Google: Marketing and Social Media Essay

Submitted By Austinbowen1
Words: 1012
Pages: 5

Radian 6-A Brand Marketing Information Exchange Platform
Written by Austin E. Bowen
University of Maryland University College
Marketing 310
Ms. Keller
22 June 2013

The far reaching ability of social media has catapulted the exchange of consumer information in both positive and perhaps more common negative light. With the rapid exchange of product and service information, the consumer is well aware of immediate market and product conditions and those products effect on individual consumers. With such a vast array of medium on products and services, the content of such information must resonate as valid with the end user; the consumer who finalizes a purchase. Social media has provided such a platform to enable consumers to share their thoughts and experiences on certain products and services. These thoughts are validated with first person objectivity, instead of second person, biased media coverage or ad promotion. Social median provides marketers with honest feedback of actual interaction with their products; such a piece of information cannot be given with true intent when it is obscured for profit and market share increases by private companies trying to elevate its brands position in the minds of its consumers. When such information is transmitted over an open platform, the exchange of information is far less susceptible to alteration for profit. The relay of real life experience with brands, products and services provide a common ground of information that may be in real time, and not based on previous or second-hand accounts. The consumer is fully aware of actual, real life applications, and can judge more accurately, the extent to which the product or service is capable of adding value. Traditional media does none of that in an unbiased format. When leveraging technology such as “Listen With Radian6”, marketers can pull detailed information on buzz about certain topics, brands, or companies as a whole. The capabilities that are present enable them to compile information across the digital medium, and capitalize on its value. This value, presents itself in different fashions such as data and statistics about how often a product or service is mentioned or how many times a like button is clicked on a products Facebook page. Social media information can come from blogs, newsletters, Twitter feeds, and many other channels. This information becomes the building blocks of newer and better services and products and reinforces the strength of a brand. Marketing research can be leveraged to calm the storm of product bashing and can give longevity to product hype and euphoria; this all ads to the permanency of brand loyalty and brand recognition. Marketers use all this information in order to fine tune their effectiveness in target segmentation. They gain more accuracy in who their customers are, where they live, and what they expect in a brand. In order for this to happen the information that they use must be measurable, accessible, substantial, differentiable, and actionable, (Kotler & Armstrong, 2012). This measurable information helps marketers pinpoint the needs and want of their customers. Social media has fare reaching ability to either elevate a company’s perception in the public’s eye, or it can be destroyed by it. Take for example, the website, yourcompanysucks.com. Its entire purpose was to be a platform for disgruntled and irate consumers to be able to voice their discontent and dislike of a products inability to meet their expectations. The Lexus automobile brand of cars seems to know that a discontent customer is most likely a onetime customer; one which soon becomes a customer of its competitors. Lexus understands that the behavior of the buyer matters after the purchase of a vehicle from their dealers. Cognitive dissonance, which is the buyers discomfort caused by post purchase conflict, can fuel a rather wonderful customer into becoming a social beacon to not purchase a