Has Social Media Marketing Helped Multinational Companies or Not

Has social media marketing helped multinational companies or not?

Introduction

Social media marketing refers to the process of gaining website traffic or attention through social media websites (Trattner and Kappe, 2013). Social media marketing programs commonly centers on attempts to make content that draws attention and encourages readers to share it across their social networks. The resulting electronic word of mouth (eWoM) refers to any statement consumers share via the Internet (e.g., web sites, social networks, instant messages, news feeds) about an event, product, service, brand or company (Kietzmann and Canhoto, 2013). However, there are a number of people who claim that the use of social media marketing by multinational companies is a waste of time and money and it is difficult to manage it effectively and efficiently (Worstall, 2012). In this paper arguments will be critically evaluated from both sides in order to show that there is compelling evidence that social media marketing has helped multinational companies. In the first few paragraphs the content gives an idea of how multinational companies use social media marketing for maintaining reputation, promoting products and how one uses it to start multinational companies in detail. This paper will explore the different types of social media marketing platforms. In the next few paragraphs the content gives an explanation on improvements in social media marketing platforms, how consumers use social media platforms to communicate with multinational companies about problems with products or services delivered and how do companies respond to them through social media. It will also give a guru’s view about social media marketing and a multinational company’s perspective on the usage of social media marketing platforms to market a company’s products and services. There is a brief explanation on Returns on investment through the use of social media marketing platforms. In the end arguments from both sides will be differentiated and concluded on which one of the either are more persuasive. After studying this research paper, one will understand what social media marketing is and how it is used and not used by multinational companies.

Social media marketing platforms’ usages

Social media marketing is an important tool used by multinational companies for finding new consumers around the world and keeping existing consumers loyal (Julian, 2012). Social media marketing is beneficial for multinational companies because it has enabled them to spread messages to consumers around the world (Berthon et al., 2012). Most of the multinational companies now use social media marketing platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram for reaching a wider audience.

Social media marketing platforms’ affordability

Social media marketing is much cheaper than traditional advertising and promotional activities which cost huge amounts of money. Multinational companies sometimes hire social media experts to take care of a company’s social media content, and use social media marketing for creating good publicity about new and upcoming products to the general public.

If a multinational company produces a unique product which is hard to sell because people do not know how to use it, then social media marketing platforms are one of the best places for promoting an out of the world unique product. One of the greatest examples for this is the IPhone which was first made by Apple Incorporated. It was the world’s first touch screen phone with multi-tasking features. If it wasn’t for Apple’s social media strategy the company would not have the position it has today. Apple spends billions of dollars for its marketing and social media marketing is a big part of it.

Different types of social media marketing platforms

There are different types of social media marketing platforms that multinational companies can use in different places and at different times.

Facebook has the largest registered accounts in the world, which has multiple features and through which anyone can post anything from a long post to a photo or video. If a company wants to communicate to most of the people around the world then the company should use Facebook as its marketing platform.

Twitter has the second largest registered accounts in the world, but it does not have so many features as Facebook has and anyone can post messages but it must be only 140 characters and photos. Companies can use Twitter to make short and interesting announcements of new and upcoming products or services to get users attention and some people might like short messages so that consumers can remember it.

YouTube is a video sharing platform through which users can only post videos; it has some video editing features anyone can use. Companies can use YouTube for showing consumers how to use their products and/or services; how to fix a small problem with the product if it has occurred.

Instagram is a photo sharing platform through which users can only post photos. Companies can use this if their product lines are real estate, food, clothes, technology and others

Blogs like Blogger, Tumbler are social media platforms where people discuss about different topics or different places. Companies can use blogs to drive traffic to your website which means to get more website visitors.

Starting a company through social media

If someone wants to start a multinational company and survive for a period of time from big competitions, social media marketing platforms must be used as much as possible for creating awareness about the new company and the products or services it delivers among the general public.

Improvements in social media marketing platforms

Social media marketing platforms have been improving themselves for multinational companies in significantly changing customer and business performance. Therefore, more companies have started creating social media marketing strategies for increasing business performance in both the short and long run. Social media marketing platforms keep on updating themselves according to the current environment. An environment keeps on changing due to the world being dynamic in nature. Therefore, social media marketing platforms must add new features and abilities for it to be used by multinational companies. This leaves multinational companies a wide range of options for marketing products and services through social media.