The future of social media in marketing

  • Conceptual/Theoretical Paper
  • Open access
  • Published: 12 October 2019
  • Volume 48 , pages 79–95, ( 2020 )

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  • Gil Appel 1 ,
  • Lauren Grewal 2 ,
  • Rhonda Hadi 3 &
  • Andrew T. Stephen 3 , 4  

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Social media allows people to freely interact with others and offers multiple ways for marketers to reach and engage with consumers. Considering the numerous ways social media affects individuals and businesses alike, in this article, the authors focus on where they believe the future of social media lies when considering marketing-related topics and issues. Drawing on academic research, discussions with industry leaders, and popular discourse, the authors identify nine themes, organized by predicted imminence (i.e., the immediate, near, and far futures), that they believe will meaningfully shape the future of social media through three lenses: consumer, industry, and public policy. Within each theme, the authors describe the digital landscape, present and discuss their predictions, and identify relevant future research directions for academics and practitioners.

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Introduction

Social media is used by billions of people around the world and has fast become one of the defining technologies of our time. Facebook, for example, reported having 2.38 billion monthly active users and 1.56 billion daily active users as of March 31, 2019 (Facebook 2019 ). Globally, the total number of social media users is estimated to grow to 3.29 billion users in 2022, which will be 42.3% of the world’s population (eMarketer 2018 ). Given the massive potential audience available who are spending many hours a day using social media across the various platforms, it is not surprising that marketers have embraced social media as a marketing channel. Academically, social media has also been embraced, and an extensive body of research on social media marketing and related topics, such as online word of mouth (WOM) and online networks, has been developed. Despite what academics and practitioners have studied and learned over the last 15–20 years on this topic, due to the fast-paced and ever-changing nature of social media—and how consumers use it—the future of social media in marketing might not be merely a continuation of what we have already seen. Therefore, we ask a pertinent question, what is the future of social media in marketing?

Addressing this question is the goal of this article. It is important to consider the future of social media in the context of consumer behavior and marketing, since social media has become a vital marketing and communications channel for businesses, organizations and institutions alike, including those in the political sphere. Moreover, social media is culturally significant since it has become, for many, the primary domain in which they receive vast amounts of information, share content and aspects of their lives with others, and receive information about the world around them (even though that information might be of questionable accuracy). Vitally, social media is always changing. Social media as we know it today is different than even a year ago (let alone a decade ago), and social media a year from now will likely be different than now. This is due to constant innovation taking place on both the technology side (e.g., by the major platforms constantly adding new features and services) and the user/consumer side (e.g., people finding new uses for social media) of social media.

What is social media?

Definitionally, social media can be thought of in a few different ways. In a practical sense, it is a collection of software-based digital technologies—usually presented as apps and websites—that provide users with digital environments in which they can send and receive digital content or information over some type of online social network. In this sense, we can think of social media as the major platforms and their features, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. We can also in practical terms of social media as another type of digital marketing channel that marketers can use to communicate with consumers through advertising. But we can also think of social media more broadly, seeing it less as digital media and specific technology services, and more as digital places where people conduct significant parts of their lives. From this perspective, it means that social media becomes less about the specific technologies or platforms, and more about what people do in these environments. To date, this has tended to be largely about information sharing, and, in marketing, often thought of as a form of (online) word of mouth (WOM).

Building on these definitional perspectives, and thinking about the future, we consider social media to be a technology-centric—but not entirely technological—ecosystem in which a diverse and complex set of behaviors, interactions, and exchanges involving various kinds of interconnected actors (individuals and firms, organizations, and institutions) can occur. Social media is pervasive, widely used, and culturally relevant. This definitional perspective is deliberately broad because we believe that social media has essentially become almost anything—content, information, behaviors, people, organizations, institutions—that can exist in an interconnected, networked digital environment where interactivity is possible. It has evolved from being simply an online instantiation of WOM behaviors and content/information creation and sharing. It is pervasive across societies (and geographic borders) and culturally prominent at both local and global levels.

Throughout the paper we consider many of the definitional and phenomenological aspects described above and explore their implications for consumers and marketing in order to address our question about the future of marketing-related social media. By drawing on academic research, discussions with industry leaders, popular discourse, and our own expertise, we present and discuss a framework featuring nine themes that we believe will meaningfully shape the future of social media in marketing. These themes by no means represent a comprehensive list of all emerging trends in the social media domain and include aspects that are both familiar in extant social media marketing literature (e.g., online WOM, engagement, and user-generated content) and emergent (e.g., sensory considerations in human-computer interaction and new types of unstructured data, including text, audio, images, and video). The themes we present were chosen because they capture important changes in the social media space through the lenses of important stakeholders, including consumers, industry/practice, and public policy.

In addition to describing the nature and consequences of each theme, we identify research directions that academics and practitioners may wish to explore. While it is infeasible to forecast precisely what the future has in store or to project these on a specific timeline, we have organized the emergent themes into three time-progressive waves, according to imminence of impact (i.e., the immediate, near, and far future). Before presenting our framework for the future of social media in marketing and its implications for research (and practice and policy), we provide a brief overview of where social media currently stands as a major media and marketing channel.

Social media at present

The current social media landscape has two key aspects to it. First are the platforms—major and minor, established and emerging—that provide the underlying technologies and business models making up the industry and ecosystem. Second are the use cases; i.e., how various kinds of people and organizations are using these technologies and for what purposes.

The rise of social media, and the manner in which it has impacted both consumer behavior and marketing practice, has largely been driven by the platforms themselves. Some readers might recall the “early days” of social media where social networking sites such as MySpace and Friendster were popular. These sites were precursors to Facebook and everything else that has developed over the last decade. Alongside these platforms, we continue to have other forms of social media such as messaging (which started with basic Internet Relay Chat services in the 1990s and the SMS text messaging built into early digital mobile telephone standards in the 2000s), and asynchronous online conversations arranged around specific topics of interest (e.g., threaded discussion forums, subreddits on Reddit). More recently, we have seen the rise of social media platforms where images and videos replace text, such as Instagram and Snapchat.

Across platforms, historically and to the present day, the dominant business model has involved monetization of users (audiences) by offering advertising services to anyone wishing to reach those audiences with digital content and marketing communications. Prior research has examined the usefulness of social media (in its various forms) for marketing purposes. For example, work by Trusov et al. ( 2009 ) and Stephen and Galak ( 2012 ) demonstrated that certain kinds of social interactions that now happen on social media (e.g., “refer a friend” features and discussions in online communities) can positively affect important marketing outcomes such as new customer acquisition and sales. More recently, the value of advertising on social media continues to be explored (e.g., Gordon et al. 2019 ), as well as how it interacts with other forms of media such as television (e.g., Fossen and Schweidel 2016 , 2019 ) and affects new product adoption through diffusion of information mechanisms (e.g., Hennig-Thurau et al. 2015 ).

Although the rise (and fall) of various kinds of social media platforms has been important for understanding the social media landscape, our contention is that understanding the current situation of social media, at least from a marketing perspective, lies more in what the users do on these platforms than the technologies or services offered by these platforms. Presently, people around the world use social media in its various forms (e.g., news feeds on Facebook and Twitter, private messaging on WhatsApp and WeChat, and discussion forums on Reddit) for a number of purposes. These can generally be categorized as (1) digitally communicating and socializing with known others, such as family and friends, (2) doing the same but with unknown others but who share common interests, and (3) accessing and contributing to digital content such as news, gossip, and user-generated product reviews.

All of these use cases are essentially WOM in one form or another. This, at least, is how marketing scholars have mainly characterized social media, as discussed by Lamberton and Stephen ( 2016 ). Indeed, online WOM has been—and, we contend, will continue to be—important in marketing (e.g., in the meta-analysis by Babić Rosario et al. 2016 the authors found, on average, a positive correlation between online WOM and sales). The present perspective on social media is that people use it for creating, accessing, and spreading information via WOM to various types of others, be it known “strong ties” or “weak ties” in their networks or unknown “strangers.” Some extant research has looked at social media from the WOM perspective of the consequences of the transmission of WOM (e.g., creating a Facebook post or tweeting) on others (e.g., Herhausen et al. 2019 ; Stephen and Lehmann 2016 ), the impact of the type of WOM content shared on others’ behavior (e.g., Villarroel Ordenes et al. 2017 ; Villarroel Ordenes et al. 2018 ), and on the motivations that drive consumer posting on social media, including considerations of status and self-presentation (e.g., Grewal et al. 2019 ; Hennig-Thurau et al. 2004 ; Hollenbeck and Kaikati 2012 ; Toubia and Stephen 2013 ; Wallace et al. 2014 ).

While this current characterization of WOM appears reasonable, it considers social media only from a communications perspective (and as a type of media channel). However, as social media matures, broader social implications emerge. To appropriately consider the future, we must expand our perspective beyond the narrow communicative aspects of social media and consider instead how consumers might use it. Hence, in our vision for the future of social media in marketing in the following sections, we attempt to present a more expansive perspective of what social media is (and will become) and explain why this perspective is relevant to marketing research and practice.

Overview of framework for the future of social media in marketing

In the following sections we present a framework for the immediate, near, and far future of social media in marketing when considering various relevant stakeholders. Themes in the immediate future represent those which already exist in the current marketplace, and that we believe will continue shaping the social media landscape. The near future section examines trends that have shown early signs of manifesting, and that we believe will meaningfully alter the social media landscape in the imminent future. Finally, themes designated as being in the far future represent more speculative projections that we deem capable of long-term influence on the future of social media. The next sections delve into each of the themes in Table 1 , organized around the predicted imminence of these theme’s importance to marketing (i.e., the immediate, near, and far futures).

The immediate future

To begin our discussion on the direction of social media, in this section, we highlight three themes that have surfaced in the current environment that we believe will continue to shape the social media landscape in the immediate future. These themes—omni-social presence, the rise of influencers, and trust and privacy concerns—reflect the ever-changing digital and social media landscape that we presently face. We believe that these different areas will influence a number of stakeholders such as individual social media users, firms and brands that utilize social media, and public policymakers (e.g., governments, regulators).

Omni-social presence

In its early days, social media activity was mostly confined to designated social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter (or their now-defunct precursors). However, a proliferation of websites and applications that primarily serve separate purposes have capitalized on the opportunity to embed social media functionality into their interfaces. Similarly, all major mobile and desktop operating systems have in-built social media integration (e.g., sharing functions built into Apple’s iOS). This has made social media pervasive and ubiquitous—and perhaps even omnipotent—and has extended the ecosystem beyond dedicated platforms.

Accordingly, consumers live in a world in which social media intersects with most aspects of their lives through digitally enabled social interactivity in such domains as travel (e.g., TripAdvisor), work (e.g., LinkedIn), food (e.g., Yelp), music (e.g., Spotify), and more. At the same time, traditional social media companies have augmented their platforms to provide a broader array of functionalities and services (e.g., Facebook’s marketplace, Chowdry 2018 ; WeChat’s payment system, Cheng 2017 ). These bidirectional trends suggest that the modern-day consumer is living in an increasingly “omni-social” world.

From a marketing perspective, the “omni-social” nature of the present environment suggests that virtually every part of a consumer’s decision-making process is prone to social media influence. Need recognition might be activated when a consumer watches their favorite beauty influencer trying a new product on YouTube. A consumer shopping for a car might search for information by asking their Facebook friends what models they recommend. A hungry employee might sift through Yelp reviews to evaluate different lunch options. A traveler might use Airbnb to book future accommodation. Finally, a highly dissatisfied (or delighted) airline passenger might rant (rave) about their experience on Twitter. While the decision-making funnel is arguably growing flatter than the aforementioned examples would imply (Cortizo-Burgess 2014 ), these independent scenarios illustrate that social media has the propensity to influence the entire consumer-decision making process, from beginning to end.

Finally, perhaps the greatest indication of an “omni-social” phenomenon is the manner in which social media appears to be shaping culture itself. YouTube influencers are now cultural icons, with their own TV shows (Comm 2016 ) and product lines (McClure 2015 ). Creative content in television and movies is often deliberately designed to be “gifable” and meme-friendly (Bereznak 2018 ). “Made-for-Instagram museums” are encouraging artistic content and experiences that are optimized for selfie-taking and posting (Pardes 2017 ). These examples suggest that social media’s influence is hardly restricted to the “online” world (we discuss the potential obsolescence of this term later in this paper), but is rather consistently shaping cultural artifacts (television, film, the arts) that transcend its traditional boundaries. We believe this trend will continue to manifest, perhaps making the term “social media” itself out-of-date, as it’s omni-presence will be the default assumption for consumers, businesses, and artists in various domains.

This omni-social trend generates many questions to probe in future research. For example, how will social interactivity influence consumer behavior in areas that had traditionally been non-social? From a practitioner lens, it might also be interesting to explore how marketers can strategically address the flatter decision-making funnel that social media has enabled, and to examine how service providers can best alter experiential consumption when anticipating social media sharing behavior.

The rise of new forms of social influence (and influencers)

The idea of using celebrities (in consumer markets) or well-known opinion leaders (in business markets), who have a high social value, to influence others is a well-known marketing strategy (Knoll and Matthes 2017 ). However, the omnipresence of social media has tremendously increased the accessibility and appeal of this approach. For example, Selena Gomez has over 144 million followers on Instagram that she engages with each of her posts. In 2018, the exposure of a single photo shared by her was valued at $3.4 million (Maxim 2018 ). However, she comes at a high price: one post that Selena sponsors for a brand can cost upwards of $800,000 (Mejia 2018 ). However, putting high valuations on mere online exposures or collecting “likes” for specific posts can be somewhat speculative, as academic research shows that acquiring “likes” on social media might have no effect on consumers’ attitudes or behaviors (John et al. 2017 ; Mochon et al. 2017 ). Moreover, Hennig-Thurau et al. ( 2015 ), show that while garnering positive WOM has little to no effect on consumer preferences, negative WOM can have a negative effect on consumer preferences.

While celebrities like Selena Gomez are possible influencers for major brands, these traditional celebrities are so expensive that smaller brands have begun, and will continue to, capitalize on the popularity and success of what are referred to as “micro-influencers,” representing a new form of influencers. Micro-influencers are influencers who are not as well-known as celebrities, but who have strong and enthusiastic followings that are usually more targeted, amounting anywhere between a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of followers (Main 2017 ). In general, these types of influencers are considered to be more trustworthy and authentic than traditional celebrities, which is a major reason influencer marketing has grown increasingly appealing to brands (Enberg 2018 ). These individuals are often seen as credible “experts” in what they post about, encouraging others to want to view the content they create and engage with them. Furthermore, using these influencers allows the brand via first person narration (compared to ads), which is considered warmer and more personal, and was shown to be more effective in engaging consumers (Chang et al. 2019 ).

Considering the possible reach and engagement influencers command on social media, companies have either begun embracing influencers on social media, or plan to expand their efforts in this domain even more. For example, in recent conversations we had with social media executives, several of them stated the growing importance of influencers and mentioned how brands generally are looking to incorporate influencer marketing into their marketing strategies. Further, recent conversations with executives at some globally leading brands suggest that influencer marketing spending by big brands continues to rise.

While influencer marketing on social media is not new, we believe it has a lot of potential to develop further as an industry. In a recent working paper, Duani et al. ( 2018 ) show that consumers enjoy watching a live experience much more and for longer time periods than watching a prerecorded one. Hence, we think live streaming by influencers will continue to grow, in broad domains as well as niche ones. For example, streaming of video game playing on Twitch, a platform owned by Amazon, may still be niche but shows no signs of slowing down. However, live platforms are limited by the fact that the influencers, being human, need to sleep and do other activities offline. Virtual influencers (i.e., “CGI” influencers that look human but are not), on the other hand, have no such limitations. They never get tired or sick, they do not even eat (unless it is needed for a campaign). Some brands have started exploring the use of virtual influencers (Nolan 2018 ), and we believe that in coming years, along with stronger computing power and artificial intelligence algorithms, virtual influencers will become much more prominent on social media, being able to invariably represent and act on brand values and engage with followers anytime.

There are many interesting future research avenues to consider when thinking about the role of influencers on social media. First, determining what traits and qualities (e.g., authenticity, trust, credibility, and likability) make sponsored posts by a traditional celebrity influencer, versus a micro-influencer, or even compared to a CGI influencer, more or less successful is important to determine for marketers. Understanding whether success has to do with the actual influencer’s characteristics, the type of content being posted, whether content is sponsored or not, and so on, are all relevant concerns for companies and social media platforms when determining partnerships and where to invest effort in influencers. In addition, research can focus on understanding the appeal of live influencer content, and how to successfully blend influencer content with more traditional marketing mix approaches.

Privacy concerns on social media

Consumer concerns regarding data privacy, and their ability to trust brands and platforms are not new (for a review on data privacy see Martin and Murphy 2017 ). Research in marketing and related disciplines has examined privacy and trust concerns from multiple angles and using different definitions of privacy. For example, research has focused on the connections between personalization and privacy (e.g., Aguirre et al. 2015 ; White et al. 2008 ), the relationship of privacy as it relates to consumer trust and firm performance (e.g., Martin 2018 ; Martin et al. 2017 ), and the legal and ethical aspects of data and digital privacy (e.g., Culnan and Williams 2009 ; Nill and Aalberts 2014 ). Despite this topic not seeming novel, the way consumers, brands, policy makers, and social media platforms are all adjusting and adapting to these concerns are still in flux and without clear resolution.

