Utilize New Media to Make Decisions in Our Daily Lives
There is much to learn about how we utilize new media to make decisions in our daily lives. It also remains unclear exactly how we interact with and are affected by media texts. Throughout this, we have discussed the complexities of this process and identified the role that audiences play. Most importantly, we have learned how mass communication is no longer viewed as a vehicle for “one-to-many” messages. Selective targeted messages are most effective in establishing behavior change no matter which type of communication specialty you are interested in engaging. This shift from viewing a mass audience to targeting individuals is essential to successful social media marketing.
Because of social media, audiences are now seeing themselves as generators of content, rather than passive receivers of media texts. Businesses need to personalize content and allow room for participation. People are no longer shocked when a website addresses them by their first name, and it will not be long, if we have not reached the point already, where this level of individuality and customization is expected. Social media makes it easier than ever to encourage this type of transactional communication. It is an efficient and cost-effective way to reach your business objectives, as well as the goals of your audiences. Social media has brought forth new opportunities for information gathering, dissemination and socialization. However, these new technologies have not completely altered our purposes for doing so. The tools for behavior change are the same, and once you understand the theoretical underpinnings, you will be better equipped to create and disseminate efficient and effective messages for your social media campaigns. This has presented the first rule of an effective social media marketing strategy: stop thinking about communication in a linear fashion. Ask questions about the interests of your target audience, rather than wondering how to get media messages to reach the largest number of people possible. This is interested in guiding strategy for producers of social media messages that inspire behavior change in audiences. This has laid the foundation for how communication theories approached audience behavior change in the past. Hopefully, a stronger understanding of the complexities of the relationship between media content and subsequent behavior change has been gained. Using behavior change theory, marketers can create media messages that meet the goals and experiences of their audiences. Through a mindful strategy, consumer behavior can be positively reinforced at every point of engagement. This will reduce dissonance in the behavior change and result in more loyal and long-term brand advocates. These customers will then influence their own social network to continue increasing your return on investment.
Today, an entire generation has grown up utilizing new media technologies but has never taken the time to examine their influence critically to maximize its potential. A strong practitioner is one who can apply technological competence and critical thinking skills to a long-term strategic plan. The following will examine historical shifts in behavior change literature and the opportunities and challenges of information diffusion, community, and mobilization. These three constructs will become the core of your social media strategy and will set you apart from other social media experts in the field.
References:
- American Marketing Association (2013)
- Bauerlein, M. (2009) The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Or, Don’t Trust Anyone Under 30). New York: Tarcher/Penguin.
- Castells, M. (2001) The Internet Galaxy: Reflections on the Internet, Business, and Society. New York: Oxford University Press