More Businesses Are Reformatting Their Marketing Strategies to Incorporate the Growth of Social Media

Over the past few years, we have seen the growth of social media sites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. The growth of these sites have forced businesses around the world to change their marketing strategies.

So how much does social media impact businesses today? Even the following video is uploaded by YouTube, a viral video site that is connecting people across the world. YouTube is the leading online video provider, with over 4 billion videos being viewed every day. About 8% of these videos are monetized using advertisements from thousands of businesses around the world. As the following video by ColderICE.com explains, “the revolution will not be televised, it will be digitalized.

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Businesses Are Uploading YouTube Videos to Market Their Brand

Businesses are utilizing YouTube to promote their products or services. For example, Scott Herman Fitness posts short workout clips with hopes of YouTube viewers purchasing full length videos on their online store. In addition, Smirnoff, a leading vodka manufacturer, has posted a rap music video parody entitled “Tea Partay” to promote the releasing of a new flavor of vodka. H&R Block held a contest to promote its tax filing services entitled “My Super Sweet Tax Refund.” YouTube users filmed humorous videos of themselves explaining what they would do if they won the $5,000 which H&R awarded to the funniest user submission. Other businesses are using YouTube for damage control by posting videos about their business’ mistakes. JetBlue’s CEO personally apologized for the incompetence of JetBlue customer service when there was a winter storm in February of 2007. The CEO of FedEx also apologized via YouTube for the actions of a driver that was caught on camera throwing a computer monitor delivery over a fence. These examples are just some of the numerous marketing strategies that companies are starting to adopt with the growth of social media.

The Music Business Profits from YouTube Videos by Linking Songs to Amazon and Itunes

Amazon and iTunes have also reaped the profits of music sales through YouTube. Many YouTube users add music to the videos which they upload but do not have the copyright licenses to legally use the music. YouTube allows users to have songs in their videos as long as they directly link these songs to iTunes and Amazon so viewers have an option to purchase the songs. I can personally attest to the success of this marketing strategy. I frequently listen to artists on YouTube and I buy their songs using the Amazon links. In fact, I have switched from iTunes to Amazon when buying songs because Amazon is actually cheaper.

Online Businesses Increase Marketability by Allowing Consumers to Review Products 

With the increase of social media, companies have also increased their sales by using customer-based review websites. I interviewed Professor Howard Frank (former Dean of the Maryland Business School) to hear his take on social media’s impact on businesses. Professor Frank says that the biggest change in online marketing in the past 10 years is that customers can get almost anything they want online.

Today, consumers discuss products and services openly on social media sites and (as the graph to the left depicts) most consumers trust each other’s opinion about products rather than traditional advertisements.

Essentially, businesses now make it easier for their products and services to be evaluated and purchased by customers. As Lung Yu Chang explains,  companies are increasingly relying on a concept he calls “E-Word-of-Mouth.”
Online retailer Amazon.com (see photo to right)
has used different aspects of social media to easily market its product. Amazon users can write reviews, rant, or rave about products which they have purchased (red arrow) and ‘like’ products too. Furthermore, users can share their own product images which may show flaws in product design or product strengths (green arrow). Finally, users can also share the product they like to sites such as Facebook and Twitter (blue arrow).

Businesses Making Facebook Pages to Promote Products

Businesses also use Facebook and Twitter to market their products and services. With over 840 million Facebook users and over 465 million Twitter users, businesses can effortlessly market their products to millions of people with a status update or tweet. Nike uses its Facebook page to communicate with its 8 million fans. For example, in honor of the upcoming NFL season, Nike debuted its newest football jerseys. Facebook users who ‘liked’ this post then shared it with their friends, demonstrating another aspect of E-Word-Of-Mouth. 

Businesses Use Twitter to Build Personal Relationships with their Customers

Many owners of businesses tweet in order to have a more personal relationship with their customers. Consumers then feel more inclined to buy products or services because they can personally connect to the seller. Richard Branson (founder of Virgin Group) tweets about anything—ranging from what he eats to parties that he is attending. One of his recent tweets reads, “Here are some photos of the baby #gorillas we flew to Gabon, thriving in the African bush.” All of these tweets connects Branson to his followers/customer base which contributes to a more personalized level of marketing.

