What is Social Marketing?

It seems like only a few years ago that Facebook was for college students only. Those that were envious of said college students joined the MySpace movement, customizing their ridiculously flashy profiles, taking quizzes, getting overwhelmed with jealousy when they lost rank in the “top friends” ranking. YouTube was for homemade videos, hilarious commercials, verging on PG13 – making every teenager feel rebellious for creating an account.

Social Media five years ago wasn’t only nonexistent, but something laughable.

The music industry, in my opinion, started Social Media. Partnering with MySpace, and becoming the first to give people a reason, outside of social acceptance, to join a social website. It was Facebook’s turn to get jealous. It was Facebook’s turn to realize that by singling out the college-only crowd, that they were missing out on an opportunity that could make their idea boom.

In less than five years, MySpace has become nearly extinct, saved only by their music industry pages. Facebook has been opened up to anyone with an email address, and an ability to create an account (and let’s face it, if you can pretend to farm, you’re in!). It’s consumed the internet, this book of the face, reaching every country, every person over the age of 12, and connecting to over 500 million people. It out-traffic’d Google, the biggest beast on the web, last month. It’s getting movies made about it. It’s in conversations. It’s being installed in GM products as of next year, in a partnership with OnStar. Facebook, my friends, is a beast.

It’s moved from a popularity contest, to an opportunity for any person. It’s a way to tout your writings, music ability, and creativity. It’s given you the ability to play online games in a fairly safe atmosphere, connecting with people around the globe through virtual farming and gambling, without the risk of flashy virus-filled sites. And most recently, it has given businesses a marketing channel. A revenue stream. The ability to extend their reach, by giving people the chance to share their favorite brands with all their friends in one easy click.

Twitter was soon created, 2009ish, to be almost exact. It shocked the PR waves on the internet with the amount of growth (400% month over month in the first six months?!) it saw. It’s now one of the most convenient platforms to update your Facebook page, text your friends, and show off your brilliance to future job prospects, all in 140 characters or less.

The power of Social Marketing has only begun to shake people. It’s a beast that is far from done with us. Gone are the days of catalog marketing, and slowly, email marketing is beginning to be swallowed. By being the most convenient way to gain more customers, increase popularity, and maybe even make money…by only two-three posts per day on one Social Media stream, other marketing channels are quickly getting left behind. And if you’re not joining, so are you.

As a brand, should you choose to not participate in Social Media, you are risking failure. People are out there talking about you, searching for you, and preparing to work FOR you. What’s to risk that isn’t already happening without your control?

What is Social Marketing? You are.

-Nomz