Since the informational technologies are developing at a significantly high pace, their influence on nearly every aspect of the contemporary world could be observed. Accordingly, the development of the Internet and social media has an immense impact on current business trends. However, it is argued that positive results can only emerge from the development of new business strategies since marketing, trading, and customer service on the Internet (also referred to as e-commerce) is not merely mirroring the models of the offline business (Mata & Quesada, 2014). This paper aims to discuss the question of Facebook and Twitter use for customer service and marketing, with the purpose to understand which companies are best suited for the mentioned platforms.
Facebook and Twitter, is among the most popular social websites, attracted considerable attention in recent decades as a diverse and efficient tool for promoting products and services along with establishing communication with consumers (Ngai, Moon, Lam, Chin, & Tao, 2015). It is possible to observe that social media platforms provide a significantly wide range of advantages for companies and businesses.
First of all, it should be noted that Facebook and Twitter are used by millions of people every day, which allows reaching a broad span of potential customers. Secondly, the costs for online promotional campaigns are considerably lower compared to traditional marketing means. Thirdly, it is essential to mention that social media platforms are immensely powerful tools for targeting since Facebook users usually provide such information as age, sex, education, geolocation, and various interests.
Arguably, Facebook and Twitter have obvious disadvantages; however, it is possible to observe that particular features would not benefit every company, aiming to enter the market. First of all, it should be noted that the companies which interact directly with their customers (they are also referred to as B2C (business-to-consumer) models) are the most suitable for online promotion. Also, businesses, producing specific products such as heavy machinery, are less likely to successfully promote their commodities on social media platforms compared to companies, creating mass-market products.
Additionally, it is of high importance to mention that it is necessary to develop and maintain relationships with customers and to conduct social media analysis since it makes the company more competitive in the online market (Zhang & Benyoucef, 2016). Another thing that should be mentioned it that users of Facebook and Twitter interact rapidly, and thus the company needs to establish a customer service that can keep up the pace with the consumers’ requests.
Further, it is possible to mention several strategies for improving online marketing. In their research, Zhang, and Benyoucef (2016), drawing on a vast literature review, propose an integrative framework for analyzing the process of consumer decision-making. Based on the notion of social commerce, the authors determine three primary categories that influence the customer’s decisions: stimulus, organism, and response (Zhang & Benyoucef, 2016).
Also, another research on the topic of online marketing should be mentioned. Ngai et al. (2015) employed a similar method of literature review, and they also developed a framework, which is based on their findings. Their conceptual approach is “providing a holistic view and forming a basis for the design and development of social media applications” since it is based on various social, behavioral theories (Ngai et al., 2015, p. 796).
In conclusion, it should be observed that e-commerce has an immense impact on current marketing and business decision-making. In this paper, the advantages of social media platforms along with possible complications were discussed. Social media marketing can be significantly beneficial for companies and businesses if it is used adequately.
References
Ngai, E. W., Moon, K. L. K., Lam, S. S., Chin, E. S., & Tao, S. S. (2015). Social media models, technologies, and applications: An academic review and case study. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 115(5), 769-802.
Mata, F. J., & Quesada, A. (2014). Web 2.0, social networks and e-commerce as marketing tools. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 9(1), 56-69.
Zhang, K. Z., & Benyoucef, M. (2016). Consumer behavior in social commerce: A literature review. Decision Support Systems, 86, 95-108.