Businesses Face Disadvantages Using Social Media Marketing

Businesses are still not completely focusing their advertising efforts on Facebook and Twitter. There are several disadvantages to using social media marketing. Negative comments on a product or service can be viewed by many consumers using online stores such as Amazon. In addition, sites like Facebook can also have a negative E-Word-Of-Mouth aspect. I remember my friend once posted a status about a specific type of headphones: “Never buying Skull Candy again; got them two weeks ago and they suddenly stopped working…” I have never bought a pair of these headphones strictly because my friend posted this status. Another disadvantage of social media as Professor Frank explains, is a large portion of customer base are older and will not be familiar with these new social media sites. 

listen to ‘Didn't like themboo’ on Audioboo

Businesses still use traditional forms of marketing such as television advertisements or print ads—they are just shifting some of their strategies to respond to the exponential growth of social media. With roughly 7 new Facebook users per second and 12 new Twitter users per second, it is no wonder why businesses are connecting to their consumers using social media.

A Webbed Uprising: Iran’s Citizens Protest on a World Stage Using the Media.

About one year ago on February 14th, 2011, millions of Iranian citizens marched the streets of their country for protesting. 

After the controversial election results of 2009, millions of Iranians were outraged that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had defeated Mir-Houssein Mousavi in a landslide victory. Mousavi had accused his rival of election fraud because the real number of votes for each candidate were never actually shown to the public.

The coordination of these protests were fueled by Iranians’ use of social media. A Facebook page was created for the protest and the page spread exponentially. The page called for solidarity demonstrations by stating, “we encourage you to join the thousands on the street right now.” Despite government efforts to censor it, the page continued to gather millions of hits. Other Facebook pages described the locations of various protests and even the proper attire that protesters should wear.

Furthermore, many Iranians recorded the protests with mobile devices and shared them on YouTube. Many videos show the brutality of police (like the video below) which enrage citizens throughout Iran and gather more protesters.

Other videos showed the intensity and numbers of protesters in Iran. Thousands of Iranians stopped traffic in Tehran. The more video of thousands protesting showed the world how enraged Iranians were.

Women in Iran were suppressed due to Islamic law, so they utilized social media to protest atrocious police practices. Many women were tortured and were raped after post election protests. A 22 year old woman recounted her horrible experience to The Guardian (see video below).

After being kidnapped while walking on her college campus, she was assaulted numerous times. She states that she was forced to sign a confession statement of being a terrorist and danger to national security. Very few post-election female arrestees have come forward to talk about their experiences because they fear being arrested again, and there are also the Islamic stigmas surrounding rape. Rape victims are often blamed for being raped in Islamic countries. Sometimes rape victims are even killed because they are seen as dirty and tarnished. However, as the video above shows, a woman has the power to tell her story without risking her life. The video above garnered over 75,000 views and has been shared numerous times through Facebook and Twitter. The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran fueled their campaign to hold Ahmedinejad accountable for human rights violations after this video was released.

Finally, another instance of Iranians using social media to protest can be seen in the case of Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani. Ashtiani was sentenced to death by way of stoning after being convicted of adultery. Ashtiani’s lawyer blogged about his client and how she would die if the sentence was not reprieved. This inhumane sentence was decried by thousands across the world using Twitter. United States politicians denounced the sentence and celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan even tweeted in defense of Ashtiani. After much outcry, the Iranian government reprieved Ashtiani’s sentence thanks to thousands of social media users.

The impact of social media can easily be seen through the developing country of Iran. After Iranians shared their protesting experiences through YouTube and Facebook, millions of people around the world recognized the outrage of Iranians. President Obama even supported Iranian protests. Without social media, the Iranian protests would be very difficult for the world to see and inhumane punishments would continue to be carried out. 

The Rise of Radio Programs

When radios started to become increasingly popular in the beginning of the 20^th century, there were no laws or regulations regarding airwaves. Literally anyone who had the resources to make a transmitter and receiver could broadcast whatever they wanted. Most amateur radio operators did not know how to build a transmitter, so many young broadcasters bought A. Frederick Collins’ manual which taught amateur radio experimenters how to build a transmitter. These amateur radio operators broadcasted their own shows, which ranged from music to comedy shows. Eventually, there were so many amateur radio operators who were competing against commercial radio operators, radio wave interference was becoming rampant. On August 13^th, 1912 the government stepped in and adopted “An Act to Regulate Radio Communication” to regulate amateur radio operators. This law did not ban amateur radio operators, but it limited amateur radio operators to broadcast at wavelengths of 200 meters. After the United States had entered into World War I, President Wilson issued an Executive Order which banned all amateur radio stations in an attempt to curb anti-war opinions. 

After World War I began the Golden Age of Radio, which began in 1920.  The Golden Age spawned the rise of commercial radio stations. With commercials, it was possible to produce many programs that centered around various topics such as music, comedy, romance, drama, horror, quiz shows, panel discussions (talk shows) or news. Unlike today's radio, commercials would be placed at the beginning and end of radio programs. 

