The Impact of Social Media in Media Sales - Paper Sample

Introduction

The economy and popularity that has been created by social media are on the increase. Over the recent past years, the use of social media has enabled millions of its users to acquire and share instantaneous information, data, and media products with ease. Indeed, the participatory web and user-generated content seemingly have been the heartbeat of every dimension of livelihood. Millions of social networks are now focusing on building social relations among the masses to create a difference in how people can acquire and utilize the information they do not know. Today, it is observed that users are inventing new communication channels and practices that avail content to new-media aggregators such as Google, Amazon, eBay, Facebook, among others (Agnihotri et al., 2016). Indeed social media sites such as Twitter or Facebook have inspired the new look of how people acquire, manage, share and utilize information. Beforehand, they provide a technological platform that establishes and multiply the relationship among the users that enables them to share information with a broad public.

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Social media, from a broader perspective, has dramatically changed the scope in which businesses are approached (Agnihotri et al., 2016). Today, several business and brand products have become more visible, socially engaged, and exploiting new business models and innovations are on the rise. Palmer and Lewis (2012) suggested that the mainstream media channels are facing many challenges as a result of a new shift that has created the likes of LinkedIn, Facebook, and many more that have indeed changed the way mainstream media (TV) operate (Agnihotri et al., 2016). Of importance to this paper is the impact that social media has created since its invention to media sales.

Technology is rapidly raising the means to reach out to masses who are and how to package selling points is intricately folded on how best a company, an organization, or a business can reach out to the masses (Agnihotri et al., 2016). Any product's current consumer base must run fast into the internet to find more about a product of ng choice and choose from the best selling agent. Knowledge about different complementary products therefore plays a part. This knowledge makes us the information needed by the consumer, and they must be availed to them at the pressing of a tab (Agnihotri et al., 2016). For instance, the use of advertisement has proved to be a selling point. The users ensure that they avail of critical information about the product and appeal to the sight prompting the consumer.

Social Media Definition

The term social media has been investigated and analyzed from various perspectives generating different definitions from time to time. The emergence of social media is a recent phenomenon that has become popularized as the internet mode became accessible and ubiquitous globally (Agnihotri et al., 2016). This indeed gives rise to the terminology used today-social media. As argued by Agnihotri et al. (2016), social media is on the verge of undergoing a “remediation” process in which the “older” media is continually reconstructed, appropriated, and or absorbed by the new media to shape the future of the media.

Academically, considerable knowledge has addressed the definitions of social media, its formation, and evolution. Thus, the term “social media” implies the user's ability to contribute and participate in content creation that can be stored, passed to other users through a faster medium (Agnihotri et al., 2016). For instance, manufacture creates a product, and research well-versed knowledge about the product avails the product to the consumer. Simultaneously, disseminate the product information through the most appealing, far-reaching, but in retrievable sources (Agnihotri et al., 2016). Furthermore, social media can be categorized as applications that allow different entities to create and build public and personal websites associated with different people to exchange personal information and communication. According to Appel et al. (2020), communication and information exchange is the core social media dimension. However, concerning marketing, not all categories of social media platforms are suitable, but they still join up to make social media with about 98% of its function being client-based oriented (Agnihotri et al., 2016).

The increase in competition and advancement in technology has resulted in different organizations, business entities, and individuals looking for alternatives. The business environment, indeed, is changing rapidly and faster (Agnihotri et al., 2016). Social media has remained one of the most familiar platforms exploited to realize significant sales. When social media is exploited for selling, the main concern remains how consumers' demands can be met. In the long run, social media use in sales, therefore, takes a different dimension of media sales wholesomely referred to as media sales.

Media Sales

From time immemorial, sales have remained an integral part of the media industry that people overlook, perhaps because they do not understand what it involves (Appel et al., 2020). However, the recent revolution in sales and marketing has not only thrown entrepreneurs into a stiff competition but has threatened to cut short the life of businesses that neglect the power of social media. According to Keen (2019), the 21st century marks the epitome of media use in sales. Although the use of media in sales can be traced back from the olden times, the recent technological discoveries in social media use have heightened and made social media a platform entirely for sales (Appel et al., 2020). Media sales, therefore, refer to a broader term that covers a host of jobs with different specificities. Essentially, the term media sale refers to making sales or selling advertising spaces in whatever communication platform. The platform in question must be one that can be used to reach out to many people within a considerable time (Appel et al., 2020). Furthermore, the platform must be typically appealing and, at the same time, conveying the message to the target. Some of the notable media platforms include newspapers, TVs, magazines, commercial radio, web, use of outdoor billboards and screens, event sponsorship, business information on, and many more (Appel et al., 2020).

