What Is Social Media?
                     What Is Social Media?
Social media refers to websites and applications that 
are designed to allow people 
to share content quickly, efficiently, and in real-time. 
Many people define social media as apps on their 
smartphone or tablet, but the truth is, this 
communication tool started with computers. This 
misconception stems from the fact that most social 
media users access their tools via apps. 
The ability to share photos, opinions, events, etc in 
real-time has transformed the way we live and, 
also, the way we do business. Retailers who use 
social media as an integral part of their marketing 
strategy usually see measurable results.1 But the 
key to successful social media is to not treat it as an 
extra appendage but to treat it with the same care, 
respect, and attention you do all of your marketing 
efforts. 
Social Media Marketing Is Fleeting
In the early days of social marketing, there was little competition for the 
dollar—not so today. For example, you can spend thousands of dollars on a 
Facebook ad campaign and, sometimes, get no return on your 
investment.2 By its very nature, social media is a short attention span 
media—it is much harder to get someone's attention with a Tweet then it 
was to get someone's attention with a newspaper ad. That's because ad 
headlines and copy are harder to write on Twitter or Instagram. 
You Must Be Active on Social Media
One of the biggest mistakes retailers make is to open up accounts on every 
social media platform they think is relevant and then leave them alone 
with no activity. Having an account with any of the social media platforms 
does not mean your business is into social media any more than owning 
golf clubs makes you ready for the PGA. In fact, social media users are 
turned off by the retailer who opens accounts and does not engage with 
clients and the public and consequently become labeled a pretender.
The reality is, it is better to not have a social media icon on your website if 
you are not going to actively engage with it—and actively means on a daily 
basis