How Social Media Will Impact Marketing Media

Abstract

Technology is ubiquitous and it is impacting society with each rapid change it undergoes itself. We’re seeing a vast transformation via the Internet and the rise of social media. In fact, social media is poised to transform society in an even more fundamental manner. Whether one is a CEO, the president of a country, a member of the British royalty, or a commoner, everything about one is on social media: personal information, likes and dislikes, and other mundane activities. In fact, everything said or done is now a matter of public record, and nothing can remain hidden anymore. The explosion of social media services over the last few years continues to have a significant impact on advertising, as consumers’ reliance on word of mouth in the decision-making process—either from people they know or online consumers they don’t—has increased significantly. Social media is no longer merely a platform for social interactions. Rather, it is transforming the way businesses work. Marketers are increasingly leveraging social media to influence customer decision making. The focus of this paper is on the impact of social media on marketing media.

Marketers should be cognizant of the fact that social media allows users to alter a brand. Marketers must not only respond but also proactively share social media to be a positive force for society. In sum, marketing media will be permanently transformed by social media.

The author is grateful to Racchit Thapliyal for his excellent research and editing assistance for this paper.