Making our understanding of privacy concerns even less straightforward is the fact that, across extant literature, a clear definition of privacy is hard to come by. In one commentary on privacy, Stewart ( 2017 ), defined privacy as “being left alone,” as this allows an individual to determine invasions of privacy. We build from this definition of privacy to speculate on a major issue in privacy and trust moving forward. Specifically, how consumers are adapting and responding to the digital world, where “being left alone” isn’t possible. For example, while research has shown benefits to personalization tactics (e.g., Chung et al. 2016 ), with eroding trust in social platforms and brands that advertise through them, many consumers would rather not share data and privacy for a more personalized experiences, are uncomfortable with their purchases being tracked and think it should be illegal for brands to be able to buy their data (Edelman 2018 ). These recent findings seem to be in conflict with previously established work on consumer privacy expectations. Therefore, understanding if previously studied factors that mitigated the negative effects of personalization (e.g., perceived utility; White et al. 2008 ) are still valued by consumers in an ever-changing digital landscape is essential for future work.

In line with rising privacy concerns, the way consumers view brands and social media is becoming increasingly negative. Consumers are deleting their social media presence, where research has shown that nearly 40% of digitally connected individuals admitted to deleting at least one social media account due to fears of their personal data being mishandled (Edelman 2018 ). This is a negative trend not only for social media platforms, but for the brands and advertisers who have grown dependent on these avenues for reaching consumers. Edelman found that nearly half of the surveyed consumers believed brands to be complicit in negative aspects of content on social media such as hate speech, inappropriate content, or fake news (Edelman 2018 ). Considering that social media has become one of the best places for brands to engage with consumers, build relationships, and provide customer service, it’s not only in the best interest of social media platforms to “do better” in terms of policing content, but the onus of responsibility has been placed on brands to advocate for privacy, trust, and the removal of fake or hateful content.

Therefore, to combat these negative consumer beliefs, changes will need to be made by everyone who benefits from consumer engagement on social media. Social media platforms and brands need to consider three major concerns that are eroding consumer trust: personal information, intellectual property and information security (Information Technology Faculty 2018 ). Considering each of these concerns, specific actions and initiatives need to be taken for greater transparency and subsequent trust. We believe that brands and agencies need to hold social media accountable for their actions regarding consumer data (e.g., GDPR in the European Union) for consumers to feel “safe” and “in control,” two factors shown necessary in cases of privacy concerns (e.g., Tucker 2014 ; Xu et al. 2012 ). As well, brands need to establish transparent policies regarding consumer data in a way that recognizes the laws, advertising restrictions, and a consumer’s right to privacy (a view shared by others; e.g., Martin et al. 2017 ). All of this is managerially essential for brands to engender feelings of trust in the increasingly murky domain of social media.

Future research can be conducted to determine consumer reactions to different types of changes and policies regarding data and privacy. As well, another related and important direction for future research, will be to ascertain the spillover effects of distrust on social media. Specifically, is all content shared on social media seen as less trustworthy if the platform itself is distrusted? Does this extend to brand messages displayed online? Is there a negative spillover effect to other user-generated content shared through these platforms?

The near future

In the previous section, we discussed three areas where we believe social media is immediately in flux. In this section, we identify three trends that have shown early signs of manifesting, and which we believe will meaningfully alter the social media landscape in the near, or not-too-distant, future. Each of these topics impact the stakeholders we mentioned when discussing the immediate social media landscape.

Combatting loneliness and isolation

Social media has made it easier to reach people. When Facebook was founded in 2004, their mission was “to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together... use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what’s going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them” (Facebook 2019 ). Despite this mission, and the reality that users are more “connected” to other people than ever before, loneliness and isolation are on the rise. Over the last fifty years in the U.S., loneliness and isolation rates have doubled, with Generation Z considered to be the loneliest generation (Cigna 2018 ). Considering these findings with the rise of social media, is the fear that Facebook is interfering with real friendships and ironically spreading the isolation it was designed to conquer something to be considered about (Marche 2012 )?

The role of social media in this “loneliness epidemic” is being hotly debated. Some research has shown that social media negatively impacts consumer well-being. Specifically, heavy social media use has been associated with higher perceived social isolation, loneliness, and depression (Kross et al. 2013 ; Primack et al. 2017 ; Steers et al. 2014 ). Additionally, Facebook use has been shown to be negatively correlated with consumer well-being (Shakya and Christakis 2017 ) and correlational research has shown that limiting social media use to 10 min can decrease feelings of loneliness and depression due to less FOMO (e.g., “fear of missing out;” Hunt et al. 2018 ).

On the other hand, research has shown that social media use alone is not a predictor of loneliness as other factors have to be considered (Cigna 2018 ; Kim et al. 2009 ). In fact, while some research has shown no effect of social media on well-being (Orben et al. 2019 ), other research has shown that social media can benefit individuals through a number of different avenues such as teaching and developing socialization skills, allowing greater communication and access to a greater wealth of resources, and helping with connection and belonging (American Psychological Association 2011 ; Baker and Algorta 2016 ; Marker et al. 2018 ). As well, a working paper by Crolic et al. ( 2019 ) argues that much of the evidence of social media use on consumer well-being is of questionable quality (e.g., small and non-representative samples, reliance on self-reported social media use), and show that some types of social media use are positively associated with psychological well-being over time.

Managerially speaking, companies are beginning to respond as a repercussion of studies highlighting a negative relationship between social media and negative wellbeing. For example, Facebook has created “time limit” tools (mobile operating systems, such as iOS, now also have these time-limiting features). Specifically, users can now check their daily times, set up reminder alerts that pop up when a self-imposed amount of time on the apps is hit, and there is the option to mute notifications for a set period of time (Priday 2018 ). These different features seem well-intentioned and are designed to try and give people a more positive social media experience. Whether these features will be used is unknown.

Future research can address whether or not consumers will use available “timing” tools on one of many devices in which their social media exists (i.e., fake self-policing) or on all of their devices to actually curb behavior. It could also be the case that users will actually spend less time on Facebook and Instagram, but possibly spend that extra time on other competing social media platforms, or attached to devices, which theoretically will not help combat loneliness. Understanding how (and which) consumers use these self-control tools and how impactful they are is a potentially valuable avenue for future research.

One aspect of social media that has yet to be considered in the loneliness discussion through empirical measures, is the quality of use (versus quantity). Facebook ads have begun saying, “The best part of Facebook isn’t on Facebook. It’s when it helps us get together” (Facebook 2019 ). There have been discussions around the authenticity of this type of message, but at its core, in addition to promoting quantity differences, it’s speaking to how consumers use the platform. Possibly, to facilitate this message, social media platforms will find new ways to create friend suggestions between individuals who not only share similar interests and mutual friends to facilitate in-person friendships (e.g., locational data from the mobile app service). Currently there are apps that allow people to search for friends that are physically close (e.g., Bumble Friends), and perhaps social media will go in this same direction to address the loneliness epidemic and stay current.

Future research can examine whether the quantity of use, types of social media platforms, or the way social media is used causally impacts perceived loneliness. Specifically, understanding if the negative correlations found between social media use and well-being are due to the demographics of individuals who use a lot of social media, the way social media works, or the way users choose to engage with the platform will be important for understanding social media’s role (or lack of role) in the loneliness epidemic.

Integrated customer care

Customer care via digital channels as we know it is going to change substantially in the near future. To date, many brands have used social media platforms as a place for providing customer care, addressing customers’ specific questions, and fixing problems. In the future, social media-based customer care is expected to become even more customized, personalized, and ubiquitous. Customers will be able to engage with firms anywhere and anytime, and solutions to customers’ problems will be more accessible and immediate, perhaps even pre-emptive using predictive approaches (i.e., before a customer even notices an issue or has a question pop into their mind).

Even today, we observe the benefits that companies gain from connecting with customers on social media for service- or care-related purposes. Customer care is implemented in dedicated smartphone apps and via direct messaging on social media platforms. However, it appears that firms want to make it even easier for customers to connect with them whenever and wherever they might need. Requiring a customer to download a brand specific app or to search through various social media platforms to connect with firms through the right branded account on a platform can be a cumbersome process. In those cases, customers might instead churn or engage in negative WOM, instead of connecting with the firm to bring up any troubles they might have.

The near future of customer care on social media appears to be more efficient and far-reaching. In a recent review on the future of customer relationship management, Haenlein ( 2017 ) describes “invisible CRM” as future systems that will make customer engagement simple and accessible for customers. New platforms have emerged to make the connection between customer and firm effortless. Much of this is via instant messaging applications for businesses, which several leading technology companies have recently launched as business-related features in existing platforms (e.g., contact business features in Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp or Apple’s Business Chat).

These technologies allow businesses to directly communicate via social media messaging services with their customers. Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google are in the process, or have already released early versions of such platforms (Dequier 2018 ). Customers can message a company, ask them questions, or even order products and services through the messaging system, which is often built around chatbots and virtual assistants. This practice is expected to become more widespread, especially because it puts brands and companies into the social media messaging platforms their customers already use to communicate with others, it provides quicker—even instantaneous—responses, is economically scalable through the use of AI-driven chatbots, and, despite the use of chatbots, can provide a more personalized level of customer service.

Another area that companies will greatly improve upon is data collection and analysis. While it is true that data collection on social media is already pervasive today, it is also heavily scrutinized. However, we believe that companies will adapt to the latest regulation changes (e.g., GDPR in Europe, CCPA in California) and improve on collecting and analyzing anonymized data (Kakatkar and Spann 2018 ). Furthermore, even under these new regulations, personalized data collection is still allowed, but severely limits firm’s abilities to exploit consumers’ data, and requires their consent for data collection.

We believe that in the future, companies will be able recognize early indications of problems within customer chatter, behavior, or even physiological data (e.g., monitoring the sensors in our smart watches) before customers themselves even realize they are experiencing a problem. For example, WeWork, the shared workspace company, collects data on how workers move and act in a workspace, building highly personalized workspaces based on trends in the data. Taking this type of approach to customer care will enable “seamless service,” where companies would be able to identify and address consumer problems when they are still small and scattered, and while only a small number of customers are experiencing problems. Customer healthcare is a pioneer in this area, where using twitter and review sites were shown to predict poor healthcare quality (Greaves et al. 2013 ), listen to patients to analyze trending terms (Baktha et al. 2017 ; Padrez et al. 2016 ), or even predict disease outbreaks (Schmidt 2012 ).

Companies, wanting to better understand and mimic human interactions, will invest a lot of R&D efforts into developing better Natural Language Processing, voice and image recognition, emotional analysis, and speech synthesis tools (Sheth 2017 ). For example, Duplex, Google’s latest AI assistant, can already call services on its own and seamlessly book reservations for their users (Welch 2018 ). In the future, AI systems will act as human ability augmenters, allowing us to accomplish more, in less time, and better results (Guszcza 2018 ).

For marketers, this will reduce the need for call centers and agents, reducing points of friction in service and increasing the convenience for customers (Kaplan and Haenlein 2019 ). However, some raise the question that the increased dependence on automation may result in a loss of compassion and empathy. In a recent study, Force (2018) shows that interacting with brands on social media lowered people’s empathy. In response to such concerns, and to educate and incentivize people to interact with machines in a similar way they do with people, Google programmed their AI assistant to respond in a nicer way if you use a polite, rather than a commanding approach (Kumparak 2018 ). While this might help, more research is needed to understand the effect of an AI rich world on human behavior. As well, future research can examine how consumer generated data can help companies preemptively predict consumer distress. Another interesting path for research would be to better understand the difference in consumer engagement between the various platforms, and the long-term effects of service communications with non-human AI and IoT.

Social media as a political tool

Social media is a platform to share thoughts and opinions. This is especially true in the case of disseminating political sentiments. Famously, President Barack Obama’s victory in the 2008 election was partially attributed to his ability to drive and engage voters on social media (Carr 2008 ). Indeed, Bond et al. ( 2012 ) have shown that with simple interventions, social media platforms can increase targeted audiences’ likelihood of voting. Social media is considered one of the major drivers of the 2010 wave of revolutions in Arab countries, also known as the Arab Spring (Brown et al. 2012 ).

While social media is not new to politics, we believe that social media is transitioning to take a much larger role as a political tool in the intermediate future. First evidence for this could be seen in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as social media took on a different shape, with many purported attempts to influence voter’s opinions, thoughts, and actions. This is especially true for then-candidate and now-President Donald Trump. His use of Twitter attracted a lot of attention during the campaign and has continued to do so during his term in office. Yet, he is not alone, and many politicians changed the way they work and interact with constituents, with a recent example of Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that even ran a workshop for fellow congress members on social media (Dwyer 2019 ).

While such platforms allow for a rapid dissemination of ideas and concepts (Bonilla and Rosa 2015 ; Bode 2016 ), there are some, both in academia and industry that have raised ethical concerns about using social media for political purposes. Given that people choose who to follow, this selective behavior is said to potentially create echo chambers, wherein, users are exposed only to ideas by like-minded people, exhibiting increased political homophily (Bakshy et al. 2015 ). People’s preference to group with like-minded people is not new. Social in-groups have been shown to promote social identification and promote in-group members to conform to similar ideas (Castano et al. 2002 ; Harton and Bourgeois 2004 ). Furthermore, it was also shown that group members strongly disassociate and distance themselves from outgroup members (Berger and Heath 2008 ; White and Dahl 2007 ). Thus, it is not surprising to find that customized newsfeeds within social media exacerbate this problem by generating news coverage that is unique to specific users, locking them in their purported echo chambers (Oremus 2016 ).

While social media platforms admit that echo chambers could pose a problem, a solution is not clear (Fiegerman 2018 ). One reason that echo chambers present such a problem, is their proneness to fake news. Fake news are fabricated stories that try to disguise themselves as authentic content, in order to affect other social media users. Fake news was widely used in the 2016 U.S. elections, with accusations that foreign governments, such as Iran and Russia, were using bots (i.e., online automatic algorithms), to spread falsified content attacking Hillary Clinton and supporting President Trump (Kelly et al. 2018 ). Recent research has furthermore shown how the Chinese government strategically uses millions of online comments to distract the Chinese public from discussing sensitive issues and promote nationalism (King et al. 2017 ). In their latest incarnation, fake news uses an advanced AI technique called “Deep Fake” to generate ultra-realistic forged images and videos of political leaders while manipulating what those leaders say (Schwartz 2018 ). Such methods can easily fool even the sharpest viewer. In response, research has begun to explore ways that social media platforms can combat fake news through algorithms that determine the quality of shared content (e.g., Pennycook and Rand 2019 ).

One factor that has helped the rise of fake news is echo chambers. This occurs as the repeated sharing of fake news by group members enhance familiarity and support (Schwarz and Newman 2017 ). Repetition of such articles by bots can only increase that effect. Recent research has shown that in a perceived social setting, such as social media, participants were less likely to fact-check information (Jun et al. 2017 ), and avoided information that didn’t fit well with their intuition (Woolley and Risen 2018 ). Schwarz and Newman ( 2017 ) state that misinformation might be difficult to correct, especially if the correction is not issued immediately and the fake news has already settled into the minds of users. It was also shown that even a single exposure to fake news can create long term effect on users, making their effect larger than previously thought (Pennycook et al. 2019 ).

Notably, some research has found that exposure to opposing views (i.e., removing online echo chambers) may in fact increase (versus decrease) polarization (Bail et al. 2018 ). Accordingly, more work from policy makers, businesses, and academics is needed to understand and potentially combat political extremism. For example, policy makers and social media platforms will continually be challenged to fight “fake news” without censoring free speech. Accordingly, research that weighs the risk of limited freedom of expression versus the harms of spreading fake news would yield both theoretical and practically meaningful insights.

The far future

In this section, we highlight three emerging trends we believe will have a have long-term influence on the future of social media. Note that although we label these trends as being in the “far” future, many of the issues described here are already present or emerging. However, they represent more complex issues that we believe will take longer to address and be of mainstream importance for marketing than the six issues discussed previously under the immediate and near futures.

Increased sensory richness

In its early days, the majority of social media posts (e.g., on Facebook, Twitter) were text. Soon, these platforms allowed for the posting of pictures and then videos, and separate platforms dedicated themselves to focus on these specific forms of media (e.g., Instagram and Pinterest for pictures, Instagram and SnapChat for short videos). These shifts have had demonstrable consequences on social media usage and its consequences as some scholars suggest that image-based posts convey greater social presence than text alone (e.g., Pittman and Reich 2016 ). Importantly however, a plethora of new technologies in the market suggest that the future of social media will be more sensory-rich.

One notable technology that has already started infiltrating social media is augmented reality (AR). Perhaps the most recognizable examples of this are Snapchat’s filters, which use a device’s camera to superimpose real-time visual and/or video overlays on people’s faces (including features such as makeup, dog ears, etc.). The company has even launched filters to specifically be used on users’ cats (Ritschel 2018 ). Other social media players quickly joined the AR bandwagon, including Instagram’s recent adoption of AR filters (Rao 2017 ) and Apple’s Memoji messaging (Tillman 2018 ). This likely represents only the tip of the iceberg, particularly given that Facebook, one of the industry’s largest investors in AR technology, has confirmed it is working on AR glasses (Constine 2018 ). Notably, the company plans to launch a developer platform, so that people can build augmented-reality features that live inside Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Whatsapp (Wagner 2017 ). These developments are supported by academic research suggesting that AR often provides more authentic (and hence positive) situated experiences (Hilken et al. 2017 ). Accordingly, whether viewed through glasses or through traditional mobile and tablet devices, the future of social media is likely to look much more visually augmented.

