1. Erin Franc
Professor Sader
Rhetoric 1302
26 Nov 2013
The New Face Of Marketing
With society dominated by Internet and social media use it is no wonder businesses are
catching a ride as well. Marketing a new product or even a household name always brings up
new difficulties and businesses are constantly striving to come up with groundbreaking ways to
reach the consumer. Social media marketing is innovational, and the surge of it will change the
face of business for the future. The rise of social media marketing is a positive revolution and
essential upcoming marketing strategy because it keeps firms leading-edge, gives them direct
customer interaction, and drives more traffic to company websites getting more customers “in
the door.”
We are living in a generation governed by technology and the Internet. One cannot walk
down the street without seeing people’s faces hypnotized by their devices trying to find out how
to get somewhere, reading reviews on that new restaurant, and constantly uploading new pictures
to Facebook and Instagram. Smartphones are in almost everyone’s hands and people are just a
finger tap away from posting that new status, or scrolling through their news feed. Society lives
on social media. Some users log on numerous times a day, and it is not just teenagers it is adults
as well. The Internet is how this generation and existing generations interact with each other and
the world around them. How they perceive things and discover new information. What better
way to connect with consumers than right in the palm of their hand? According to Tom Pick, a
digital marketing and public relations consultant, 97% of all consumers search for local

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businesses online. That means that almost every consumer will look up a business online.
Whether it be to read reviews and see if it is a good product, find out more information about the
good or service, or connect with the company via social media, 97% is an outrageous number
and any company who is not readily available online is risking a massive opportunity for more
customers and in turn more sales. It is important for businesses to keep up with their consumers
and not to fall behind technology wise. Jennette Schlinke, the director of compliance advertising
at NFP Securities, in her article stated: “There are arguments to be made that there are risks in
not pursuing a social media strategy: a lack of visibility, an expectation that a legitimate business
has a social media presence the same way it has a Web site and a phone number, the perception
that a firm is out of step with consumers…”(Schlinke). Since consumers live and thrive on social
media there is an expectation that businesses do the same as well. It makes the business more
personable and relatable for a consumer to see their Facebook page with pictures and updates on
new products or sales because that is what the consumer is accustomed to. Without a strong
website and a social media presence existing and developing firms are in jeopardy of becoming
obsolete. By using social media marketing companies can reach a potential audience
immediately, and can expand their target market to reach millions of users without spending a
single penny. If an ad is not as successful as planned they can easily upload a new one or post a
new status about their product. They don’t have to wait for next week’s paper or next month’s
publication they can do it now. Consumers need to be marketed to in a way that will reach them
instantaneously, and that’s exactly what social media marketing does.
When a firm interacts with a client it makes them more likable. It remodels the company
customer protocol and actually establishes a relationship. By using social media marketing
through ads on Twitter, or hosting a Facebook page it allows for the prospect to respond and
interact with the business itself. Christina Chung, a marketing professor, says

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“Social media allows consumers to have “a voice” and that companies are actively listening to
them and quickly respond”(Chung). People want to be heard, and not only do they want to be
heard, they want to know that they are being listened to. When a consumer comments on an ad a
company posted on their Facebook page and gets a response it helps the company to generate a
positive word of mouth. Through word of mouth the company’s name will start to spread making
them more noticeable and more people’s interest will be triggered, drawing them in. Soon
customers will take notice that the business actually cares about what their consumers like and
dislike and that they are constantly trying to improve. With continual interaction between
company and consumer the business will be able to know what ad campaigns work and what
doesn’t work, strengthening their marketing strategies. They can directly ask their customers for
opinions and feedback, which will strengthen the business as a whole. Tracy Tutlen, a marketing
professor, voices her opinion on the risk of having such a direct customer interaction “Social
media have made it easier for consumers to voice their opinions on companies and these
opinions may be negative”(Tutlen). Although negative word of mouth is just as easily spread as
positive, that is not the fault of the marketing strategy, it is the company’s. In fact, it proves even
more so that social media marketing really does reach the consumer and allows them to easily
interact with the business. Not only can firms use social media to interact and create a positive
relationship with its consumers, but they can also tailor their ads to individuals by what they
search and are interested in. Websites such as Google, Facebook, and Twitter track a users likes
and searches in order to filter out what ads to have pop up, and what suggestions to give. This
has a sizable amount of statistical data for marketers, and is a vital source of information to take
advantage of. With this information, firms can tailor their ads to different types of users enabling
them to broaden their target market and reach more people than they could have by using
alternate advertising.

