efficient and immediate, are what make this realm of marketing so attractive. As long as we have the means to use the tools available to us for little to no cost, then it is silly not to. You don’t have to take my word for it, though:
From Louis Gray, blogger: A successful social media marketer would be somebody who grasps where his/her audience is and knows where conversations will take place online. They would typically leverage social networking sites and news aggregators, and engaging in such a way that their message or product is communicated.
And from Jonathan Fields, entrepreneur and marketer, comes a much different definition: Reality is, everyone who engages in social media on a regular basis is a social media marketer, it’s just a matter of what we’re marketing. Some people are looking to change the world, others to change what people buy and still others just want to make friends.
Weinberg does a nice job here of compiling a variety of opinions and takes on the subject while staying objective herself. She chimes in only to summarize: Successful social media marketers are thought leaders. They must be kept abreast of the latest technologies in addition to buzz surrounding the products and services that they are responsible to market. Above all, though, social media marketers’ contributions to the community should be selfless and should be thought to benefit those who engage within the community.
To read the full article, click here. We’d love to know in our comments how you define social media marketing.