While AR allows users to interact within their current environments, virtual reality (VR) immerses the user in other places, and this technology is also likely to increasingly permeate social media interactions. While the Facebook-owned company Oculus VR has mostly been focusing on the areas of immersive gaming and film, the company recently announced the launch of Oculus Rooms where users can spend time with other users in a virtual world (playing games together, watching media together, or just chatting; Wagner 2018 ). Concurrently, Facebook Spaces allows friends to meet online in virtual reality and similarly engage with one another, with the added ability to share content (e.g., photos) from their Facebook profiles (Whigham 2018 ). In both cases, avatars are customized to represent users within the VR-created space. As VR technology is becoming more affordable and mainstream (Colville 2018 ) we believe social media will inevitably play a role in the technology’s increasing usage.

While AR and VR technologies bring visual richness, other developments suggest that the future of social media might also be more audible. A new player to the social media space, HearMeOut, recently introduced a platform that enables users to share and listen to 42-s audio posts (Perry 2018 ). Allowing users to use social media in a hands-free and eyes-free manner not only allows them to safely interact with social media when multitasking (particularly when driving), but voice is also said to add a certain richness and authenticity that is often missing from mere text-based posts (Katai 2018 ). Given that podcasts are more popular than ever before (Bhaskar 2018 ) and voice-based search queries are the fastest-growing mobile search type (Robbio 2018 ), it seems likely that this communication modality will accordingly show up more on social media use going forward.

Finally, there are early indications that social media might literally feel different in the future. As mobile phones are held in one’s hands and wearable technology is strapped onto one’s skin, companies and brands are exploring opportunities to communicate to users through touch. Indeed, haptic feedback (technology that recreates the sense of touch by applying forces, vibrations, or motions to the user; Brave et al. 2001 ) is increasingly being integrated into interfaces and applications, with purposes that go beyond mere call or message notifications. For example, some companies are experimenting with integrating haptics into media content (e.g., in mobile ads for Stoli vodka, users feel their phone shake as a woman shakes a cocktail; Johnson 2015 ), mobile games, and interpersonal chat (e.g., an app called Mumble! translates text messages into haptic outputs; Ozcivelek 2015 ). Given the high levels of investment into haptic technology (it is predicted to be a $20 billion industry by 2022; Magnarelli 2018 ) and the communicative benefits that stem from haptic engagement (Haans and IJsselsteijn 2006 ), we believe it is only a matter of time before this modality is integrated into social media platforms.

Future research might explore how any of the new sensory formats mentioned above might alter the nature of content creation and consumption. Substantively-focused researchers might also investigate how practitioners can use these tools to enhance their offerings and augment their interactions with customers. It is also interesting to consider how such sensory-rich formats can be used to bridge the gap between the online and offline spaces, which is the next theme we explore.

Online/offline integration and complete convergence

A discussion occurring across industry and academia is on how marketers can appropriately integrate online and offline efforts (i.e., an omnichannel approach). Reports from industry sources have shown that consumers respond better to integrated marketing campaigns (e.g., a 73% boost over standard email campaigns; Safko 2010 ). In academia meanwhile, the majority of research considering online promotions and advertisements has typically focused on how consumers respond to these strategies through online only measures (e.g., Manchanda et al. 2006 ), though this has begun to change in recent years with more research examining offline consequences to omnichannel strategies (Lobschat et al. 2017 ; Kumar et al. 2017 ).

Considering the interest in integrated marketing strategies over the last few years, numerous strategies have been utilized to follow online and offline promotions and their impacts on behavior such as the usage of hashtags to bring conversations online, call-to-actions, utilizing matching strategies on “traditional” avenues like television with social media. While there is currently online/offline integration strategies in marketing, we believe the future will go even further in blurring the lines between what is offline and online to not just increase the effectiveness of marketing promotions, but to completely change the way customers and companies interact with one another, and the way social media influences consumer behavior not only online, but offline.

For brands, there are a number of possible trends in omnichannel marketing that are pertinent. As mentioned earlier, a notable technology that has begun infiltrating social media is augmented reality (AR). In addition to what already exists (e.g., Snapchat’s filters, Pokémon Go), the future holds even more possibilities. For example, Ikea has been working to create an AR app that allows users to take photos of a space at home to exactly , down to the millimeter size and lighting in the room, showcase what a piece of furniture would look like in a consumer’s home (Lovejoy 2017 ). Another set of examples of AR comes from beauty company L’Oréal. In 2014 for the flagship L’Oréal Paris brand they released a mobile app called Makeup Genius that allowed consumers to virtually try on makeup on their phones (Stephen and Brooks 2018 ). Since then, they have developed AR apps for hair color and nail polish, as well as integrating AR into mobile ecommerce webpages for their luxury beauty brand Lancôme. AR-based digital services such as these are likely to be at the heart of the next stage of offline/online integration.

AR, and similar technology, will likely move above and beyond being a tool to help consumers make better decisions about their purchases. Conceivably, similar to promotions that currently exist to excitse consumers and create communities, AR will be incorporated into promotions that integrate offline and online actions. For example, contests on social media will advance to the stage where users get to vote on the best use of AR technology in conjunction with a brand’s products (e.g., instead of users submitting pictures of their apartments to show why they should win free furniture, they could use AR to show how they would lay out the furniture if they were to win it from IKEA).

Another way that the future of online/offline integration on social media needs to be discussed is in the sense of a digital self. Drawing on the extended self in the digital age (Belk 2013 ), the way consumers consider online actions as relevant to their offline selves may be changing. For example, Belk ( 2013 ) spoke of how consumers may be re-embodied through avatars they create to represent themselves online, influencing their offline selves and creating a multiplicity of selves (i.e., consumers have more choice when it comes to their self-representation). As research has shown how digital and social media can be used for self-presentation, affiliation, and expression (Back et al. 2010 ; Gosling et al. 2007 ; Toubia and Stephen 2013 ; Wilcox and Stephen 2012 ), what does it mean for the future if consumers can create who they want to be?

In addition, when considering digital selves, what does this mean for how consumers engage with brands and products? Currently, social media practice is one where brands encourage consumer engagement online (Chae et al. 2017 ; Godes and Mayzlin 2009 ), yet the implications for how these types of actions on the part of the brand to integrate online social media actions and real-life behavior play out are unclear. Research has begun to delve into the individual-level consequences of a consumer’s social media actions on marketing relevant outcomes (Grewal et al. 2019 ; John et al. 2017 ; Mochon et al. 2017 ; Zhang et al. 2017 ), however much is still unknown. As well, while there is recent work examining how the device used to create and view content online impacts consumer perceptions and behaviors (e.g., Grewal and Stephen 2019 ), to date research has not examined these questions in the context of social media. Therefore, future research could address how digital selves (both those held offline and those that only exist online), social media actions, and if the way consumers reach and use various platforms (i.e., device type, app vs. webpage, etc.) impact consumer behavior, interpersonal relationships, and brand-related measures (e.g., well-being, loyalty, purchase behaviors).

Social media by non-humans

The buzz surrounding AI has not escaped social media. Indeed, social bots (computer algorithms that automatically produce content and interact with social media users; Ferrara et al. 2016 ) have inhabited social media platforms for the last decade (Lee et al. 2011 ), and have become increasingly pervasive. For example, experts estimate that up to 15% of active Twitter accounts are bots (Varol et al. 2017 ), and that percentage appears to be on the rise (Romano 2018 ). While academics and practitioners are highly concerned with bot detection (Knight 2018 ), in the vast majority of current cases, users do not appear to recognize when they are interacting with bots (as opposed to other human users) on social media (Stocking and Sumida 2018 ). While some of these bots are said to be benign, and even useful (e.g., acting as information aggregators), they have also been shown to disrupt political discourse (as mentioned earlier), steal personal information, and spread misinformation (Ferrara et al. 2016 ).

Of course, social bots are not only a problem for social media users but are also a nagging concern plaguing marketers. Given that companies often assess marketing success on social media through metrics like Likes, Shares, and Clicks, the existence of bots poses a growing threat to accurate marketing metrics and methods for ROI estimation, such as attribution modelling (Bilton 2014 ). Similarly, when these bots act as “fake followers,” it can inflate the worth of influencers’ audiences (Bogost 2018 ). This can also be used nefariously by individuals and firms, as shown in a New York Times Magazine expose that documented the market used by some influencers to purchase such “fake” followers to inflate their social media reach (Confessore et al. 2018 ). As discussed above in relation to influencer marketing, where it has been commonplace for influencers to be paid for posts at rates proportionate to their follower counts, there have been perverse incentives to game the system by having non-human “fake” bot followers. This, however, erodes consumer trust in the social media ecosystem, which is a growing issue and a near-term problem for many firms using social media channels for marketing purposes.

However, there are instances when consumers do know they are interacting with bots, and do not seem to mind. For example, a number of virtual influencers (created with CGI, as mentioned earlier) seem to be garnering sizeable audiences, despite the fact they are clearly non-human (Walker 2018 ). One of the most popular of these virtual influencers, Lil Miquela, has over 1.5 million followers on Instagram despite openly confessing, “I am not a human being... I’m a robot” (Yurieff 2018 ). Future research might try to understand the underlying appeal of these virtual influencers, and the potential boundary conditions of their success.

Another category of social bots gaining increasing attention are therapy bots. These applications (e.g., “Woebot;” Molteni 2017 ) aim to support the mental health of users by proactively checking in on them, “listening” and chatting to users at any time and recommending activities to improve users’ wellbeing (de Jesus 2018 ). Similar bots are being used to “coach” users, and help them quit maladaptive behaviors, like smoking (e.g., QuitGenius; Crook 2018 ). Interestingly, by being explicitly non-human, these agents are perceived to be less judgmental, and might accordingly be easier for users to confide in.

Finally, the Internet of Things revolution has ushered in with it the opportunity for a number of tangible products and interfaces to “communicate” via social media. For example, in what started as a design experiment, “Brad,” a connected toaster, was given the ability to “communicate” with other connected toasters, and to tweet his “feelings” when neglected or under-used (Vanhemert 2014 ). While this experiment was deliberately designed to raise questions about the future of consumer-product relationships (and product-product “relationships”), the proliferation of autonomous tangible devices does suggest a future in which they have a “voice,” even in the absence of humans (Hoffman and Novak 2018 ).

Going forward, we believe the presence of bots on social media will be more normalized, but also more regulated (e.g., a recent law passed in California prevents bots from masquerading as humans; Smith 2018 ). Further, consumers and companies alike will be become increasingly interested in how bots communicate and interact with each other outside of human involvement. This brings up interesting potential research questions for academics and practitioners alike. How will the presence of non-humans change the nature of content creation and conversation in social media? And how should companies best account for the presence of non-humans in their attribution models?

Future research directions and conclusion

This article has presented nine themes pertinent to the future of social media as it relates to (and is perhaps influenced by) marketing. The themes have implications for individuals/consumers, businesses and organizations, and also public policymakers and governments. These themes, which represent our own thinking and a synthesis of views from extant research, industry experts, and popular public discourse, are of course not the full story of what the future of social media will entail. They are, however, a set of important issues that we believe will be worth considering in both academic research and marketing practice.

To stimulate future research on these themes and related topics, we present a summary of suggested research directions in Table 2 . These are organized around our nine themes and capture many of the suggested research directions mentioned earlier. As a sub-field within the field of marketing, social media is already substantial and the potential for future research—based on identified needs for new knowledge and answers to perplexing questions—suggests that this sub-field will become even more important over time. We encourage researchers to consider the kinds of research directions in Table 2 as examples of issues they could explore further. We also encourage researchers in marketing to treat social media as a place where interesting (and often very new) consumer behaviors exist and can be studied. As we discussed earlier in the paper, social media as a set of platform businesses and technologies is interesting, but it is how people use social media and the associated technologies that is ultimately of interest to marketing academics and practitioners. Thus, we urge scholars to not be overly enticed by the technological “shiny new toys” at the expense of considering the behaviors associated with those technologies and platforms.

Finally, while we relied heavily (though not exclusively) on North American examples to illustrate the emergent themes, there are likely interesting insights to be drawn by explicitly exploring cross-cultural differences in social media usage. For example, variations in regulatory policies (e.g., GDPR in the European Union) may lead to meaningful differences in how trust and privacy concerns manifest. Further, social media as a political tool might be more influential in regions where the mainstream media is notoriously government controlled and censored (e.g., as was the case in many of the Arab Spring countries). While such cross-cultural variation is outside the scope of this particular paper, we believe it represents an area of future research with great theoretical and practical value.

In reviewing the social media ecosystem and considering where it is heading in the context of consumers and marketing practice, we have concluded that this is an area that is very much still in a state of flux. The future of social media in marketing is exciting, but also uncertain. If nothing else, it is vitally important that we better understand social media since it has become highly culturally relevant, a dominant form of communication and expression, a major media type used by companies for advertising and other forms of communication, and even has geopolitical ramifications. We hope that the ideas discussed here stimulate many new ideas and research, which we ultimately hope to see being mentioned and shared across every type of social media platform.

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The authors thank the special issue editors and reviewers for their comments, and the Oxford Future of Marketing Initiative for supporting this research. The authors contributed equally and are listed in alphabetical order or, if preferred, order of Marvel superhero fandom from highest to lowest and order of Bon Jovi fandom from lowest to highest.

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The numbers of companies who advertise on social media platforms like Facebook are increasing rapidly in recent years. The diversification of online advertising into social media can be seen everywhere. Facebook advertising is potentially able to reach 699 million daily active users with 1 billion registered users in worldwide (Wordstream, 2014). Scott (2008) says, ‘One of the coolest things about the Web is that when an idea takes off it can propel a brand or a company to seemingly instant fame and fortune.’ He also comments that even though communicating through social media is free at most of the time but only a small number of public relations practitioners are effectively using social media when communicating with their strategic public. Thus, do public relations practitioners have certainly perfected the art of social media advertising? Back during past times, public relations practitioners approached audiences through traditional media. With no doubt, it plays a dynamic role as a medium between organization and its public to highlight their image and impression transparently. However, social media and technology such as Facebook is preferable in globalization for IMC. In 2010, Nike broke its ‘Write the Future’ World Cup campaign on Facebook before the ads aired on television (Business Insider, 2012). Public relations practitioners indicate that the combination of social media and traditional media will enhance the impact of the message by the organization when developing IMC strategies plans. The rapid growth of Facebook in both popularity and number of users make it as first choice advertising platform when lack of budget. As an example, to generate brand awareness for its Old Spice fragrance line, Procter & Gamble invited Facebook users to ‘Turn Up Your Man Smell’ by becoming fans of its products. The brand’s fan page had more than 120,000 new fans in a week (Morrisey, 2009). Furthermore, Toyota who faced with declining sales in the wake of safety recalls used a combination of YouTube videos and Facebook pages to promote its Sienna minivan. Approximately 2000 Facebook users were signing on as fans of the Sienna within few weeks (Elliott, 2010). Impacts of online advertising are huge. The cross channel messaging allows public relations practitioners keeping company’s messages consistent across Facebook which provide greater availability of information in editorial articles and interviews with company personnel. It is definitely help to create brand awareness and recognition via Facebook. Facebook ads, an alternative IMC tool for public relations practitioners to post unpaid links on Facebook pointing to companies’ website or landing pages. Ebay uses a partnership with Facebook which ‘integrates Facebook’s Open Graph global commerce platforms. It is intended to encourage developers to create eBay apps on Facebook that will generate more business for Ebay (Business Insider, 2012)’. Amazon also uses Facebook as a way to drive customers with deals, sweepstakes and giveaways (Business Insider, 2012). Disney has managed 267 pages on Facebook with more than 300 million cumulative Page likes. It uses Facebook to entertain users by sharing movie trailers, songs with attach their other social media landing sites (Business Insider, 2012). In additional, contents for advertisements on social media are now not only limited on text and photos. Facebook implemented ‘Promoted Posts’ in June 2012 and in December 2013 they announced the launch of video ads, sponsored that automatically play in news feeds (Brand Watch, 2014). Zynga ‘ Facebook’s biggest advertiser is spending more than $200 million on sales and marketing for online advertising in form of video ads and promoted ads (Business Insider, 2012). Moreover, Facebook serves as a channel where companies can quickly diffuse specific messages to a wider audience when compared with traditional media such as press releases or printed advertisement. It is more than a broadcast tool because public relations practitioners are now bypassing the middle man and getting permission direct from the end users. Public relations practitioners do not need to get permission to publish news or advertise to medium like newspapers, radios and television since social media is free. It is important in developing an IMC strategies plan for companies because messages public relations practitioners share with audiences can be a long term relationship in the form of page fans on Facebook. They are able to participate in conversations and answer questions directly to audiences, engaging them and leaving no room for the closed loop information delivery to newspapers or magazines (Aggarwal, 2014). It enables to initiate two-way communication with customers and develop relationships with customers via communication and interaction. Citibank who sponsors many different events like concerts, arts and charities has make Facebook as their main CRM channels which customers can get answers from the public relations practitioners or social media staff quickly (Business Insider, 2012). However, the millions of Facebook users are breaking down traditional categories of audiences ‘ employees, customers and shareholders into more specific categories. The nature of Facebook means all audiences can read communications intended for any one audience. Thus, public practitioners cannot assume that advertisements on Facebook will reach everyone as an individual may or may not see information on a Facebook page. ‘83% of surveyed Facebook users report that they would find Facebook’s video ads intrusive and would likely ignore them’, says marketing consultant Analytic Partners (Brand Watch, 2014). Cost for advertising has increased for companies. Besides that, public relations practitioners are required to attend training program in order to learn how to engage with customers on social media. For example, Dell was making $9 million a year in revenues from sales generated by Facebook and other social media. Its commitment is Dell’s social media employee training program has trained more than 10,000 employees (Business Insider, 2012).