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The overall goal of marketing a product is to draw attention from the public and increase
the amount of interest in the product. In order to draw more people in a company has to stand out
and strike interest among potential buyers. When more people are enamored with the product,
traffic to the website or store will escalate, more purchases will be made from the influx of
people, resulting in more profits being made. Social media marketing is a kick-start to branding
and getting a company name out there. Lauren Hylbak, a marketing specialist at Bizible, has
found, “94% of corporates are using social media and 85% said that it has given their business
more exposure”(Hylbak). By gaining exposure especially from social media a company can
acquire attention from many different demographics and quickly trigger curiosity in their brand.
Without social media the scope of the market the company has potential to reach is much
smaller. The more people a firm can access and advertise to the higher their chances of getting
more hits on their website. Consumers develop a positive outlook on a company that
communicated to them in a friendly manner. By reaching the consumer via social media, a
company is communicating to them just how one of their friends would communicate to them.
This helps establish a viewpoint and connection in the consumers mind that this company is
treating them as a friend would. This communication not only makes the consumer feel
important, but also the consumer gains respect for the company. With this interaction occurring a
strong bond of trust is established and more customers are likely to become loyal customers who
will periodically visit the website and purchase inventory. When a company gains loyal
customers word of mouth travels like wildfire and the firm will begin to increase in popularity.
As popularity grows the amount of people visiting their website or store will dramatically upturn
taking sales along with it. Social media marketing gets a business more recognition that it would
receive otherwise, and much faster. More website hits means more sales.
Social media marketing is that initial spark that embeds the emotional desire for the

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product in the customer’s mind. It appeals to them on their terms and impulses them to buy. With
a generation run by the Internet and social media it is imperative that businesses seek to adjust
their strategies in order to keep pace with this technological breakthrough. Not only do
customers use the Internet to find out more information about businesses and their products, but
also they get a negative impression of firms that aren’t easily accessible. The importance of
being involved right now is greater than ever. Consumers do not want a one sided transaction
with a business, they want to feel important and actually relate to their favorite brands. Social
media humanizes corporations and creates a personal connection, it is the face a company
presents to the world and contributes to how they are perceived by their buyers. “It is a big win –
but also a big change. Companies that perceive social media marketing as merely a marketing
function are already getting it wrong”(Anderson). Marketing is taking on a new transformation
and companies that aren’t ready to fully evolve will be left behind.

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Works Cited
Anderson, Tim. “Social Media Marketing: We Need To Talk.” Theguardian.com. The Guardian,
20 Jun. 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Chung, Christina, and Kristine Austria. "Social Media Gratification And Attitude Toward Social
Media Marketing Messages: A Study Of The Effect Of Social Media Marketing
Messages On Online Shopping Value." Proceedings Of The Northeast Business &
Economics Association (2010): 581-586. Business Source Complete. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Hylback, Lauren. “Importance of Social Media Marketing Among Small Business.” Bizible.com.
Bizible, 17 Oct. 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Pick, Tom. “103 Compelling Social Media And Marketing Statistics for 2013 (and 2014).”
Business2community.com. Business 2 Community, 12 Nov. 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Schlinke, Jennette, and Stephanie Crain. "Social Media From An Integrated Marketing And
Compliance Perspective." Journal Of Financial Service Professionals 67.2 (2013): 85
92. Business Source Complete. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Tuten, Tracy, and William Angermeier. "Before And Beyond The Social Moment Of
Engagement: Perspectives On The Negative Utilities Of Social Media Marketing."
Gestion 2000 30.3 (2013): 69-76. Business Source Complete. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.