Social Media: the new Word of Mouth

Most of us would have heard from someone or the other that the future is in Social Media… The face of advertising is changing with the advent of new media… Social media has changed the marketing function! Well, no doubt that the social media is a part of every marketing campaign we hear of today, but is it going to affect the traditional media spend drastically? And how soon? These are speculations many make.

Why I feel Social Media has come to play such an important role in brand building is that it has become a way to garner word of mouth. Many feel that there is much more to Word of Mouth marketing than just the use of social media, but it is essential to note that Social Media has made it easier for the discussions to take place.

A platform like Facebook, is one of the most efficient way to network with large groups of people to share and discuss any brand that one likes or dislikes. It has become a space for people to express their personal opinion in the comfort of one’s home and with little expense of time. It has made it easier for someone wanting to know more about the product to simply find out on such discussion threads or maybe just tweet and get to know what people feel. Word of mouth marketing has never been easier or more cost-effective.

Although, one must always keep in mind that Social Media must not be used when the product is weak and you are unlikely to be able to fix it. Such a campaign may back fire on the company as it may be difficult to control the discussions and criticism. And if there are any legitimate criticisms they must be acknowledged and improved. This is the most valuable feedback that a brand can get rather than relying on market researches and surveys.