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Privacy Overview

social media advertising essay

Social Media Essay: A Full Guide

social media advertising essay

In an era where a single tweet can spark a global conversation and an Instagram post can redefine trends, it's fascinating to note that the average person spends approximately 2 hours and 31 minutes per day on social media platforms. That's more than 900 hours a year devoted to scrolling, liking, and sharing in the vast digital landscape. As we find ourselves deeply intertwined in the fabric of online communities, the significance of understanding and articulating the dynamics of social media through the written word, particularly in an essay on social media, becomes increasingly apparent. So, why embark on the journey of crafting an essay on this ubiquitous aspect of modern life? Join us as we unravel the layers of social media's impact, explore its nuances, and discover the art of conveying these insights through the written form.

Short Description

In this article, we'll explore how to write an essay on social media and the purpose behind these narratives while also delving into a myriad of engaging topics. From the heartbeat of online connections to the rhythm of effective storytelling, we'll guide you organically through the process, sharing insights on structure, approach, and the creative essence that makes each essay unique. And if you're seeking assistance, pondering - ' I wish I could find someone to write my essay ,' we'll also furnish example essays to empower you to tackle such tasks independently.

Why Write a Social Media Essay

In a world buzzing with hashtags, filters, and the constant hum of notifications, the idea of sitting down to craft an essay about social media might seem as out of place as a cassette tape in a streaming era. Yet, there's something oddly therapeutic, almost rebellious, about pausing in the midst of 280-character wisdom to delve deeper into the why behind our digital existence.

So, what is social media essay, and what's the purpose of writing it? Well, it's more than just an exercise in intellectual curiosity. It's a personal journey, a reflective pause in the ceaseless scroll. While writing the essay, we gain the power to articulate the intangible, to breathe life into the pixels that dance across our screens. It's an opportunity to make sense of the chaos, to find meaning in the memes, and perhaps, in the process, to uncover a bit more about ourselves in this digital wilderness.

Let's face it - our online lives are a fast-paced carousel of memes, viral challenges, and carefully curated selfies. So, why bother wrestling with words and paragraphs in a world where brevity is king? The answer lies in the art of unraveling the digital tapestry that envelops us.

There's a magic in articulating the dance between the profound and the mundane that occurs within the confines of our screens. An essay becomes a lens, focusing our attention on the subtleties of social media dynamics – the inside jokes that become global phenomena, the ripple effect of a well-timed retweet, and the silent conversations unfolding in the comment sections.

6 Key Tips for Crafting a Social Media Essay

Now that we've set sail into the realm of essays on the digital landscape, it's only fair to equip ourselves with a few trusty tools for the journey. Think of these tips as your compass, helping you navigate the sometimes choppy, often unpredictable waters of crafting an essay on social media.

tips social media essay

  • Embrace Your Authentic Voice: Just like your favorite Instagram filter can't hide the real you, your essay should reflect your genuine thoughts and feelings. Don't be afraid to let your unique voice shine through – whether it's witty, contemplative, or a delightful blend of both.
  • Dive into the Details: Social media isn't just about the grand gestures; it's the small, often unnoticed details that weave the most compelling narratives. Explore the minutiae of your online experiences – the peculiar hashtags, the quirky bios, and the unexpected connections that leave a lasting imprint.
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  • Be Mindful of the Clickbait Pitfalls: While clickbait might be the flashy neon sign on the digital highway, it's essential to tread carefully. Ensure your essay isn't just a sensational headline but a thoughtful exploration that goes beyond the surface.

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Social Media Essay Structure

In the age of viral tweets and digital conversations, tackling the essay format is more than just stringing words together—it's about creating a roadmap. As we navigate this landscape of likes and retweets, understanding the structural foundations becomes key. So, let's cut through the noise and explore the practical aspects of how to write a social media essay that mirrors the rhythm of our online experiences.

social media essay outline

Form an Outline

Now that we've acknowledged the importance of structure in your essay, the next step is to build a solid roadmap. Think of it like planning a road trip; you wouldn't hit the highway without a map or GPS, right? Similarly, creating an outline for your essay gives you a clear direction and ensures your thoughts flow smoothly.

So, whether you decide to order an essay online or tackle it yourself, here's a simple way to go about it:

Introduction (Where You Start):

  • Briefly introduce the topic.
  • State your social media essay thesis or main idea.
  • Example: 'Let's begin by introducing the impact of social media on modern communication, focusing on its role in shaping opinions and fostering connections.'

Body Paragraphs (The Journey):

  • Each paragraph should cover a specific social media essay argument and point.
  • Use examples or evidence to support your ideas.
  • Example: 'The first aspect we'll explore is how social media amplifies voices. For instance, hashtags like #ClimateAction mobilize a global audience around environmental issues.'

Transitions (Smooth Turns):

  • Guide your readers from one point to the next.
  • Ensure a logical flow between paragraphs.
  • Example: 'Having discussed the amplification of voices, let's now shift our focus to the influence of social media in spreading information.'

Counter Arguments (Addressing Detours):

  • Acknowledge different perspectives.
  • Counter Arguments with evidence or reasoning.
  • Example: 'While social media can be a powerful tool for connectivity, critics argue that it also contributes to the spread of misinformation. Let's explore this counterargument and analyze its validity.'

Conclusion (The Destination):

  • Summarize your main points.
  • Restate your thesis and leave a lasting impression.
  • Example: 'In conclusion, social media serves as both a bridge and a battleground of ideas. Understanding its nuances is crucial in navigating this digital landscape.'

Creating an outline for your essay not only streamlines the writing process but also ensures your readers embark on a clear and organized journey through your insights on social media. If you're exploring more options, you might even want to buy thesis for more convenience.

Make a Social Media Essay Introduction

Begin your introduction by presenting a concise overview of the key theme or topic you're addressing. Clearly state the main purpose or argument of your essay, giving readers a roadmap for what to expect. Integrate social media essay hooks like a relevant statistic, quote, or provocative question to capture attention.

For instance, if your essay is about the impact of social media on personal relationships, you might start by mentioning a statistic on the percentage of couples who met online.

Social Media Essay Body Paragraph

Structure each social media essay body paragraph around a specific aspect of your chosen topic. Start with a clear topic sentence that encapsulates the main idea of the paragraph. Provide concrete examples, data, or case studies to support your points and strengthen your argument. Maintain a logical flow between paragraphs by using effective transitions.

If your essay focuses on the positive effects of social media on business marketing, dedicate a paragraph to showcasing successful campaigns and how they leveraged different platforms.

Social Media Essay Conclusion

In your conclusion, succinctly recap the main points discussed in the body paragraphs. Reinforce your thesis statement and emphasize its broader implications. Rather than introducing new information, use the conclusion to leave a lasting impression on your readers. Consider prompting further thought or suggesting practical applications of your findings.

For instance, if your essay examined the impact of social media on political discourse, conclude by encouraging readers to critically evaluate the information they encounter online and actively engage in constructive conversations.

Proofread and Revise

In the process of writing social media essay, proofreading and revising are indispensable steps that can significantly enhance the overall quality of your work. Begin by meticulously checking for grammatical errors, ensuring that your sentences are clear and concise. Pay attention to the flow of your ideas, confirming that each paragraph seamlessly transitions into the next.

During the proofreading phase, keep an eye out for any inconsistencies in tone or style. This is an opportunity to refine your language and ensure that it aligns with the intended voice of your essay. Look for repetitive phrases or unnecessary words that might detract from the clarity of your message.

As you revise, consider the effectiveness of your hook. Does it still resonate as strongly as you intended? Can it be tweaked to better captivate your audience? A compelling hook sets the tone for your entire essay, so invest time in perfecting this crucial element.

Furthermore, don't hesitate to seek feedback from peers or mentors. Another perspective can provide valuable insights into areas that may need improvement. Fresh eyes often catch nuances that the writer might overlook. Alternatively, you might also explore the option to buy coursework for additional support.

Social Media Essay Topics

In the vast realm of social media, where every like and share contributes to the digital narrative, choosing the right essay topic becomes a crucial compass for exploration. Let's explore thought-provoking topics that not only capture attention but also invite insightful discussions on the intricacies of our interconnected world.

Impact on Society:

  • The Role of Social Media in Redefining Friendship and Social Bonds
  • How Has TikTok Influenced Global Pop Culture Trends?
  • The Impact of Social Media on Political Polarization
  • Social Media and Mental Health: Exploring the Connection
  • The Evolution of Language on Social Media Platforms
  • Examining the Influence of Social Media on Body Image
  • Fake News and Its Proliferation on Social Media
  • Social Media and the Rise of Influencer Marketing
  • The Intersection of Social Media and Dating Apps
  • Has Social Media Narrowed or Expanded Cultural Perspectives?
  • The Role of Social Media in Fostering Global Communities
  • The Influence of Social Media on Consumer Behavior
  • Analyzing the Impact of Social Media on News Consumption
  • The Rise of 'Cancel Culture' on Social Media Platforms
  • Social Media and Its Role in Spreading Disinformation
  • The Impact of Social Media on Language and Communication Skills
  • Social Media and its Influence on Political Movements
  • The Relationship Between Social Media Use and Sleep Patterns
  • Social Media and the Accessibility of Educational Resources
  • The Cultural Significance of Memes on Social Media

Individual and Identity:

  • The Impact of Social Media Addiction on Personal Relationships and Intimacy
  • Self-Expression and Authenticity on Social Networking Sites
  • Social Media and Its Influence on Teenage Identity Formation
  • The Role of Social Media in Shaping Beauty Standards
  • Navigating Online Dating and Relationships in the Social Media Age
  • The Impact of Social Media on Parenting Styles
  • Social Media and Its Influence on Body Positivity Movements
  • The Perception of Success: Social Media's Role in Achievement Culture
  • Social Media and the Construction of Online Persona vs. Real Self
  • Social Media and Its Influence on Lifestyle Choices
  • The Role of Social Media in Shaping Career Aspirations
  • The Intersection of Mental Health Narratives and Social Media
  • The Impact of Social Media on Self-Esteem and Well-Being
  • How Social Media Influences Gender Identity and Expression
  • Exploring the Concept of Digital Detox in the Social Media Era
  • The Role of Social Media in Shaping Cultural Identity
  • The Connection Between Social Media and Impulse Buying
  • Social Media and Its Influence on Dietary Choices
  • Balancing Privacy and Self-Disclosure on Social Media
  • The Impact of Social Media on Friendships Over Time

Digital Activism and Advocacy:

  • The Effectiveness of Hashtag Movements in Promoting Social Change
  • Social Media and Its Role in Amplifying Underrepresented Voices
  • The Impact of Social Media on Global Environmental Activism
  • Online Activism: The Evolution from Clicktivism to Concrete Action
  • The Role of Social Media in Advancing LGBTQ+ Rights
  • Social Media and Its Impact on Anti-Racism Movements
  • Analyzing the Challenges of Digital Advocacy in Authoritarian Regimes
  • Social Media and the Global Fight Against Cyberbullying
  • The Intersection of Social Media and Mental Health Advocacy
  • Examining the Role of Social Media in Humanitarian Campaigns
  • Crowdsourcing for Change: How Social Media Fuels Fundraising
  • The Challenges of Digital Activism in the Age of Information Overload
  • Social Media and Its Impact on Disability Advocacy
  • The Role of Social Media in Combating Gender-Based Violence
  • Online Petitions and Their Influence on Policy Change
  • Exploring the Intersection of Social Media and Animal Rights Activism
  • The Impact of Social Media on Indigenous Rights Advocacy
  • Digital Advocacy and Its Role in Healthcare Reform
  • Social Media's Influence on Youth Activism
  • Navigating Challenges in Allyship on Social Media Platforms

Privacy and Ethics:

  • The Implications of Facial Recognition Technology on Social Media
  • Social Media Platforms and the Ethics of User Data Collection
  • The Role of Social Media in Combating Deepfakes
  • Balancing Freedom of Speech and Moderation on Social Media
  • Social Media and the Challenges of Regulating Disinformation
  • Ethical Considerations in Targeted Advertising on Social Media
  • The Impact of Social Media Algorithms on User Behavior
  • Social Media and the Right to Privacy: Where to Draw the Line?
  • The Influence of Social Media on Political Manipulation and Propaganda
  • Data Security Concerns in the Era of Social Media
  • The Ethics of Social Media Influencer Marketing
  • Social Media and Its Role in Combating Cyberbullying
  • The Impact of Social Media on Juror Bias in Legal Cases
  • Exploring the Ethics of Incorporating Social Media Usage in Hiring Decisions by Employers
  • Social Media and Its Role in Combating Hate Speech
  • Balancing Personalization with Privacy in Social Media Websites
  • The Influence of Social Media on Public Perceptions of Law Enforcement
  • Social Media and the Challenges of Content Moderation
  • Addressing Online Harassment: Ethical Considerations for Platforms
  • The Responsibility of Social Media Platforms in Protecting User Privacy

Future Trends and Innovations:

  • The Future of Social Media: Emerging Platforms and Trends
  • The Role of Augmented Reality (AR) in Shaping the Future of Social Media
  • Virtual Reality (VR) and Its Potential Impact on Social Media Engagement
  • The Rise of NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and Social Media
  • Social Media and the Evolution of Live Streaming Culture
  • The Impact of Voice Search and Voice Assistants on Social Media
  • Social Commerce: The Future of E-Commerce Through Social Media
  • Exploring the Influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Social Media
  • The Role of Blockchain Technology in Enhancing Social Media Security
  • Social Media and the Integration of Virtual Influencers
  • The Future of Social Media Content: Short-Form vs. Long-Form
  • The Influence of User-Generated Content on Future Social Media Trends
  • Social Media and the Adoption of 5G Technology
  • The Potential of Gamification in Shaping Social Media Engagement
  • The Impact of Social Media on the Future of Work and Remote Collaboration
  • Exploring the Relationship Between Social Media and Mental Health Apps
  • The Influence of User Privacy Concerns on Future Social Media Developments
  • Social Media and the Role of Ephemeral Content in Communication
  • The Intersection of Social Media and Virtual Events
  • Predicting the Next Wave of Social Media Influencer Trends

If these topics piqued your interest, you'll likely find persuasive essay topics equally fascinating! Dive into our article for a variety of options that might just spark your curiosity and inspire your next writing venture.

Social Media Essay Example

Crafting a standout essay isn't just about the words; it's about weaving a narrative that grabs your reader's attention. Before we say our goodbyes, why not take a peek at our sample essays? Our seasoned writers poured their expertise into creating persuasive pieces, offering you insights into both how to write an essay on social media and the kind of polished language that can elevate your own writing.

Wrapping Up

As our college essay service experts conclude this article, we've journeyed through the emotional complexities, societal reflections, and transformative potentials embedded in our digital narratives. An essay on social media is a portal into the intricate dance of our online lives, urging introspection, empathy, and an awareness of diverse stories. Let your essays authentically reflect, sparking conversations that enrich our collective experience in this ever-evolving digital realm.

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Feb 15, 2023

6 Example Essays on Social Media | Advantages, Effects, and Outlines

Got an essay assignment about the effects of social media we got you covered check out our examples and outlines below.

Social media has become one of our society's most prominent ways of communication and information sharing in a very short time. It has changed how we communicate and has given us a platform to express our views and opinions and connect with others. It keeps us informed about the world around us. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn have brought individuals from all over the world together, breaking down geographical borders and fostering a genuinely global community.

However, social media comes with its difficulties. With the rise of misinformation, cyberbullying, and privacy problems, it's critical to utilize these platforms properly and be aware of the risks. Students in the academic world are frequently assigned essays about the impact of social media on numerous elements of our lives, such as relationships, politics, and culture. These essays necessitate a thorough comprehension of the subject matter, critical thinking, and the ability to synthesize and convey information clearly and succinctly.

But where do you begin? It can be challenging to know where to start with so much information available. Jenni.ai comes in handy here. Jenni.ai is an AI application built exclusively for students to help them write essays more quickly and easily. Jenni.ai provides students with inspiration and assistance on how to approach their essays with its enormous database of sample essays on a variety of themes, including social media. Jenni.ai is the solution you've been looking for if you're experiencing writer's block or need assistance getting started.

So, whether you're a student looking to better your essay writing skills or want to remain up to date on the latest social media advancements, Jenni.ai is here to help. Jenni.ai is the ideal tool for helping you write your finest essay ever, thanks to its simple design, an extensive database of example essays, and cutting-edge AI technology. So, why delay? Sign up for a free trial of Jenni.ai today and begin exploring the worlds of social networking and essay writing!

Want to learn how to write an argumentative essay? Check out these inspiring examples!

We will provide various examples of social media essays so you may get a feel for the genre.

6 Examples of Social Media Essays

Here are 6 examples of Social Media Essays:

The Impact of Social Media on Relationships and Communication

Introduction:.

