The tale of The Emperor’s New Clothes cautions people about accepting whatever so-called experts tell us without question. In this book, Hans Christian Andersen’s cautionary anecdote provides the backdrop to a comprehensive review of the use of social media platforms in the marketing of an organization, brand, or product.
Chapter one provides the reader with a background to social media. This starts with its history and adoption in the digital age before going on to identify the key elements that make up digital social media, namely, social networks, online communities, social sharing, user-generated content, and blogging.
The introductory nature of the content continues in chapter two where the public’s use of social media is examined along with the digital platforms on which it is conducted. The chapter concludes with a consideration of why the public might interact with organizations, brands, or products on social media.
Chapter three provides an analysis of what social media marketing consists and what it does not. Details of the key models associated with social media marketing are also included.
In chapter four, an organization’s strategic expectations of marketing on social media are addressed, as are how its success, or otherwise, can be measured and issues related to any potential return on investment. The chapter concludes with an evaluation of the role that the culture of any organization, brand, or product plays in effective social media marketing.
Chapter five deliberates the operational aspects of marketing on social media from its management through which employees actually do what, and when they do it. Also reflected upon is the use of third party platforms by social media marketers.
The key feature of chapter six is analysis of examples of social media marketing in practice, allowing conclusions to be made on what works, what doesn’t, and why.
As might be expected in a conclusion, chapter seven brings together the issues raised in previous chapters, throws in a few new ideas, and encourages readers to draw their own conclusion on whether marketing on social media is indeed a marketing panacea or the Emperor’s New Digital Clothes.
digital marketing, digital transformation, e-commerce, Internet marketing, marketing on social media, online marketing, social media advertising, social media marketing, social media, viral marketing