The Social Networking arise (an overview of social media marketing)

No one can estimate the great power of social networking when it emerged ten years ago. Just like Bill Gates cannot predict the RAM of computer nowadays is million times than what he has said 640Kb 30 years ago. But we do realize the power of social networking these years. Weibo currently has over 300 million users and Renren has already attracted over 200 million people. The social networking with such huge amount of users undoubtedly attract lots of companies to  display and advertise their products in a new way.

Social media marketing is based on information sharing between users. Companies can create their contents in SNS websites to attract attentions and encourage users to spread out  their comments and experience through their social networks instead of using traditional advertisement. With the rapid development of smartphone and information technology, people can easily access to social networks in any place at any time. It not only provides the technical support but more importantly raises a refreshing new customer experience.  

Compared to the traditional advertisement, social media marketing have these advantages:

• Passive to active：Instead on being shown the advertisements through TV and paper, customers can now search the contents they want through social media.
• More reliable: To trust the advertisements produced by companies or to trust the information shared by their friends? The answer can be easily estimated. 
• More efficient: For companies, especially for those small enterprises, charges of advertisement can be a huge cost. Therefore, social media marketing is more suitable. Moreover, through social networks, companies can get more feedback from customers to adjust their products and find out the potential customers as well.

Here is an example of how social media marketing works.  (http://www.douguo.com/) 

This website provides users a platform to share can share their experience to make delicious food and opinion on how to form a healthy diet menu.

Moreover, users can write food diaries to discuss and give comments to restaurants. The users will be recommended some restaurants according to their locations and eating habits.
    





The social media marketing put forward on a new way to convey information between customers and also a new method for companies to communicate with customers. This is only the beginning. A time for social media marketing is coming. Let's witness the Social Networking arise.


REFERENCE           

• Social media marketing  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media_marketing    
• 豆果网  http://www.douguo.com