The way we share information and build relationships has evolved as a direct result of the prevalence of social media in our daily lives. The influence of social media on interpersonal connections and conversation is a hot topic. Although social media has many positive effects, such as bringing people together regardless of physical proximity and making communication quicker and more accessible, it also has a dark side that can affect interpersonal connections and dialogue.

Positive Effects:

Connecting People Across Distances

One of social media's most significant benefits is its ability to connect individuals across long distances. People can use social media platforms to interact and stay in touch with friends and family far away. People can now maintain intimate relationships with those they care about, even when physically separated.

Improved Communication Speed and Efficiency

Additionally, the proliferation of social media sites has accelerated and simplified communication. Thanks to instant messaging, users can have short, timely conversations rather than lengthy ones via email. Furthermore, social media facilitates group communication, such as with classmates or employees, by providing a unified forum for such activities.

Negative Effects:

Decreased Face-to-Face Communication

The decline in in-person interaction is one of social media's most pernicious consequences on interpersonal connections and dialogue. People's reliance on digital communication over in-person contact has increased along with the popularity of social media. Face-to-face interaction has suffered as a result, which has adverse effects on interpersonal relationships and the development of social skills.

Decreased Emotional Intimacy

Another adverse effect of social media on relationships and communication is decreased emotional intimacy. Digital communication lacks the nonverbal cues and facial expressions critical in building emotional connections with others. This can make it more difficult for people to develop close and meaningful relationships, leading to increased loneliness and isolation.

Increased Conflict and Miscommunication

Finally, social media can also lead to increased conflict and miscommunication. The anonymity and distance provided by digital communication can lead to misunderstandings and hurtful comments that might not have been made face-to-face. Additionally, social media can provide a platform for cyberbullying, which can have severe consequences for the victim's mental health and well-being.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the impact of social media on relationships and communication is a complex issue with both positive and negative effects. While social media platforms offer many benefits, such as connecting people across distances and enabling faster and more accessible communication, they also have a dark side that can negatively affect relationships and communication. It is up to individuals to use social media responsibly and to prioritize in-person communication in their relationships and interactions with others.

The Role of Social Media in the Spread of Misinformation and Fake News

Social media has revolutionized the way information is shared and disseminated. However, the ease and speed at which data can be spread on social media also make it a powerful tool for spreading misinformation and fake news. Misinformation and fake news can seriously affect public opinion, influence political decisions, and even cause harm to individuals and communities.

The Pervasiveness of Misinformation and Fake News on Social Media

Misinformation and fake news are prevalent on social media platforms, where they can spread quickly and reach a large audience. This is partly due to the way social media algorithms work, which prioritizes content likely to generate engagement, such as sensational or controversial stories. As a result, false information can spread rapidly and be widely shared before it is fact-checked or debunked.

The Influence of Social Media on Public Opinion

Social media can significantly impact public opinion, as people are likelier to believe the information they see shared by their friends and followers. This can lead to a self-reinforcing cycle, where misinformation and fake news are spread and reinforced, even in the face of evidence to the contrary.

The Challenge of Correcting Misinformation and Fake News

Correcting misinformation and fake news on social media can be a challenging task. This is partly due to the speed at which false information can spread and the difficulty of reaching the same audience exposed to the wrong information in the first place. Additionally, some individuals may be resistant to accepting correction, primarily if the incorrect information supports their beliefs or biases.

In conclusion, the function of social media in disseminating misinformation and fake news is complex and urgent. While social media has revolutionized the sharing of information, it has also made it simpler for false information to propagate and be widely believed. Individuals must be accountable for the information they share and consume, and social media firms must take measures to prevent the spread of disinformation and fake news on their platforms.

The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health and Well-Being

Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of people around the world using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to stay connected with others and access information. However, while social media has many benefits, it can also negatively affect mental health and well-being.

Comparison and Low Self-Esteem

One of the key ways that social media can affect mental health is by promoting feelings of comparison and low self-esteem. People often present a curated version of their lives on social media, highlighting their successes and hiding their struggles. This can lead others to compare themselves unfavorably, leading to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

Cyberbullying and Online Harassment

Another way that social media can negatively impact mental health is through cyberbullying and online harassment. Social media provides a platform for anonymous individuals to harass and abuse others, leading to feelings of anxiety, fear, and depression.

Social Isolation

Despite its name, social media can also contribute to feelings of isolation. At the same time, people may have many online friends but need more meaningful in-person connections and support. This can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression.

Addiction and Overuse

Finally, social media can be addictive, leading to overuse and negatively impacting mental health and well-being. People may spend hours each day scrolling through their feeds, neglecting other important areas of their lives, such as work, family, and self-care.

In sum, social media has positive and negative consequences on one's psychological and emotional well-being. Realizing this, and taking measures like reducing one's social media use, reaching out to loved ones for help, and prioritizing one's well-being, are crucial. In addition, it's vital that social media giants take ownership of their platforms and actively encourage excellent mental health and well-being.

The Use of Social Media in Political Activism and Social Movements

Social media has recently become increasingly crucial in political action and social movements. Platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have given people new ways to express themselves, organize protests, and raise awareness about social and political issues.

Raising Awareness and Mobilizing Action

One of the most important uses of social media in political activity and social movements has been to raise awareness about important issues and mobilize action. Hashtags such as #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter, for example, have brought attention to sexual harassment and racial injustice, respectively. Similarly, social media has been used to organize protests and other political actions, allowing people to band together and express themselves on a bigger scale.

Connecting with like-minded individuals

A second method in that social media has been utilized in political activity and social movements is to unite like-minded individuals. Through social media, individuals can join online groups, share knowledge and resources, and work with others to accomplish shared objectives. This has been especially significant for geographically scattered individuals or those without access to traditional means of political organizing.

Challenges and Limitations

As a vehicle for political action and social movements, social media has faced many obstacles and restrictions despite its many advantages. For instance, the propagation of misinformation and fake news on social media can impede attempts to disseminate accurate and reliable information. In addition, social media corporations have been condemned for censorship and insufficient protection of user rights.

In conclusion, social media has emerged as a potent instrument for political activism and social movements, giving voice to previously unheard communities and galvanizing support for change. Social media presents many opportunities for communication and collaboration. Still, users and institutions must be conscious of the risks and limitations of these tools to promote their responsible and productive usage.

The Potential Privacy Concerns Raised by Social Media Use and Data Collection Practices

With billions of users each day on sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, social media has ingrained itself into every aspect of our lives. While these platforms offer a straightforward method to communicate with others and exchange information, they also raise significant concerns over data collecting and privacy. This article will examine the possible privacy issues posed by social media use and data-gathering techniques.

Data Collection and Sharing

The gathering and sharing of personal data are significant privacy issues brought up by social media use. Social networking sites gather user data, including details about their relationships, hobbies, and routines. This information is made available to third-party businesses for various uses, such as marketing and advertising. This can lead to serious concerns about who has access to and uses our personal information.

Lack of Control Over Personal Information

The absence of user control over personal information is a significant privacy issue brought up by social media usage. Social media makes it challenging to limit who has access to and how data is utilized once it has been posted. Sensitive information may end up being extensively disseminated and may be used maliciously as a result.

Personalized Marketing

Social media companies utilize the information they gather about users to target them with adverts relevant to their interests and usage patterns. Although this could be useful, it might also cause consumers to worry about their privacy since they might feel that their personal information is being used without their permission. Furthermore, there are issues with the integrity of the data being used to target users and the possibility of prejudice based on individual traits.

Government Surveillance

Using social media might spark worries about government surveillance. There are significant concerns regarding privacy and free expression when governments in some nations utilize social media platforms to follow and monitor residents.

In conclusion, social media use raises significant concerns regarding data collecting and privacy. While these platforms make it easy to interact with people and exchange information, they also gather a lot of personal information, which raises questions about who may access it and how it will be used. Users should be aware of these privacy issues and take precautions to safeguard their personal information, such as exercising caution when choosing what details to disclose on social media and keeping their information sharing with other firms to a minimum.

The Ethical and Privacy Concerns Surrounding Social Media Use And Data Collection

Our use of social media to communicate with loved ones, acquire information, and even conduct business has become a crucial part of our everyday lives. The extensive use of social media does, however, raise some ethical and privacy issues that must be resolved. The influence of social media use and data collecting on user rights, the accountability of social media businesses, and the need for improved regulation are all topics that will be covered in this article.

Effect on Individual Privacy:

Social networking sites gather tons of personal data from their users, including delicate information like search history, location data, and even health data. Each user's detailed profile may be created with this data and sold to advertising or used for other reasons. Concerns regarding the privacy of personal information might arise because social media businesses can use this data to target users with customized adverts.

Additionally, individuals might need to know how much their personal information is being gathered and exploited. Data breaches or the unauthorized sharing of personal information with other parties may result in instances where sensitive information is exposed. Users should be aware of the privacy rules of social media firms and take precautions to secure their data.

Responsibility of Social Media Companies:

Social media firms should ensure that they responsibly and ethically gather and use user information. This entails establishing strong security measures to safeguard sensitive information and ensuring users are informed of what information is being collected and how it is used.

Many social media businesses, nevertheless, have come under fire for not upholding these obligations. For instance, the Cambridge Analytica incident highlighted how Facebook users' personal information was exploited for political objectives without their knowledge. This demonstrates the necessity of social media corporations being held responsible for their deeds and ensuring that they are safeguarding the security and privacy of their users.

Better Regulation Is Needed

There is a need for tighter regulation in this field, given the effect, social media has on individual privacy as well as the obligations of social media firms. The creation of laws and regulations that ensure social media companies are gathering and using user information ethically and responsibly, as well as making sure users are aware of their rights and have the ability to control the information that is being collected about them, are all part of this.

Additionally, legislation should ensure that social media businesses are held responsible for their behavior, for example, by levying fines for data breaches or the unauthorized use of personal data. This will provide social media businesses with a significant incentive to prioritize their users' privacy and security and ensure they are upholding their obligations.

In conclusion, social media has fundamentally changed how we engage and communicate with one another, but this increased convenience also raises several ethical and privacy issues. Essential concerns that need to be addressed include the effect of social media on individual privacy, the accountability of social media businesses, and the requirement for greater regulation to safeguard user rights. We can make everyone's online experience safer and more secure by looking more closely at these issues.

In conclusion, social media is a complex and multifaceted topic that has recently captured the world's attention. With its ever-growing influence on our lives, it's no surprise that it has become a popular subject for students to explore in their writing. Whether you are writing an argumentative essay on the impact of social media on privacy, a persuasive essay on the role of social media in politics, or a descriptive essay on the changes social media has brought to the way we communicate, there are countless angles to approach this subject.

However, writing a comprehensive and well-researched essay on social media can be daunting. It requires a thorough understanding of the topic and the ability to articulate your ideas clearly and concisely. This is where Jenni.ai comes in. Our AI-powered tool is designed to help students like you save time and energy and focus on what truly matters - your education. With Jenni.ai , you'll have access to a wealth of examples and receive personalized writing suggestions and feedback.

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So why waste your time and energy struggling to write an essay on your own when you can have Jenni.ai by your side? Sign up for our free trial today and experience the difference for yourself! With Jenni.ai, you'll have the resources you need to write confidently, clearly, and creatively. Get started today and see just how easy and efficient writing can be!

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A Guide to Social Media Essay: Tips, Uses, And Benefits

The use of social media is rampant and inescapable in today’s era of digitalization. it has become a routine of everyone’s lives, from kids as young as 2 years to aged ones. some people with the use of social platforms restructure their lives, while others harm. as social media has gained immense traction, essay writing has also become a preferred topic for teachers, students, and others. this article will provide insight into all the important elements of a social media essay that must be accommodated..

A complete guide to social media essay

What is a Social Media Essay? 

Social media is a term used conjunctively for web applications and websites that aid people in interaction, communication, development, content sharing, networking, and marketing. A social media essay is a type of academic writing that provides an analysis of social media—its nature, history, and impact. It must be inclusive of nature’s types, history, impact, prevalence, pros and cons, and other relevant information.

The Steps to Be Followed to Write a Social Media Essay 

  • Pick an engaging topic on which you have some insight. You can discuss how social media has changed the world in general or how it has impacted your life. Your theme should cover all the concerns you’re attempting to address. 
  • Write down a few ideas of what you want to write about and narrow it down to one topic that interests you the most, and prepare a thesis, as it is crucial.
  • Get yourself a reliable source and do your research; don’t limit yourself to the internet; do visit books.
  • Start drafting your essay by writing a general introduction and thesis statement first. Then, add more details and information as you go along. Start with a brief introduction hinting at your topic.
  • Focus on the body part as it comprises the major part of your essay, and then terminate your essay by tying everything together and summarising your main point. If necessary, add a few more details for clarity besides keeping your essay from veering away from the topic. 
  • Proofread your essay for spelling and grammatical mistakes before publishing it to make sure it’s perfect, and don’t forget to credit your sources.

Several Topics You Can Write About in a Social Media Essay:

  • Social Media & The Digital Era 
  • The Inevitable Rise of DigitalMedia in the Marketing World
  • How is the Way We Communicate Changing Due to Social Media
  • How Brands Leveraging Digital Strategies
  • How to Make the Most of Digital platforms for Your Business
  • How To Master Social Networking Sites  In A Few Easy Steps
  • Tips for Successful Social Media Marketing
  • How to Get Your Business Noticed on Digital Media: A Guide From A Newbie
  • How to Develop a Successful Social Media Strategy!
  • The Ultimate Guide to Digital Media: How to Get Started, Stay Up-to-date, and Grow 
  • How to Create Your Own Digital Media Strategy : 7 Tips for the Novice
  • How to Build Your Brand on Digital Media : A Comprehensive Guide
  • Social Media Strategies : How to Build Your Business On Social Media
  • The Potential of Digital Media and its Impact on Society’s Perception
  • Social media and its effects on society
  • How does Digital media affect us?
  • How Does Digital Media Affect Our Mental Health?
  • The Pros and Cons of Digital Media Use
  • Is Digital Media a Waste of Time? What The Research Says

The Basic Structure to Be Followed to Write a Social Media Essay

1. Introduction: The reader is given an introduction to the subject in this section. It should be concise or shorter than the paragraphs that follow, try to provide the article’s pertinent background information, and have engaging content.

2. The Body, or the Middle: This contains the body of an essay, which comes after the introduction. It aims to give a thorough explanation of the subject by including arguments, illustrations, quotes, figures, and the writer’s personal experiences. It can be broken up into different paragraphs, with each one covering a significant issue.

3. The Conclusion, or End: This follows the body. It summarizes the essay and reiterates the key ideas of the subject, including the director’s arguments. It makes use of phrases or clauses that indicate the essay’s conclusion. Essentially, it restates your main idea in another way.

Various Essay Types to Go Ahead With Social Media Essay

There are various different ways to present information in an essay. In case you’re not familiar with these, let’s understand the different types so that you can select the best structure for your social media essay.

1. Chronological Essay

A chronological essay refers to writing from beginning to end in sequential order. For example, you start from the birth of a person, how they spent their early childhood, then school days, and how their behavior changed during all that time. You don’t have to skip any of the parts to ensure a chronological pattern. It is often used in a narrative or biographical essay or when you tell a story.

2. Compare and Contrast:

 An essay genre known as a “compare and contrast” essay offers comparisons between two themes. True to its name, it demonstrates how the subjects are comparable in some ways and dissimilar in others. The essay format typically consists of two body paragraphs describing the two issues before tying everything together with the conclusion. This requires that both themes be covered in the thesis statement, topic sentences, and descriptive details.

Critical thinking is also necessary for comparing and contrasting essays. To write one, you need to do more than just describe your subjects; you also need to evaluate and explain how they relate to one another. You can give your essay better shape by formatting it with a compare and contrast structure.

3. Problem-solving Essay

Essays with solutions to problems are a common style of persuasion. You must outline an issue, get the reader to care about the situation, provide a solution, and be ready to refute any objections in these essays. There is a simple formula you can use to compose an essay about a problem and its solution. Let’s talk about the sequential procedure:

An Introduction To The Issue

You’ll thoroughly describe the issue in your introduction paragraph. What exactly is it, and why must it be resolved? Declare your thesis after you’ve done this.

Motivate The Reader

Don’t merely state the issue in general terms. You must describe it from the readers’ perspective. Describe the topic in a way that will pique the reader’s interest. Why is this issue important? Who cares if they don’t? There are various strategies for enticing readers. Offer them startling data that will cause them to get interested suddenly.

Outline Your Solution

After you’ve written your introduction, it’s time to start writing the essay’s body. You might wish to strive for three well-written paragraphs that outline the answer, depending on the length requirements. Of course, clarity must come first. Clearly and simply describe your answer so that everyone may comprehend it. Without being overly wordy, include as many specifics as you can about how this would fix the problem.

It’s time to wrap up the essay at this point. Describe the immediate next steps that must be taken. Draw a clear image of the world as it would be if your workable solution were adopted.