Cast of Allen's Alley

One program was named “Professor Quiz”, which debuted in 1936. Professor Quiz was a man  named Dr. Craig Earl who claimed to have a Theology degree from Tufts University. Contestants asked Dr. Earl a question and when he could not answer the question the contestant would win $25. Other shows that were popular were comedy venues, such as Allen’s Alley hosted by Fred Allen. The beginning of the show would consist of Allen performing a brief monologue. Then a music interlude would let the audience know that Allen and other characters were in a fictitious alley. In the alley, Allen would ask a question that regarded current events around the United States such as gas rationing, traffic, or the Pulitzer Prizes. The characters would make jokes about these current events and some would say catch phrases like “That’s a joke, son” or “Pay attention, boy!”

The first soap opera began as a radio program named Clara, Lu, and Em which debuted on June 16^th, 1930. This show centered around three gossiping housewives who lived in a small town. Compared to today’s soap operas, Clara, Lu, and Em was light and comedic. A more serious and horrific radio program was Quiet, Please! which debuted on June 8^th, 1947. Here is the beginning of an episode  which describes a story of an oil-field worker who encounters a seemingly evil dead body.  I think shows like Clara, Lu, and Em and Quiet, Please! were like current successful shows like Days of Our Lives and American Horror Story. The people that performed in these radio shows had some of the most famous voices of that time. These voices were the best in the radio industry—like the best movie actors in our day, and they entertained their audiences well. The sound effects (like walking up a flight of stairs or eating a sandwich) are superb, and I can really visualize what the narrator is describing.

The booming Golden Age of Radio would come to an end with the growing use of televisions in the 1950's. It is important to recognize the importance of early radio programs because these programs would set the precedent for future shows such as Saturday Night Live (which was partially inspired by Allen’s Alley).

Information Filters Are Like Car Air Filters; Change Them When You Need To!

A couple months ago, I started my car up and noticed a distinct smell coming from the AC. It was similar to a moldy smell and I realized that it had been some time before my air filter was replaced. I went to an auto parts store and replaced my old air filter, and immediately noticed a difference in air quality. I think that this situation is parallel to what Joab Jackson and Clay Shirky are trying to explain to us. Like allergens, debris, and dust, there are millions of useless (if not harmful) pieces of personal information. We as a society cannot do anything about the massive amount of personal information on the internet, so it is solely up to us to filter it effectively.

There is an article entitled, “Nearly Half of Facebook Users Still Accept Unknown Friends” (http://www.prosecurityzone.com/News/It_security/Internet_security_and_content_filtering/Nearly_half_of_facebook_users_still_accept_unknown_friends_11350.asp#axzz1lBjdpZ3e) In this article, two fake Facebook accounts are made up and send friend requests to various strangers. About 95 strangers accept the request, despite the fake accounts having profile pictures of cats and rubber ducks. This is rather alarming considering the fake accounts could have been con artists who were gathering personal information to steal identities from these 95 strangers. Essentially, these people are suffering from filter failure. There are millions of potential Facebook friends, but it is up to us to filter who to accept or reject.

Both Jackson and Shirky point out that when we are interacting in social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter, it may seem as though we are sharing information with a small group of friends, but that is far from reality. As University of Maryland Baltimore County Assistant Professor Zeynep Tufekci says, "So many people are using [social-networking sites] and they are acting like it is a private space. But it actually is a public space." As Shirky states, “In personal life, you could walk down the street with your friend having a conversation and somebody could be listening to you… and its not like every word you say is being recorded for posterity.” Today, we have to be very careful what we post on Facebook and Twitter because it could be seen by someone that should not see it. There are aspects of our personal lives that simply should never be seen by our parents, co-workers or professors.

When my friend Paul was applying to colleges, he changed his last name to his middle name on Facebook. Paul did this because he feared an admissions counselor would look up his Facebook and see inappropriate photos that would hinder his acceptance. Paul never changed his last name back because he now fears potential employers will look at his Facebook, and now people in college actually think his middle name is his last name. Is Paul being ridiculous or are admission counselors and potential employers overstepping their boundaries? Today, the information we put on Facebook are public, and not private. Paul, like all users of Social Media, should filter the comments and photos he posts. I like to ask myself when I upload a picture to Facebook, “What will my mom say when she sees this?” After all, I am Facebook friends with my mom and she will surely see this photo and all the embarrassing/explicit comments that will accompany it.