Use of Social Media in Marketing

The use of social media like facebook and Instagram has become the new trend in marketing. This form of Digital Marketing is being used by corporate firms to influence millions of people, across geographical boundaries, at a fraction of the cost they were earlier spending on print and TV ads. This is a medium of communication that cannot be neglected in the present itmes.

 

We all have seen our social influencers promoting a particular product on their channels. We connect that since the influencers are personally using that product, the product might actually be useful ! The credibility of these influencers have now started surpassing the well known celebrities. This is mostly because we are able to connect at a deeper level with these people than we would have connected with the celebrities.

 

To properly spread the message, the first step is targeting the audience. We should select our target audience wisely. For this we have to follow the STP approach.

 

Segmentation: we should segment the population into different groups based appropriate criteria like age, gender, economic status etc. this segmentation can be a multi dimensional segmentation, based on 2 or more criterial. Once the population has been segmented, we have to assign them weights based on how useful is a particular segment to our company’s sales.

 

After this, we identify a few segments that can deliver us the highest sales for the lowest cost on advertisements. This becomes our target group. Now we need to see where exactly can we find our target group online ?

 

• 30-40 aged persons, chances are they would be on facebook.
• 20-30 aged people will usually be on Instagram and twitter.
• The teens can be found mostly using the snapchat.

 

 This way we can categorize our target segment based on which sites they will most likely visit.

 

Then we identify the famous people on these social media sites, with which our target segment can most identify with. These social influencers usually have a following of a few thousands to a few hundred thousands. And like celebrities, they too take a few for doing the ads. But that is usually less than the Bollywood celebrities.

 

Apart from this, the marketing that the social influencers do is on a more personal level. They don’t run the same video add multiple times, rather they subtly nudge their followers to try their sponsored products. This can be done by unboxing videos, doing a product review, or simply mentioning a product in a general conversation. The product can even be promoted over multiple videos.

 

Such subtle nudges carry a great effect and push the customers into wanting to try out that product for themselves.

 

It has become increasingly important to study the dynamics of social marketing in the present times. I hope to learn more about it in the following modules. Thanks for reading !!

The Transformation of Communication

Long gone are the days when the medium of mass reach was newspapers, radio and television. These media developed (in that order) to connect the sender with the receiver. But the major challenge with them was that they offered a one way connect. The bygone era was not interactice.

 

In the last decade, we have stepped into perhaps what can be called as the golden age of two way communication. All the different modes of communications developed during the past few years have focussed on making the process more mobile and streamlined.

 

Today we live in the world where it has become indispensable to create a virtual presence. This virtual avatar of ourselves then becomes our gateway to the rest of the world. We gain access to the majority of information through these digital avatars. We curate our profiles to meet our interests which in turn filter the right set of information that we desire to read.

 

So it becomes even more important to understand how communication takes place in the present times. The major means of communication are:

 

1. Text based plateforms like blogs and websites
2. Video based platforms like Youtube
3. IM based platforms like Discord, Telegram, Whatsapp
4. Profile based: Facebook, Twitter
5. Picture based: Instagram, snapchat

 

All of these try to promote 2 way interaction between the sender and receiver of the information, and that too on a real time basis. A person can get instant feedback for the communication he sends.

These platforms differ on the way the information is shared among the population. But one thing is taken for granted that the reach of spread of information has now increased manifold.

 

Any one, with a good story can tell that to the world, and if the world likes the story, the person becomes a celebrity (even if for s short time). Such persons have been termed as “social influencers” and these days well established brands have started promoting their products through these social influencers.

 

Therefore it becomes critically important for the market stakeholders to cope up with the emerging trends of the modes of communication and re-align their market strategy. This increased access to communication will only grow in the future, and it is for the best. At the end of the day, it is providing a voice to all those who were not being heard in the past.

 

How to make a Visume

We all appreciate the importance of a CV. A well formulated CV can make or break a job interview. It is very important to follow a proper structure and use the right power words while designing your CV. One can say it is an art form.

But it the present times, a video resume is gaining popularity. In the world of globalization, people are sitting in far off places and applying to jobs in other cities. Many times it becomes difficult to come for interview. A video resume is a good alternative for an impersonal CV.

I feel that a video resume offers a chance of forming a more personal level connect with the interviewer than a bland sheet of CV. A visume offers a chance to showcase your personality and interpersonal skills. It allows you to show your emotions on your passion. To depict your enthusiasm.

These are some of the positives of making a video resume.

There are multiple ways a person can make their visume. The basic steps involved are:

1. Writing a script
2. Recording the video
3. Post record editing
4. Publishing it on media platforms

Writing a script is very important as it provides content you your visume. The content should be organized in a structured format. You can start by showcasing your most important achievements first, or you can follow a chronological/reverse chronological order. That is starting from your school to the college or going back from your college to your schooling achievements. Whatever structure you follow, try to maintain a consistency and avoid jumping from one era to the next without any connections. It should not be confusing to the listener.

The content should be crisp and the delivery should be articulate. A visume should not go beyond 3 minutes. People do not have patience to listen beyond the first 1.5 minutes ! So you have to make it really interesting.

 

Next step is recording yourself. These days all mobiles are equipped with a good enough camera to give a decent output. Just be comfortable and don’t read from a script. You can use prompters or cues to keep track of the content but speak while looking straight in the camera. If it appears that you have memorized the script or a reading off a paper, it will send a negative impression.

 

After recording yourself, some post editing becomes necessary. You might want to trim out some parts. It is a good idea to add a pic of your detailed CV, your social media handles and a starting welcome slide to the visume. A soothing but non disturbing music can also be added, but at a low volume. Many professional video editors are available. Free softwares like OpenShot are a good alternative. Even some mobile applications can be used to edit the videos.

The last step is publishing it on the internet. You can upload it on youtube and send that link out to the recruiters. This is useful in keeping a track of who has watched your visume. People might give constructive feedback for your efforts !

Making a visume proves that you are comfortable with technology and are motivated enough to embrace any tech change that a company might face. It shows that you can be an enthusiastic and proactive employee who is not afraid to try out new things.

Try making a visume for yourself if you are interested !

The Visume

In the present times of increasing digital penetration, it has become very important to create a digital presence. A Visume or a Video Resume is a digital CV where a person can watch a video and analyse if a candidate is suitable for employment. 

Here is my attempt to make my first Visume. Please share your suggestions and comments. 

In the video, I have tried highlighting my achievements and my capabilities. I have described the work I have done in the construction industry. I have also talked abount my hobbies and my coding passion.

By watching this video to the very end, you can get a gist of all the areas I am experienced in and if I would be a suitable employee in your organization.

Thank you.