Here is a complete guide to Social Media Campaign

4. Persuasive Essay 

In a persuasive essay, you use reasoning and arguments to persuade readers of your viewpoint. Both academic and personal writing can be used in persuasive essays. They often start with a query, which the author then operates on in the body of the essay to argue for or against. The important components of a persuasive essay are:

The terms “logos” and “words” in your argument all allude to its logical foundation. To make a statement or an argument cohesive, it’s critical that everything you say ties together like links in a chain or pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

When you try to persuade your audience of your trustworthiness or character, you are using ethos, often known as the ethical argument. You must accept yourself before you can persuade an audience to believe whatever you say. People won’t be persuaded by you unless they believe in you, regardless of what you are doing, including making flyers, presentations, job applications, and teaching workshops. There are several ways to build trust when it comes to communication. You must be aware of how to react in each circumstance and adjust as necessary.

Pathos, often known as the appeal to emotion, is the process of influencing a reader by deliberately arousing particular emotions in them to cause them to feel the way the author intends. The persona that your audience most closely identifies with will be more persuasive to them. Authors purposefully choose their words, employ meaningful language, express use metaphors that elicit emotion, and use instances and narratives that do the same. A variety of emotional reactions, such as empathy, rage, irritation, or even humor, can be desired by authors.

5. Argumentative Essay

You can structure your social media post in the form of an argumentative one. An argumentative essay is a piece of writing that persuades the reader of a particular point of view using factual data and logical arguments. While many essay genres attempt to persuade the reader to adopt a particular viewpoint, argumentative essays place a strong emphasis on supporting their claims with facts and sources from other research and publications.

Essays with an argument don’t have to be belligerent or aggressive. Instead, it takes its name from an argumentative approach in which the author provides adequate evidence to both support and refute competing viewpoints. Remember that the purpose of an argumentative essay is to demonstrate that your thesis is the only logical conclusion.

Must check out the guide to Social Media Tools for Successful Marketing

Some Social Media Essay Intros to Guide You.

The catastrophic side of social media .

The ability to connect with others who share similar interests or beliefs can be a powerful force for good, as it allows people to share information and support one another.  However, social media can also be a source of great emotional and spiritual harm. Social media’s detrimental effects are well known. They include:

  • A constant cycle of comparison and judgment can lead to feelings of depression and loneliness.
  • Social media can contribute to feelings of inadequacy or worthlessness. It is normal to compare oneself to others in this way, but the false sense of perfection that social media often projects can devastate our self-esteem.
  • Social media use has been shown to increase anxiety and depression in users as young as 12 years old. This is likely due to the nature of such platforms, which are designed to encourage engagement by inducing feelings of envy and inadequacy in users. Additionally, many users suffer from FOMO (fear of missing out), which leads them to feel even more anxious about the events they’re not attending or the photos they’re not posting.
  • Although these effects are likely more pronounced among young people, social media use is linked to increased anxiety and depression across all age groups.

Social Media: Good or Evil

Social media has the potential to be a force for good or evil. It can be a constructive, inspiring, and empowering means of communication, or it can be a sinister stalking ground for the depraved, deluded, and deranged. The pros and cons of social media depend on your perspective. For example, is being followed by an algorithm creepy or valuable? 

Is it a double-edged sword? Social media has pros and cons because it’s right and wrong in almost every conceivable way. Similarly, there are good and bad ways to use social media. Even if you’re undecided about its merits, it’s clear that social media’s positive aspects are worth exploring further.

Balanced Use of Social Media as a Marketing Tool

Social media has become a dominant force in an age where information travels at lightning speed. The millennial generation is the largest target audience for social media marketing. With the digital world being so small, it’s easy to get caught up in all things tech, apps, and websites. But how much of this has trickled into our real lives?

Social media has its pros and cons. While social media can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family and make new connections, there are also risks involved in using these platforms frequently. Stay tuned to learn about the benefits and drawbacks of social media usage and tips for balancing usage in your life.

Don’t miss the top-ranked Content Writing Courses in India to grow your business using compelling social media posts.

Social Media: Right or Wrong For Your Business?

Social media has transformed how people communicate, share ideas, and build communities. It’s also become a primary way for businesses to market their services and products. Social media pros have increased as a result of this increased usage. These benefits include lowered marketing costs, more direct communication with customers, and new opportunities for collaboration. Social media also presents some challenges for businesses that use it.

For example, social media can become time-consuming because users post frequently about their personal lives and interests. Additionally, there are privacy concerns connected to the public nature of these sites; anyone can see your posts unless you set your account to private. This blog post will introduce you to the positive and negative aspects of social media so that you can make an informed decision about whether it is right for your business or not.

Social Media Wide Reach: Asset or Liability 

Social media has been both an asset and a liability for businesses for some time now. Its potential to reach a wide audience at almost no cost is a huge advantage, but it has also received criticism. Social media can be time-consuming and challenging to maintain, especially if the business doesn’t have many resources dedicated to its social media profiles.

Keeping up with each platform’s nuances takes strategy, patience, and consistency. With so many different social media platforms available today, choosing which ones to focus on as part of your marketing strategy can seem overwhelming at first. As you begin exploring your options, you might find that there are pros and cons to consider before making a final decision on which sites will work best for your business.

You should enroll in the top-ranked Digital Marketing Courses in India to grow your social media handles for great deals

How Can Social Media Essay Help Small Businesses Succeed?

As the world becomes increasingly digitized, it’s no surprise that social media has become a powerful tool for small businesses. With over 3 billion people using social media every day, there’s a vast potential customer base to tap into. However, for businesses to engage with their target audience on social media, it takes more than just being present on these platforms. Specify your aims. greater brand recognition?

Added leads? higher sales? Knowing your objectives will enable you to develop materials and techniques that are more likely to aid in achieving them. Knowing your audience will enable you to produce content that is more focused and efficient. posting often. You must publish frequently if you want to keep up your presence and gain followers. The goal of this post is to go over every piece of advice that can help your small business prosper.

Social Media Essay & Digital Marketing in India: A Professional’s Guide to the Future

The start-up culture that has evolved into an atmosphere where it is necessary to grow and advertise itself with the most financially smart methods is a significant factor that has added to the development of digitization. As long as broad techniques like SEM (Search Engine Marketing), SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and SMM (Social Media Marketing) continue to rule the industry, India’s new businesses and existing organizations will rely on these key components of digital marketing to grow and attract customers.

1. How do I structure my comparison and contrast?

The first approach might involve side-by-side comparisons of your subjects based on one distinct aspect at a time. The second approach is the block approach, in which you go over each subject thoroughly on its own. Additionally, you can combine the two approaches by writing a lengthy paragraph on each of your themes and a concluding paragraph that contrasts them using a particular metric.

2. What are some important tips for writing an effective essay?

  • Don’t try to complete an essay in a single sitting.
  • Revise your first draft extensively.
  • Put your essay aside for a few days and then edit with a fresh mind. 

3. How do I begin my social media essay?

Start your essay by focusing on a specific area, conducting research, making notes, and brainstorming potential topics.

4. How long should I write a paragraph in social media essay?

The length of a paragraph in the body of social media essay should be between five and seven sentences. 

Most people don’t find writing an essay to be the most exciting activity. It holds your attention and calls for a certain amount of perseverance to finish. You are not born with the talent of being able to create a great essay. It develops via perseverance, diligence, and practice. Writing an essay requires organizing a series of ideas into a logical argument. As a result, the author needs to be aware of the subject matter and the arguments he or she will present.

The first stage is to create an essay outline that will serve as a road map for the author as they write. The author might further develop his or her ideas in the essay and conclude it by offering his or her thoughts on the subject. Did you find these suggestions helpful? What specific points? If not, what exactly do you not comprehend about how to write a solid essay? Please contact us with any comments, inquiries, or recommendations you may have.

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social media advertising essay

Social Media Essay: Benefits and Drawbacks of Social Networking Sites

The advent of various social media channels has revolutionized the internet landscape by introducing us to global networking. Today, an individual can connect with another in a completely different part of this world just in a matter of seconds. We will take you through various notions and opinions associated with social media and how they impact our everyday lives. Also, there are some incredible tips to give you a better insight into how to write a social media essay.

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Sep 03 2020 ● 8 min read

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Table of Contents

What is social media essay.

As you know, an social media essay is a piece of writing that is used to introduce an essential topic to the world with its underlying advantages and disadvantages. These aspects are driven solely by facts and should not contain the opinions of the writers. It is drafted to give others a better understanding of the subject in hand.

No matter which subject it pertains to, an essay ends with a conclusion where the writers are permitted to give their opinion after weighing the advantages and disadvantages.

Similarly, a social media essay is written to appreciate the positive aspects and highlight the negative impacts of social media in this time and day. The conclusions include the analysis of the two elements by the writers in their own lives and give an open-ended point of view. Depending upon the essay writer or  paper writing service , the decision can be decisive, too, but that is not encouraged.

How do you write a social media essay?

Today, the use of social networks, whether it is Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, or LinkedIn, has increased exponentially. An average millennial spends 2 hours and 58 minutes per day on social media platforms like Facebook.  While some say that the platform is super-informative, others argue that all the information gathered on this platform is trivial and doesn't justify long hours invested in the use of social media. 

The above arguments make using social media by individuals with a debatable issue, and this is why a lot of students are required to write an essay on social media. So, here are some incredible tips to help you out in writing an essay on social media even if you don't have marketing skills . 

Structure of Social Media Essay

A classic essay consists of 3 parts – the introduction, main body, and the conclusion.

  • The Introduction

As you introduce the main topic, always begin with how it is relevant to the current scenario. You can do this by providing some background information. The information can be made richer by adding some reliable stats and data . Once you have established the topic, you need to give a strong thesis statement of the hypothesis on which your essay is based.

The thesis statement in your essay should be precise and debatable. If not, the arguments that you are going to put forward in the essay would make no sense.

The main body of your text should consist of logical arguments in relevance to your hypothesis. Make sure you put forward one statement in one paragraph and start a new one with another section. This will make your essay look more organized.

Also, when developing ideas, only include the ones you can write clearly about. If not, avoid them. Make sure that the essay develops coherently.

To conclude the essay about social media, bring back your hypothesis, and state how the aspects you discussed earlier support or nullify it. Make it a point to summarize all ideas, but do not start adding more ideas when you are about to conclude. You can now give an, ideally, open end to your essay.

A great conclusion is the one that provokes thought and will make your readers question the use of social media in their everyday lives.

Also, remember that essays do not have to include pros and cons always. They can either be full of pros or cons or both, depending upon your hypothesis. Just ensure they are relevant.

Various tones of a social media essay

You might believe that an essay is an essay, and two of them would be similar, but that's a misconception. Different essays have varying tones depending on how the author is treating the thesis statement through the main body of the text. Here are a few examples of essays on social media in different tones.

  • Sample of a Persuasive Essay

If you are asked to write an academic paper about the effects of social media on the mental health of teenagers and young adults, you should make it persuasive. For this, just writing about the topic is not enough. It would help if you had an impactful thesis, followed by powerful arguments to support or question your theory.

The perils associated with social media addiction are forcing parents and "grown-ups" to throw their benefits in bad light today. In the race to become best in academics and non-academic activities, people are losing their grip on how social networks bring people together. They empower individuals with knowledge about various cultures and languages, which might not have been possible otherwise.

Social media sites can be addictive, and students might waste their formative years scrolling through the trivial feed and gain nothing but superficial knowledge. But that is just because neither parents nor the school is encouraging positive social media behavior. If these institutions start offering tips to students to limit and utilize their time on social media , one would be amazed to see their achievements.

Is social media a catalyst for the downfall of student life?   Well, social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and more are teeming with inspirational achievers and content creators who go the extra mile to share their stories and inspire students. If the children are taught to see their access to social media as an opportunity to grow rather than a competition for likes and followers, they are bound to work harder and achieve goals that seemed insurmountable earlier.

  • Sample of Negative Essay about social media

If you have been asked to highlight the negative aspects of social media, your teacher does not mean that you have to cross all limits to present the use of social media in a bad light. Instead, what they are asking for is some logical and believable arguments that tell us why social media is harmful to society.

Social media is destroying family links by creating a virtual shell for each individual, which dissociates them with their own parents and siblings. The kids are adversely affected by increased access to social media if parents are always indulged in their devices and ignore them. Eventually, even kids start using tools to connect to other people, ignoring their family members.

Since kids and teenagers are the most impressionable age groups, they start believing that everything that glitters on social media platforms is gold, and they become materialistic. Their lives start revolving around likes, comments, and followers/subscribers. No matter whether their minds are prepared for such exposure or not, social media exposes them to the best and the worst about this world, which might turn them into rebels. They start valuing their online friends more than their offline lives and go to unimaginable extents to keep them entertained. 

So, parents and elders need to pay attention to their children and limit their social media use so that they can learn to form real relationships and values.

  • Weighing the pros and cons

Another way in which you can present your social media essay is by comparing the positive and negative aspects associated with it. In such essays, the conclusion is better left open for the readers to decide their own take on social media.

One cannot argue that social media has taken the world by storm by allowing like-minded individuals to connect and share their experiences with the world. You can use these platforms to make new friends and discover the ones who have lost touch. You can talk to everyone on your friend list and share your content on these channels to become a part of the creators' community. There is no dearth for talent on social media and its admirers.

On the other hand, if you use social media sites for long stretches of time in one go, you run the risk of addiction. Gradually, a social media addict starts to build a cocoon for themselves, which they find hard to step out of. This leads to a disconnect between you and the family you already have and love.  One might feel too confined yet comfortable in their space that they have no urge left to step out, pushing them towards social seclusion, or worse – depression.

When you flip the coin again, you will discover that social media has become an incredible platform for small businesses to grow and earn good profits . The grass-root companies do not have to invest much for advertising and promotion or even own an establishment. All they have to do is to create a grassroots marketing strategy for themselves, and their brand will start selling in no time!

In the end, social media is a game-changer on the World Wide Web. It allows people to connect with the virtual world with the risk of disconnecting with the real world. Then again, businesses are doing well on these platforms. There are indeed two sides to social media, one positive and another negative, and it is up to you which one you lean towards more.

  • Argumentative social media essay

A challenging but equally exciting type of essay on social media you should know about is an argumentative essay. It is often written when you are tasked with altering the point of view of the reader, which is of a completely opposite belief. Here is a sample for your better understanding.

Social networks have an uncertain future with the string impression they leave on users, especially the younger generations. Parents panic with the first mention of social media sites by their children and learning about their presence on these platforms because they are afraid of cyberbullying. They do not want their children to get cat-fished by some stranger on Reddit when they are not around.

Moreover, social media platforms are the reason why several individuals are losing their confidential data every day to corporate houses. These businesses are using the information to bug users with ads about stuff they do not want to buy.

If such instances carry on, the day is not far when the government will start to keep checks on the likes of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other channels. Massive surveillance will be imposed on these sites to prevent malicious minds from harming innocent teenagers physically or by hacking into their systems. So, before you get a chance to ask " have I been hacked ", know that someone is taking care of it.

Incorporate an Attractive Topic

Having an attractive topic for your social media essay does not mean using poetic words in it. You should have an issue relevant to the current scenario. In the process of selecting a fascinating topic, do not forget to keep it within the extents of your knowledge. If it becomes too complicated for you to write about, you will be stuck when coming up with arguments and ideas.

The perfect topic would be the one which offers good potential for research and is interesting for the readers too. Even if you present profound arguments about such topics, they should be in a logical, comprehensible, and readable format for people to understand easily.

Writing a social media essay is no cakewalk, whether you are a high-school student or university student. All you need to do is, structuralize it properly, be clear with the ideas and arguments you are planning to present, pick the tone of your essay, and began writing. Do not forget to top your essay up with a catchy topic so that your entire hard work doesn't fall flat.

Published on Sep 03 2020

Gintaras is an experienced marketing professional who is always eager to explore the most up-to-date issues in data marketing. Having worked as an SEO manager at several companies, he's a valuable addition to the Whatagraph writers' pool.

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Sociology of Media and Communication — Social Media

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Argumentative Essays About Social Media

This is a comprehensive resource to help you find the perfect social media essay topic. Whether you're navigating the complexities of digital communication, exploring the impact of social media on society, or examining its effects on personal identity, the right topic can transform your essay into a captivating and insightful exploration. Remember, selecting a topic that resonates with your personal interests and academic goals not only makes the writing process more enjoyable but also enriches your learning experience. Let's dive into a world of creativity and critical thinking!

Essay Types and Topics

Below, you'll find a curated list of essay topics organized by type. Each section includes diverse topics that touch on technology, society, personal growth, and academic interests, along with introduction and conclusion paragraph examples to get you started.

Argumentative Essays

Introduction Example: "In the digital age, social media platforms have become central to our daily interactions and self-perception, particularly among teenagers. This essay explores the impact of social media on teen self-esteem, arguing that while it offers a space for expression and connection, it also presents significant challenges to self-image. "

Conclusion Example: "Having delved into the complex relationship between social media and teen self-esteem, it is clear that the digital landscape holds profound effects on individual self-perception. This essay reaffirms the thesis that social media can both uplift and undermine teen self-esteem, calling for a balanced approach to digital engagement."

Introduction Example: "As political landscapes evolve, social media has emerged as a powerful tool for political mobilization and engagement. This essay investigates the role of social media in shaping political movements, positing that it significantly enhances communication and organizational capabilities, yet raises questions about information authenticity. "

Conclusion Example: "Through examining the dual facets of social media in political mobilization, the essay concludes that while social media is a pivotal tool for engagement, it necessitates critical scrutiny of information to ensure a well-informed public discourse."

