Social Media Marketing

Since the early 2000s, social media has grown tremendously and now plays a major role in many lives today. People use various social media platforms to share information, connect with others, advertise, market, and so much more. Instagram has users that are influencers, business owners, brand ambassadors, etc. Due to the fact that social media has gained so much popularity, it can be used as a beneficial tool for companies and organizations. There are ways that businesses can market through different platforms to promote products and services. 

As this blog continues for the next few weeks, the content will focus on strategic ways businesses use social media to market their products and services. Social media gives companies a chance to grow their brand, gain new clientele, reach target audiences, network, etc. Engagement on platforms helps to create relationships and improve brand loyalty. The desired media platform can be determined by evaluating demographics of the target market and choosing the platform that best fits those demographics. 

The popular app TikTok that was released in 2016 has become a great platform for businesses to market because the amount of engagement they receive is almost equivalent to all businesses on the app. Videos can only go up to three minutes, so viewers do not typically mind watching a three minute video. The videos can also be just a few seconds long! TikTok reaches large audiences, but most of the users fall in the younger demographic.

                              

My friend Avery Albright is a great example of using TikTok as a way to market her business. Avery is an Atlanta-based baker, cake artist, and owner of a catering business, Baked By Ave. She started her business and making TikToks in 2020. Avery did everything on her own and at first her TikToks were just about her making desserts for fun and sharing it with the world. Her videos became extremely popular and over the past two years, she has received 6.7 million likes and has 115,000 followers. Due to her success on the app, Avery was able to share her products in the Atlanta area and then eventually all over the United States. She posts regularly to interact with potential customers and maintain user engagement. Avery is also very active on the app, she will respond to comments and ask questions to get people excited about her products. 

I have enjoyed watching her business evolve over the past two years and it was exciting to see how her TikTok account grew and led her to where she is now. She was strategic and determined which left her with support from her friends, family, and customers. I had a quick conversation with Avery and I asked her where she thinks she would be with her business if she had never downloaded TikTok. She told me that she would not have been able to expand her business and accept a large quantity of orders as quickly as she did. It would have taken a lot longer to get new customers and save up enough money to afford ingredients, supplies, and an appropriate kitchen space. 

TikTok and other social media platforms are great marketing tools for businesses. It is faster to upload posts that can be shared with millions of people. Social media is free and easy to use, the popularity of these platforms will just continue to grow. There will also be new platforms which will lead to even more engagement. In upcoming posts, there will be more examples like Avery's, and I will provide detailed information about what makes digital marketing successful and how businesses can use social media to their benefit.