Social Media - A Beginners Perspective

India is a land rich in culture, tradition and diversity. Indians traditionally have their own way of socializing wherein everyone knows what is happening in everyone else’s house. Whether it is a village or a small town, irrespective of caste, creed, sex and age, one tends to communicate everything,  sometimes, even in the initial meeting. This informal way of living makes us a part of One Big Circle.

We have now entered in the modern world where in we all think, drink and sleep internet. Statistics suggest that around 85 % of the Urban Youth in the age group of 16 – 30 considers internet to be as important as breathing an air. So when people are so hooked on to using internet, “Real World” eventually has to come alive in the “Virtual World”. We just happen to coin it as “Social Media”.

In “Real World” our communication varies from person to person, be it our parents, cousins, friends, colleagues and so on. To cater to that requirement in the “Virtual World” educated youths wore their marketing cap and applied the principle of Segmentation and Targeting leading to the birth of websites like facebook, twitter , Google + , Linkedin  and so on. These websites appealed to us at different levels, each occupying a special perception in our mind.

• Facebook – Friends with everyone. Feeling of a virtual home where you share your happiness, sorrow, guilt, frustration, opinion and receive feedback within no time. A place where u chat with friends, play games and relax.
• Twitter – A place where you tweet what’s on your mind. Here you can follow tweets of people you admire, get information in real time and engage with anyone a brand, friend, expert or a guide. This I term it as a semi - formal platform of communication.
• Google + - A perfect blend of informal and semi – formal communication.
• Linkedin – A virtual office place where you share your professional expertise with the world.
   

Brands and products are present wherever their target audience is. In the “Real World” marketers were predominantly happy with the traditional media of communication like Television, Newspapers Hoarding etc. Marketers saw a great opportunity in Social Media. Here, the brand is interacting with the consumers directly :understanding their likes, dislikes and striving to be a much better product. Consumers in turn started recommending the product to their Circles.

“Word of Mouth” IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE the best form of publicity and marketers just found that in Social Media.  

Social Media serves everyone. It is therefore a step forward in our civilization. Here world is a small place where we communicate with each other, effectively, in no time, yet to our convenience.