Social Media is Power

When I was hired I was told that I would be asked to conduct a great deal of research. I have always considered myself an information-craved Internet addict so I was happy to hear that.

My boss tasked me with finding out what consumers were saying about this particular brand which is also a top client of ours. I searched through various websites and social networks and was able to find what she wanted. One thing is for sure; people really liked posting their thoughts and feelings on the Web.

Facebook and Twitter allow people with the unique opportunity of connecting with the brand and giving their opinions. Users also leave comments and opinions after they read relevant articles or blogs.

I learned in a college marketing class that an unhappy customer is likely to tell about 10-20 of their friends or family members about their experience with the product or service. These days there is no limit to the number of people that an unhappy customer can get the message to because the Internet connects everyone.

This extremely high level of exposure has its pros and cons for advertisers. The advertiser can reach larger audiences at lower costs with higher efficiencies than they could if they paid for traditional advertisements. They must tread lightly though because if they mess up everyone will know. The average Facebook user has 130 friends. The average Twitter user has 126 followers. These people have connections.

The power is in the hands of the users. Francis Bacon is credited with the saying “Knowledge is Power.” That statement will always be true. These days’ social media is power. That power must be controlled and handled effectively.