When it first came on the scene, social media’s goal was to simply connect people to people. It has gone on to have a surprisingly far-reaching influence on the way we do business. Without a doubt, social media is changing the culture of business. It has become a transformative tool for businesses of all sizes. It’s changed the landscape of business ownership and the reach customers and clients have to the companies they do business with. The key to leveraging the power and pull of social platforms is to know which social media channels your particular target market prefers.
Like most businesses, your audience is likely segmented. For example, a grocery retailer has a market share that might contain segments like families, foodies, professional chefs, vegetarians, vegans, and so on. Social media’s reach allows you do to two important things with those market segments. It allows you to reach each segment and it allows you to engage with them. The effects of social media have changed these three critical components of business.
- Market Research
Social media is changing the culture of business because your target market has never been as accessible as it is due to social media’s reach. In fact, researching and engaging with your ideal consumer can be as simple as creating a Facebook or Twitter poll, making intentionally strategic LinkedIn connections, or establishing a business blog that provides regular tidbits of information to your target market. Additionally, social platforms allow you to create surveys that let your ideal customer tell you exactly what they want, how they prefer to receive it, and how much they’re willing to pay for it.
- Marketing Methods
Social media is changing the culture of business because its segmentation allows you to truly home in on your target market. For example, toy retailers might advertise on Facebook, while corporate headhunters would advertise on LinkedIn. Social media’s targeted marketing methods help your marketing methods reach the right people in the right ways via the right platforms. That, in turn, helps your marketing dollars go further. It also allows you to experiment with different methods at an affordable rate and to test out different company voices and personalities. For example, one fast food corporation has become a social media sensation for its witty remarks and cutting commentary. Their brilliant use of social media has helped their company gain attention with a new marketing method users are responding to in droves.
- Graphic Design
From your branding and logo to your choice of colors and fonts, graphic design has a huge impact on social media and the way it depicts your company. Your visual identity takes on a new importance with the advent of social media and the scope of its reach. Digital graphics help create a personality for your company. Additionally, the physical products you use as part of your marketing and branding will be seen on your social media channels making their quality and production even more important.
At DPRINT, we understand the myriad of ways social media is changing the culture of business. Our experience and skill can help you leverage the powerful combination of graphic design and social media. The products we design – product tags, decals, vehicle wraps, and interior and exterior signage, to name a few – are easily translated to social media and easy to depict online. When you’re ready to give your business a competitive edge, contact us for help designing and producing the products you need to pack the powerful punch of social media and graphic design.