What is social media marketing?

Social media marketing is a recent addition to organizations integrated marketing communications plans. Integrated marketing communications is a principle organizations follow to connect with their targeted markets. Companies are forced to adopt new changes in their marketing strategies to remain relevant. If there is one factor that has really affected the way marketing plans are being defined then it must be technology.

Social media is an extremely useful tool using which companies can get their information, product descriptions, promotions all ingrained in the chain of networking world. Considering the newness of this marketing method, organizations are coming up with innovative ways to develop their marketing plans Social media are media for social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques.

Social media uses web-based technologies to turn communication into interactive dialogues Social media has turned the web upside down in the last few years and has the power to literally make or break your online marketing campaign.

Social media is all about networking and networking in a way that espouses trust among parties and communities involved. Any website which allows user to share their content, opinions, views and encourages interaction and community building can be classified as a social media. Some popular social media sites are: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Digg, MySpace, StumbleUpon, Del.icio.us, Scribd, Flickr etc. Many beginners make the mistake of trying to submit their homepage or one of their product pages to social sites - this tactic almost never works. You need come up with content that's going to appeal to the community or communities you are targeting.