Britannica defines “social media” as the present-day operator of the media industry – it refers to any technological platform that allows people all over the globe to communicate with one another. Common social media platforms include WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat – where different forms of interactions take place i.e., both verbally and visually. Towards the formal side, platforms such as LinkedIn, Gmail, Yahoo, Slack, etc., are generally used. Not only individuals, but businesses all over the world actively utilise social media as a tool for advertisement, awareness, customer care, and brand imagery. Social media is known to play an important role as a place of communication and influence.

The need to “manage social media” in the digital world

With platforms that enable freedom of speech and expression, there is a definite exigency that calls for efficient management. In the wrong hands, any such platform can be used for illegal, harmful, or disdainful purposes.

To be able to manage social media is considered a profession in the digital industry where agents are hired specifically to control any individual/brand/organisation’s social media presence. These agents, often known as “social media experts”, are required to lay down a strong base for the firm they represent, then develop marketing strategies that facilitate good-quality content. Designing and building a user-friendly social media presence requires agents to carefully pick and choose content that specifically caters to online customers/viewers. They also strictly monitor the “reach” of the content, and whether it is appealing to the target audience or not.

With sufficient content produced, social media experts then analyse statistics of their strategies – the accumulated results are used to help decision-makers to plan and implement various projects according to customer needs and preferences.

Thus, the need to manage social media remains imminent in the digital world.

Efficient social media management and its pros

Before diving into the digital world, any individual, or firm, must establish a set of goals that they wish to achieve through their social media presence. Start-ups tend to associate with social media platforms primarily to introduce their brand to the market or create awareness regarding the products/services they offer. Large businesses, on the other hand, might do so to boost revenue and lower the cost of sales. Regardless of the difference between these two strategies, it is crucial to ensure efficient and productive social media management which has maximum delivery.

An important factor that requires social media to be “handled” is to establish, as well as practice a “productive” social media strategy that not only enables firms to create awareness regarding their presence in the market but also acts as a major tool for content creation and ultimately maximises interaction with customers.

Another essential purpose served by social media management is the cost of expensive advertisement as well as research which is saved primarily because of access to such platforms.

In today’s fast-moving world, technological advancements require firms to actively engage in research and development in order to remain parallel to changing trends of consumption. With the use of “audience analytics”, all kinds of activities can be monitored. From checking days and timings that customers are most active, all the way to narrow down locations and demographics, applications such as Facebook and Instagram have minimised difficulty in data collection. “Insights” allow social media experts to track analytics regarding customers/individuals’ likes and dislikes, lifestyles and behaviours, and ultimate key players in their decisions to make a purchase.

Research shows that most of the customers tend to make decisions regarding purchases based on information they’ve seen or read on social media – which suggests that for brands within all industries, a social media presence with active and efficient management is as necessary as it is useful.

Online buying and selling have become the go-to for individuals all over the globe, from buying custom made cakes, all the way to household furniture, social media has proved to be an efficient asset for all those who have managed to use it constructively.  

Moreover, it is comparatively much easier to access one’s competitors’ market performance online, than it is in the field. As social media applications are open for all to view, competitors can routinely follow up on marketing strategies, campaigns, and projects launched by their rival brands. Oftentimes, the audience itself closely monitors the competition between two brands, primarily to gain the most out of it as a customer.

Henceforth, by paying close attention to platforms that are suitable to represent a firm’s brand, coupled with efficient social media management, surely milestones can be reached in the digital industry.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, with a team of hands-on social media managers, any business can sky-rocket once it enters the digital world. The key to achieving such a goal simply requires efficiency and consistent engagement which highlights an entity’s presence not only online, but all over the industry.