Compare and Contrast Essays

Introduction Example: "In the competitive realm of digital marketing, Instagram and Twitter stand out as leading platforms for brand promotion. This essay compares and contrasts their effectiveness, revealing that each platform caters to unique marketing strengths due to its specific user engagement and content dissemination strategies. "

Conclusion Example: "The comparative analysis of Instagram and Twitter highlights distinct advantages for brands, with Instagram excelling in visual storytelling and Twitter in real-time engagement, underscoring the importance of strategic platform selection in digital marketing."

Descriptive Essays

Introduction Example: "Today's social media landscape is a vibrant tapestry of platforms, each contributing to the digital era's social fabric. This essay describes the characteristics and cultural significance of current social media trends, illustrating that they reflect and shape our societal values and interactions. "

Conclusion Example: "In portraying the dynamic and diverse nature of today's social media landscape, this essay underscores its role in molding contemporary cultural and social paradigms, inviting readers to reflect on their digital footprints."

Persuasive Essays

Introduction Example: "In an era where digital presence is ubiquitous, fostering positive social media habits is essential for mental and emotional well-being. This essay advocates for mindful social media use, arguing that intentional engagement can enhance our life experiences rather than detract from them. "

Conclusion Example: "This essay has championed the cause for positive social media habits, reinforcing the thesis that through mindful engagement, individuals can navigate the digital world in a way that promotes personal growth and well-being."

Narrative Essays

Introduction Example: "Embarking on a personal journey with social media has been both enlightening and challenging. This narrative essay delves into my experiences, highlighting how social media has influenced my perception of self and community. "

Conclusion Example: "Reflecting on my social media journey, this essay concludes that while it has significantly shaped my interactions and self-view, it has also offered invaluable lessons on connectivity and self-awareness, affirming the nuanced role of digital platforms in our lives."

Engagement and Creativity

As you explore these topics, remember to approach your essay with an open mind and creative spirit. The purpose of academic writing is not just to inform but to engage and provoke thought. Use this opportunity to delve deep into your topic, analyze different perspectives, and articulate your own insights.

Educational Value

Each essay type offers unique learning outcomes. Argumentative essays enhance your analytical thinking and ability to construct well-founded arguments. Compare and contrast essays develop your skills in identifying similarities and differences. Descriptive essays improve your ability to paint vivid pictures through words, while persuasive essays refine your ability to influence and convince. Finally, narrative essays offer a platform for personal expression and storytelling. Embrace these opportunities to grow academically and personally.

The Impact of Social Media: Causes and Effects

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Pros and Cons of Social Media: Social Networking

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The List of Pros and Cons of Social Media

The importance of staying safe on social media, impact of social media on our lives, social media: negative effects and addiction, discussion on whether is social media beneficial or harmful for society, negative effects of social media: relationships and communication, social media pros and cons, social media - good and bad sides, a study of the role of social media concerning confidentiality of personal data, how social media causes stereotyping, social media addiction: consequences and strategies for recovery, the role of social media in making us more narcissistic, the effect social media is having on today's society and political atmosphere, digital/social media, censorship in social media, why teenagers are addicted to social media and how it affects them, advantages and disadvantages of social media for society, enormous impact of mass media on children, the role of social media in the current business world, social media is the reason for many of the world’s problems and solutions.

Social media refers to dynamic online platforms that enable individuals to actively engage in the generation and dissemination of various forms of content, including information, ideas, and personal interests. These interactive digital channels foster virtual communities and networks, allowing users to connect, communicate, and express themselves. By harnessing the power of technology, social media platforms provide a space for individuals to share and exchange content, fostering connections and facilitating the flow of information in an increasingly digital world.

In a peculiar manner, the inception of social media can be traced back to May 24, 1844, when a sequence of electronic dots and dashes was manually tapped on a telegraph machine. Although the origins of digital communication have deep historical roots, most contemporary narratives regarding the modern beginnings of the internet and social media often point to the emergence of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) in 1969. The year 1987 witnessed the establishment of the direct precursor to today's internet, as the National Science Foundation introduced the more robust and expansive NSFNET, a nationwide digital network. A significant milestone occurred in 1997 when Six Degrees, the first genuine social media platform, was launched.

Mark Zuckerberg is a notable figure in the realm of social media as the co-founder and CEO of Facebook. Zuckerberg played a pivotal role in transforming Facebook from a small networking platform for college students into a global social media giant with billions of users. His innovative ideas and strategic decisions have reshaped the way people connect and share information online, making him one of the most influential individuals in the digital age. Jack Dorsey is recognized as one of the key pioneers of social media, notably for co-founding Twitter. Dorsey's creation revolutionized online communication by introducing the concept of microblogging, allowing users to share short messages in real-time. Twitter quickly gained popularity, becoming a powerful platform for news dissemination, public conversations, and social movements. Dorsey's entrepreneurial spirit and vision have contributed significantly to the evolution of social media and its impact on society. Sheryl Sandberg is a prominent figure in the social media landscape, known for her influential role as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Facebook.Sandberg played a crucial part in scaling and monetizing Facebook's operations, transforming it into a global advertising powerhouse. She is also recognized for her advocacy of women's empowerment and leadership in the tech industry, inspiring countless individuals and promoting diversity and inclusion within the social media sphere. Sandberg's contributions have left an indelible mark on the growth and development of social media platforms worldwide.

Social Networking Sites: Facebook, LinkedIn, and MySpace. Microblogging Platforms: Twitter. Media Sharing Networks: Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat. Discussion Forums and Community-Based Platforms: Reddit and Quora. Blogging Platforms: WordPress and Blogger. Social Bookmarking and Content Curation Platforms: Pinterest and Flipboard. Messaging Apps: WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and WeChat.

Facebook (2004), Reddit (2005), Twitter (2006), Instagram (2010), Pinterest (2010), Snapchat (2011), TikTok (2016)

1. Increased Connectivity 2. Information Sharing and Awareness 3. Networking and Professional Opportunities 4. Creativity and Self-Expression 5. Supportive Communities and Causes

1. Privacy Concerns 2. Cyberbullying and Online Harassment 3. Information Overload and Misinformation 4. Time and Productivity Drain 5. Comparison and Self-Esteem Issues

The topic of social media holds significant importance for students as it plays a prominent role in their lives, both academically and socially. Social media platforms provide students with opportunities to connect, collaborate, and share knowledge with peers, expanding their learning networks beyond the confines of the classroom. It facilitates communication and access to educational resources, allowing students to stay updated on academic trends and research. Additionally, social media enhances digital literacy and prepares students for the realities of the digital age. However, it is crucial for students to develop critical thinking skills to navigate the potential pitfalls of social media, such as misinformation and online safety, ensuring a responsible and balanced use of these platforms.

The topic of social media is worthy of being explored in an essay due to its profound impact on various aspects of society. Writing an essay on social media allows for an in-depth examination of its influence on communication, relationships, information sharing, and societal dynamics. It offers an opportunity to analyze the advantages and disadvantages, exploring topics such as privacy, online identities, social activism, and the role of social media in shaping cultural norms. Additionally, studying social media enables a critical evaluation of its effects on mental health, politics, and business. By delving into this subject, one can gain a comprehensive understanding of the complex and ever-evolving digital landscape we inhabit.

1. Social media users spend an average of 2 hours and 25 minutes per day on social networking platforms. This amounts to over 7 years of an individual's lifetime spent on social media, highlighting its significant presence in our daily lives. 2. Instagram has over 1 billion monthly active users, with more than 500 million of them using the platform on a daily basis. 3. YouTube has over 2 billion logged-in monthly active users. On average, users spend over 1 billion hours watching YouTube videos every day, emphasizing the platform's extensive reach and the power of video content. 4. Social media has become a major news source, with 48% of people getting their news from social media platforms. This shift in news consumption highlights the role of social media in shaping public opinion and disseminating information in real-time. 5. Influencer marketing has grown exponentially, with 63% of marketers planning to increase their influencer marketing budget in the coming year. This showcases the effectiveness of influencers in reaching and engaging with target audiences, and the value brands place on leveraging social media personalities to promote their products or services.

1. Schober, M. F., Pasek, J., Guggenheim, L., Lampe, C., & Conrad, F. G. (2016). Social media analyses for social measurement. Public opinion quarterly, 80(1), 180-211. (https://academic.oup.com/poq/article-abstract/80/1/180/2593846) 2. Appel, G., Grewal, L., Hadi, R., & Stephen, A. T. (2020). The future of social media in marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing science, 48(1), 79-95. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11747-019-00695-1?error=cookies_not_support) 3. Aichner, T., Grünfelder, M., Maurer, O., & Jegeni, D. (2021). Twenty-five years of social media: a review of social media applications and definitions from 1994 to 2019. Cyberpsychology, behavior, and social networking, 24(4), 215-222. (https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/cyber.2020.0134) 4. Ruths, D., & Pfeffer, J. (2014). Social media for large studies of behavior. Science, 346(6213), 1063-1064. (https://www.science.org/doi/abs/10.1126/science.346.6213.1063) 5. Hou, Y., Xiong, D., Jiang, T., Song, L., & Wang, Q. (2019). Social media addiction: Its impact, mediation, and intervention. Cyberpsychology: Journal of psychosocial research on cyberspace, 13(1). (https://cyberpsychology.eu/article/view/11562) 6. Auxier, B., & Anderson, M. (2021). Social media use in 2021. Pew Research Center, 1, 1-4. (https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2021/04/PI_2021.04.07_Social-Media-Use_FINAL.pdf) 7. Al-Samarraie, H., Bello, K. A., Alzahrani, A. I., Smith, A. P., & Emele, C. (2021). Young users' social media addiction: causes, consequences and preventions. Information Technology & People, 35(7), 2314-2343. (https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ITP-11-2020-0753/full/html) 8. Bhargava, V. R., & Velasquez, M. (2021). Ethics of the attention economy: The problem of social media addiction. Business Ethics Quarterly, 31(3), 321-359. (https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/business-ethics-quarterly/article/ethics-of-the-attention-economy-the-problem-of-social-mediaaddiction/1CC67609A12E9A912BB8A291FDFFE799)

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social media advertising essay

Essay on Social Media for School Students and Children

500+ words essay on social media.

Social media is a tool that is becoming quite popular these days because of its user-friendly features. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more are giving people a chance to connect with each other across distances. In other words, the whole world is at our fingertips all thanks to social media. The youth is especially one of the most dominant users of social media. All this makes you wonder that something so powerful and with such a massive reach cannot be all good. Like how there are always two sides to a coin, the same goes for social media. Subsequently, different people have different opinions on this debatable topic. So, in this essay on Social Media, we will see the advantages and disadvantages of social media.

Essay on Social Media

Advantages of Social Media

When we look at the positive aspect of social media, we find numerous advantages. The most important being a great device for education . All the information one requires is just a click away. Students can educate themselves on various topics using social media.

Moreover, live lectures are now possible because of social media. You can attend a lecture happening in America while sitting in India.

Furthermore, as more and more people are distancing themselves from newspapers, they are depending on social media for news. You are always updated on the latest happenings of the world through it. A person becomes more socially aware of the issues of the world.

In addition, it strengthens bonds with your loved ones. Distance is not a barrier anymore because of social media. For instance, you can easily communicate with your friends and relatives overseas.

Most importantly, it also provides a great platform for young budding artists to showcase their talent for free. You can get great opportunities for employment through social media too.

Another advantage definitely benefits companies who wish to promote their brands. Social media has become a hub for advertising and offers you great opportunities for connecting with the customer.

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Disadvantages of Social Media

Despite having such unique advantages, social media is considered to be one of the most harmful elements of society. If the use of social media is not monitored, it can lead to grave consequences.

social media advertising essay

Thus, the sharing on social media especially by children must be monitored at all times. Next up is the addition of social media which is quite common amongst the youth.

This addiction hampers with the academic performance of a student as they waste their time on social media instead of studying. Social media also creates communal rifts. Fake news is spread with the use of it, which poisons the mind of peace-loving citizens.

In short, surely social media has both advantages and disadvantages. But, it all depends on the user at the end. The youth must particularly create a balance between their academic performances, physical activities, and social media. Excess use of anything is harmful and the same thing applies to social media. Therefore, we must strive to live a satisfying life with the right balance.

social media advertising essay

FAQs on Social Media

Q.1 Is social media beneficial? If yes, then how?

A.1 Social media is quite beneficial. Social Media offers information, news, educational material, a platform for talented youth and brands.

Q.2 What is a disadvantage of Social Media?

A.2 Social media invades your privacy. It makes you addicted and causes health problems. It also results in cyberbullying and scams as well as communal hatred.

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Social Media Marketing and Promotion Essay

Business-2-business brands, competitive analysis, differentiation strategy.

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Many people consider social media as a new marketing tool. An organization can utilize online social platforms to either market or promote its goods and services. Online social platforms centre on relations with friends, prospective clients and existing clients.

Basically, when an organization begins to embark on social platform, it is unsure where to begin. This paper explains ways into which B2B organization is utilizing social media like Twitter and Facebook in promoting its products (Johnson, 2009).

Online social platforms play significant roles in marketing, but these roles depend on the business as well as how the business matches the needs of its customers. They, in addition, depend on the resources the organization is willing to use in order to market and/or to promote its products.

Implementing social media promoting has not been simple. A 2009 research found that about 68% of B2B organizations utilized social platforms so as to grow their businesses and improve on their decision making (Goodwin, 1991).

Organizations are certainly gaining extensively from clients move towards emerging media platforms like social online sites as a method of obtaining data. At first, organizations appeared on the online platforms with conventional specific business websites. But the emergence of new social networking sites has altered the way organizations promote their products.

Currently, numerous organizations have turned to dynamic social sites like Twitter and Facebook in order to promote products. At present, it appears that if an organization is not engaging social platforms, it is at risk of remaining uncompetitive and missing an opportunity of engaging many consumers.

Given the economic slowdown, it is no shock that emerging social platform marketing is the sole rescue for numerous organizations’ marketing attempts. Ideally, businesses do not have $2,000,000 for advertising but they can inject about $50,000 towards online sweepstakes that can be promoted via diverse platforms and advertising methods (Goodwin, 1991).

Besides, there are other online social sites and techniques for promotion that could be efficient and less expensive. For instance, growing and local organizations have started creating Facebook profiles and blogs rendering occasions regarding their grand activities, advertising and promotion almost free.

Overall, from an organizations’ view, emerging media promotion and campaigning is a half-half position. Organizations have the opportunity of accessing and reaching out to many people while reducing their budget share on advertising (Johnson, 2009).

Facebook and Twitter present an opportunity for organizations since they allow people to create business profiles that comprise images of products and details regarding these products. An organization can market its products on a full page on Twitter and Facebook with no additional costs.

Businesses use social media to remain linked to their customers. An organization can utilize a social platform to draw users to their products. Easy emails are enough to contact prospective consumers, and allow them to view products that the business deals with (Johnson, 2009).

Through social media organizations can develop worldwide relationship that aid them in discussing product strengths, need for improvement, or quality concerns and make necessary adjustments. An organization can keep its customers updated via social media. For instance when an organization is introducing a new product, it can test the product based on an online market and request response from consumers via social sites.

A company is capable of communicating and getting responses from its clients in all phases of product development. Businesses use this approach so as to minimize cost incurred during product development instead of testing the new product in an actual market (Goodwin, 1991).

The clothing sector has numerous rivalries especially with the emerging renewal of classy jeans. Currently, different B2B brands are joining the jean market. The competitors are Blue Cult, Diesel, Earnest Sewn, True Religion and Rock. Although Diesel began operations as a jeans clothing product and also that denims are still fashionable to date, jeans are viewed not like denim brand anymore but as the urban classy brand.

Among the brands and apparel firms that aim the sporty smart people only Diesel and Rock brands can be said to be direct competitors. Rock is a Japanese firm that manufacturers and distributes denim clothing as well as other fabric options, not very fashionable in design but, in addition, likeable to middle age people (Eric, 2005).

Diesel is an American brand which targets informal fashion sensitive individuals that require denim and other fabrics coupled with increased details and differentiation, both in fashion and fabric of the clothing (p. 67).

Basically, Diesel has been operational for decades and has dealt with concerns in a manner that no other organization could shine it out.

The fact that Diesel and Rock were expanding so much could have damaged their status as non conventional brands but nowadays the companies are struggling to defend their reputation by establishing company based network of clothing outlets where they are capable of controlling the setting where their products are sold (Eric, 2005).

Besides, Diesel and Rock companies are keeping their products away from large trading stores where the products share similar setting with other brands (p. 68).

The advertising framework engaged by Diesel differentiates it from its rivalries whereas Rock portrays framework utilizing the clothing in a semi levelled situation. Diesel performs well at generating tales regarding its brands. In the youth clothes market, the sensitivity to a brand by users principally depends on the promotion campaigns especially through social media.

The value displayed on the brand is determined by the technology utilized and the advertising approach that is initiated semi annually. Rock may alter its adverts for each collection but the technology does not change: models posturing in action and inscribed information about the clothing.

An easy and old concept of clothing adverts. Rock applies also models of urban setting and all placed along tarmac surfaces and being alert (Eric, 2005).

Diesel brands have retained their stories for decades and consumers even expect the company to generate winning tales rather than the classy persons posturing with descent clothing. Basically, Diesel consolidates in single setting clothing, nature and the brand.

The theme and topic selected for the adverts make Diesel’s campaigns even more unique. Of late, its themes are not as original as before but still the business remains peculiar in the choosing and the intention of the advertising themes (Eric, 2005).