Today, media advertisement is one of the most used marketing strategies. Several companies apply media advertising as an intensive means to promote different products to targeted consumers (Appel et al., 2020). The typical media advertisement takes place in three categories, namely; televisions, internet, and print. Agnihotri et al. (2016) mentioned several ways to make sales; however, social media remains the major with a larger share, among other means. The use of the internet is a sub-set of media that has dramatically grown, leading to the emergence of two undisputed phenomena: online search engines and social media. In a business context, social media offers a communication channel between companies, customers, and stakeholders, which allows them to interact directly.

According to Low & Mohr (2019), media advertisement impacts judgment, spectator’s consideration, preference, and approach differently. The audiences are currently set to see a minimum of about 100 to 1000 media advertisements all coming from different sources each day (Appel et al., 2020). This has made social media to offer a practical both live and virtual world that enables people to access reliable information about their needs as far as selling and buying is concerned. Therefore, social media allows people from diverse backgrounds to share and have open communications that can help companies understood their customers seamlessly (Andzulis et al., 2017).

Social Media in Today’s View

Social media plays a significant role in today’s daily occurrences. As mentioned earlier, social media are web-based channels and online tools that help people learn and discover new information, interact, share new ideas, and interact based on the interaction's content (Andzulis et al., 2017). It has completely changed the course of life and, more importantly, the dimension of sales. One of the most outstanding achievements of social media is the ease with which communication under it advances (Andzulis et al., 2017). Essentially, it has made it easier for an exchange of user-generated information such as pictures and videos.

Many studies have shown that approximately 25% of individuals spend on the internet and other social working platforms (Andzulis et al., 2017). This is a clear indicator that social media has become increasingly popular, which remains a target of all the business classes. Therefore, the importance of social media can be seen in different entities such as entertainment, lifestyle, food, and business, among others (Zubielqui et al., 2019). Therefore, the use of social media is an essential facet to any business because, as an aspiring entrepreneur, one owns a brand. With the help of social media, many people and companies can share their ideas. Besides, it offers an essential point at which companies remain in touch with their customers and get feedback from them. According to Keen (2019), most marketers and entrepreneurs exploit this platform. They have registered immense success when it comes to reaching out to their potential consumers. Appel et al. (2020) argued that above 85% of all businesses are dedicating their time and social media platforms as a crucial resource to marketing strategy. Equally, it is indicated that more than 50% of the businesses that have utilized their marketing strategy for over two years have registered an immense increment in sales during the period (Andzulis et al., 2017).

According to Appel et al. (2020), millions of users on social media sites are currently looking for critical information about their preferred products. It is estimated that about three-quarters of the number readily find the information they search (Appel et al., 2020). Essentially, this indicated that hordes of information had been uploaded on the social media by the business entities. Sites like Facebook, WeChat, Twitter, WhatsApp, Facebook Messanger, among others, are cited as the front runners to offers needed information to the clients. Going by the receptivity of different users indicates that the information sourced from the mentioned social media platforms are either in print, soft or audio versions (Appel et al., 2020). Again, they are readily available to the uses at a glance or just by pressing the button. Using social media to acquire product information or sourcing is entirely what is categorized as media sales.

Conclusion

Social media remains a touchpoint in the consumer’s experience and, therefore, to the overall media sales (Appel et al., 2020). From branded company pages, blogging paid adverts, and other social media platforms, the way businesses are carried out has significantly changed concerning communication and how data is collected, gathered, and used to communicate and predict consumers' behavior (Zubielqui et al., 2019). For instance, the use of appealing Televised advertisement- media sale- can accurately predict various consumers' behavior on a particular product. What is needed here is to start building a strong foundation based on the principles of social media marketing (Bria, 2017).