Both Rock and Diesel clothing stores present their collection semi annually. This keeps consumers waiting for good ads regularly. The invention runs on all adverts, form necklaces to clothes and a consumer is ever anticipating different and newly generated ads from Diesel.

In addition the advert initiated by the two stores is a stuff to be desired since consumers, after decades of winning adverts, do expect something impressing and/or surprising through the newly developed campaign (Eric, 2005).

In conclusion, like the other firms operating in the clothing sector, Rock and Diesel are struggling to retain their market share. Any time, a rival or an emerging clothing firm may penetrate the market and begin producing clothing as good as that produced by both stores and recruiting an advertising group in order to generate competitive marketing strategies.

Eric, G. (2005). Diesel Case Study. Journal of Communication Planning , Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 66-72.

Goodwin, C. (1991). Privacy: Recognition of a Consumer Right. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing , Vol.10, No.1, pp.149-166.

Johnson, G. (2009). Computer Ethics . New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

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Is the Media Prepared for an Extinction-Level Event?

By Clare Malone

My first job in media was as an assistant at The American Prospect , a small political magazine in Washington, D.C., that offered a promising foothold in journalism. I helped with the print order, mailed checks to writers—after receiving lots of e-mails asking, politely, Where is my money?—and ran the intern program. This last responsibility allowed me a small joy: every couple of weeks, a respected journalist would come into the office for a brown-bag lunch in our conference room, giving our most recent group of twentysomethings a chance to ask for practical advice about “making it.” One man told us to embrace a kind of youthful workaholism, before we became encumbered by kids and families. An investigative reporter implored us to file our taxes and to keep our personal lives in order—never give the rich and powerful a way to undercut your journalism. But perhaps the most memorable piece of advice was from a late-career writer who didn’t mince words. You want to make it in journalism, he said? Marry rich. We laughed. He didn’t.

I’ve thought a lot about that advice in the past year. A report that tracked layoffs in the industry in 2023 recorded twenty-six hundred and eighty-one in broadcast, print, and digital news media. NBC News, Vox Media, Vice News, Business Insider, Spotify, theSkimm, FiveThirtyEight, The Athletic, and Condé Nast—the publisher of The New Yorker —all made significant layoffs. BuzzFeed News closed, as did Gawker. The Washington Post , which lost about a hundred million dollars last year, offered buyouts to two hundred and forty employees. In just the first month of 2024, Condé Nast laid off a significant number of Pitchfork’s staff and folded the outlet into GQ ; the Los Angeles Times laid off at least a hundred and fifteen workers (their union called it “the big one”); Time cut fifteen per cent of its union-represented editorial staff; the Wall Street Journal slashed positions at its D.C. bureau; and Sports Illustrated , which had been weathering a scandal for publishing A.I.-generated stories, laid off much of its staff as well. One journalist recently cancelled a networking phone call with me, writing, “I’ve decided to officially take my career in a different direction.” There wasn’t much I could say to counter that conclusion; it was perfectly logical.

“Publishers, brace yourselves—it’s going to be a wild ride,” Matthew Goldstein, a media consultant, wrote in a January newsletter. “I see a potential extinction-level event in the future.” Some of the forces cited by Goldstein were already well known: consumers are burned out by the news, and social-media sites have moved away from promoting news articles. But Goldstein also pointed to Google’s rollout of A.I.-integrated search, which answers user queries within the Google interface, rather than referring them to outside Web sites, as a major factor in this coming extinction. According to a recent Wall Street Journal analysis , Google generates close to forty per cent of traffic across digital media. Brands with strong home-page traffic will likely be less affected, Goldstein wrote—places like Yahoo, the Wall Street Journal , the New York Times , the Daily Mail , CNN, the Washington Post , and Fox News. But Web sites that aren’t as frequently typed into browsers need to “contemplate drastic measures, possibly halving their brand portfolios.”

What will emerge in the wake of mass extinction, Brian Morrissey, another media analyst, recently wrote in his newsletter, “The Rebooting,” is “a different industry, leaner and diminished, often serving as a front operation to other businesses,” such as events, e-commerce, and sponsored content. In fact, he told me, what we are witnessing is nothing less than the end of the mass-media era. “This is a delayed reaction to the commercial Internet itself,” he said. “I don’t know if anything could have been done differently.”

During the first three decades of digital publishing, the news media constantly reshaped itself to keep up. Blogging and aggregation, neither of which involved much expense in terms of original reporting, quickly became the strategy for chasing news on the Internet. Playing the search-engine-optimization game—racing to get an article within the first page of Google results—insured that your Web site got page views. And page views were what mattered: they were a new way of selling advertising. Gawker, which launched in 2002, famously had an office leaderboard that showed which writer had the best-trafficked story; bonuses were tied to views. But the Internet’s exponential growth only depreciated the value of clicks. By 2008, Gawker was getting half the revenue per page of what it earned in 2004. The model was, the financial journalist Felix Salmon wrote , in 2010, “looking increasingly like a race to the bottom, where publishers desperately try every trick in the book to boost their pageviews and ad impressions, just to compensate for the fact that their revenues per page are very small. The results—sensationalism, salaciousness, and slideshows—only serve to further erode the value of the sites in the eyes of advertisers.”

Digital media continued to chase traffic, though. BuzzFeed was one of the sites that defined the industry, tailoring content to go viral on various social-media giants, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. In 2011, the site launched BuzzFeed News, a play for greater prestige that, in some sense, worked: a decade later, the site won a Pulitzer Prize. But BuzzFeed News stories, like most BuzzFeed content, were available for free. When the venture capitalist Marc Andreessen’s firm gave BuzzFeed a fifty-million-dollar cash infusion, in 2014, he told the company to worry about growth, not revenue. But ceding distribution to outside tech firms hastened much of the industry’s downfall. “Even as Buzzfeed reached more and more people on platforms like YouTube and Snapchat, traffic seemed to be losing value at the same rate,” Ben Smith, the former editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed News, wrote in his 2023 book, “ Traffic .” “When it came to traffic, there was too much of it out there, and Facebook and Google were too good at selling theirs directly to advertisers.”

Last April, Jonah Peretti, one of BuzzFeed’s co-founders, shuttered BuzzFeed News, and published a memo about the way forward for his company and others like it, including HuffPost, which he still owns. “The vast majority of people will increasingly want social media platforms to provide an escape where they can find entertainment, joy, and fun,” Peretti wrote. “This will drive a return to the editorially curated news homepage like HuffPost, Drudge, and CNN.com.” Direct traffic to sites with strong audiences and reputations would be the future.

And yet, a few weeks later, Jimmy Finkelstein, the former owner of The Hill , launched a new ad-supported site, The Messenger. The idea was to create an alternative to the mainstream national media, which Finkelstein, who is seventy-four, viewed as increasingly partisan. “I remember an era where you’d sit by the TV, when I was a kid with my family, and we’d all watch ‘60 Minutes’ together,” he told the Times . “Those days are over, and the fact is, I want to help bring those days back.” The site hired hundreds of journalists, and promised to cover sports, politics, and entertainment. Executives said that they expected a hundred million monthly visitors and to generate a hundred million dollars in a year, mostly through advertising. The endeavor lasted less than a year; Finkelstein abruptly dissolved The Messenger in January, pulled down the Web site, and left his employees without severance or health care. The ordeal demonstrated the media’s poverty of ideas for how to survive without robust advertising; the past two years have seen steady drops in ad revenue across the industry, even as tech companies somewhat recovered. “No one who knew anything would think you can make money off traffic and hit the dumbass numbers he put out there,” Jim VandeHei, the co-founder of Axios and Politico, told the news site Puck in the aftermath. “I was pissed the moment I heard about this dumb idea. It was business malpractice and human cruelty at an epic scale.”

Donald Trump’s Presidency was a boon to some news outlets, particularly the Times and the Washington Post , which were engaged in an arms race to get the most explosive scoops. The Times gained five million digital subscribers during Trump’s four years in office, and the Post gained two million. As the President railed against the media and levels of trust in the industry plummeted—polls show that about two-thirds of the country now has little to no trust in the media—these numbers were signs of hope. But the “Trump bump” proved to be a momentary reprieve from a sustained and inevitable decline. In 2021, the first year of Joe Biden’s Presidency, the Post , which is owned by Jeff Bezos, lost about three hundred thousand subscribers. The Los Angeles Times , which is owned by the billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong, reported an increase in digital subscribers in the summer of 2023, but it was about half a million short of Soon-Shiong’s stated goal of a million digital subscribers; the paper laid off seventy-four staffers that summer, a prelude to this January’s deeper cuts.

Arguably, many of the factors that have hampered national outlets have been devastating local newsrooms for decades. The Times launched its Web site in 1996, promising “to extend the newspaper’s reach and create new editorial and business opportunities in electronic media.” As part of that effort, a “thoughtful, unbiased filter”—with “a powerful but user-friendly search function”—would amplify its classified offerings nationwide. By then, Craigslist had begun its takeover of newspapers’ classifieds revenue; by the mid-two-thousands, newspapers were losing money on an Internet where information was increasingly free and ads had moved elsewhere. The Times lost five hundred and forty-three million dollars in 2006. A couple of years later, the company borrowed some two hundred and twenty-five million dollars against its recently completed Times Square building. Only after launching a paywall, in 2011, did it find a path back to prosperity. But papers serving smaller markets never rebounded: between 2005 and 2024, roughly three thousand newspapers in the U.S. have closed. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, newspapers lost more than forty thousand staffers during the same period. Two hundred and four counties in the U.S. now have no local news—high-poverty areas are most affected—and, by the end of this year, it’s expected that the U.S. will have lost a third of its newspapers. Meanwhile, Craigslist’s founder, Craig Newmark, now funds a journalism school that recently announced its intention to go tuition-free, a move reminiscent of the explosives manufacturer Alfred Nobel’s impulse to fund a peace prize.

The decline of local news was, many theorized, part of the reason that Trump, with his misinformation-strewn campaign, could gain purchase to begin with. (Some evidence suggests that, as consumers rely on national outlets, their political polarization increases.) But places like the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times now face similar crises: How does a newspaper make money in 2024? People looking to answer that question invariably turn toward the New York Times . At the end of last year, as scores of journalists were getting their pink slips, the paper announced that it had passed ten million total subscribers.

In addition to consistently publishing very good journalism, the Times has a robust cooking app, a series of popular games, and the product-review site Wirecutter. It is not so much a newspaper as a digital life-style brand. Both the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times have made efforts to expand their non-news offerings—the Post beefed up its health section and the L.A. Times leaned into food coverage and around-the-town entertainment guides. But, even as outlets have tried to complement news coverage with other offerings, they’ve faced a fresh dilemma: news subscriptions—the great hope of media—are now directly competing with entertainment ones. The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism released a report in 2023 that found respondents often weighed their renewal of news subscriptions against digital streaming services. “We have Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, currently HBO Max and Spotify, Kocowa, and BritBox,” one survey respondent said. “I used to have The Washington Post but it got too expensive to have all the subscriptions.” Another said news was “as important as anything, but if I were to cut one, I would first think of cutting my news subscription before any other.”

Cable television’s problems are similarly acute, but with some variation: the cable bundle is dying thanks to the online-streaming business. In a world with fewer cable boxes, CNN will likely need to figure out how to turn its well-trafficked Web site into a compelling news hub. Mark Thompson, CNN’s new C.E.O. and editor-in-chief, wrote a lengthy memo to staff, in January, outlining the company’s turn toward digital products and subscriptions. He was light on specifics, if not the vibe. “We need to recapture some of the swagger and innovation of the early CNN,” he wrote. “It’s time for a new revolution.” At the same time, he told the Wall Street Journal , “I’m not even sure that subscription is the right pathway for CNN. But I do think we need to start experimenting and exploring in the broader sense direct-to-consumer relationships and potentially direct-to-consumer paying relationships.” Not quite a subscription model, but not not a subscription model?

The Washington Post’s new publisher and C.E.O., Will Lewis, was more clearly bearish on subscriptions when he recently sat down with Semafor . “That subscription-based model is now waning and then will enter a more significant period of decline,” he said. “There’s very positive evidence of how news can be accessed and paid for in more innovative ways. There are day passes that are successful, there’s week passes, there are models like the Guardian where you can make donations. So there’s a whole new generation of paying user concepts. I’m pretty excited about it. I think it’s newsroom 3.0.”

But the fact that the Times seems to have perfected a life-style-cum-news formulation also means that it’s tougher for other outlets to gain an edge with readers. There are some clever niches. Politico, Axios, and Punchbowl, for instance, cater to the needs of insider audiences, with expensive subscription components aimed at businesses willing to foot the bill for their employees. Reporting the news well is, by itself, no longer a profitable business proposition, which is too bad given that it’s an election year and one of the major-party candidates faces federal charges for interfering with an election. “The New York Times is in some ways the great hope but, in some ways, it’s the villain,” Morrissey, the media analyst, said. “There’s a few success cases in subscriptions, but, the reality is, very few publications can get more than five per cent of people to subscribe to them.”

Among the rank and file, there’s not a clear sense of what the next era of media might actually look like, besides having fewer journalists. “This shit is all dying,” the writer Jack Crosbie posted on his Substack in January. “There is like one place you can work right now with any kind of job security and it is The New York Times and that’s only because they have a shitload of recipes on a nicely coded little cooking app that you can subscribe to and also because your parents are hooked on Wordle.”

The layoffs at the L.A. Times seemed to throw the problem into sharp relief. “We are not in turmoil,” Soon-Shiong, the paper’s owner, said after laying off more than a hundred employees. “We have a real plan.” The newspaper’s union issued a pointed response, calling the cuts “the fruit of years of middling strategy,” and decried the paper’s lack of clear direction: “Our owner has publicly said he has a plan for moving forward but has not shared it with any of us.” A former Los Angeles Times executive I spoke with echoed that view: “Patrick never joined or conducted a structured business review with the executive team nor did he ever share an annual or quarterly operating or strategic plan with us.” (An L.A. Times spokesperson wrote in a statement that Soon-Shiong has “regularly” met with the senior executive team, and that it is the team that is “tasked with the strategic and operating plans for the business.”)

At Condé Nast, ninety-four unionized employees are on a layoff list, technically still employed as the union tries to barter to save jobs and increase severance packages; in January, roughly four hundred of its unionized workers walked off the job for a day. A few years earlier, the company had hired Agnes Chu, a former executive at Disney, to help expand its video offerings and shepherd its intellectual property into projects for streaming services. But the company struggled to find a sustainable business strategy, particularly as consumers gravitated toward short-form videos on TikTok, which aren’t particularly monetizable. Chu left the company last October. According to an e-mail that Condé Nast’s C.E.O., Roger Lynch, wrote in November, the company is now focussing on subscriptions and e-commerce as part of a plan to double consumer revenue.

Such a strategy reflects a fundamental shift in media: that it’s mostly consumers, not ads, who will need to pay for the services that outlets provide. Even supplemental revenue streams, such as concerts, literary festivals, and political talks, require a niche, devoted audience that is eager to engage with its favorite brands offscreen. Pitchfork had such an audience, which was part of what made Condé Nast’s decision so surprising to some. (Semafor reported that the move was part of a cost-cutting strategy, and that the company believes that Pitchfork “simply didn’t make enough money.”) “Every media company gutting their special interest brands will either watch helplessly or scramble to catch up in like 18 months,” Ryan Broderick, who writes a newsletter about the Internet, tweeted in the wake of the Pitchfork news. “Everything we know about Gen Z media consumption points to it being more niche.”

One school of thought holds that outlets should focus largely on improving the user experience of their existing subscribers. Making a site’s home page more personalized is one example. The former L.A. Times executive likened it to what Netflix does for its customers; outlets could help people sift through reams of stories, and find the ones they’ll be most interested in. Of course, that kind of increased algorithmic discretion would raise journalistic alarm bells, particularly at newspapers, where the editorial judgment of what makes the front page is core to newsroom culture. The Times has recently pushed for shorter articles, which is meant to “ meet our readers where they are ”—as is, presumably, its rolling blog-like coverage of major events. These formats also dumb the product down a bit. Then again, it wasn’t so long ago that journalists doing ad reads on podcasts was uncharted territory. Norms change, particularly when business is bad. “Netflix spends a billion dollars in R. & D.,” the former executive told me, largely on data scientists, engineers, and designers who help users discover content they’ll love. Newsrooms might also need to approach the problem in a more methodical, tech-driven manner.

Which brings us back to the spectre of A.I. Large language models have trawled through the vast archives of sites and trained themselves not just on reported information but on the original work of critics and the pithy takes of bloggers. Aggregation can already be easily automated. A.I. might soon be able to write a decent movie review or a piece of compelling fiction, and cheaply animate companion graphics for a TV news segment; it can do a passing job of many of these tasks already. But A.I. won’t be able to report out a scoop. Reporting still has singular value if outlets can figure out the right way to wring it out.

In the meantime, media outlets are looking to make A.I. companies pay them for their journalism. Late last year, the New York Times sued OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement, arguing that the newspaper was owed “billions of dollars in statutory and actual damages” for “unlawful copying and use of The Times’s uniquely valuable works.” Before suing OpenAI, the Times was in talks with the company to license the paper’s content. Outlets like the Associated Press and Axel Springer—the parent company of Politico and Business Insider—have already struck such deals. The Axel Springer deal was reportedly worth “ tens of millions ” of euros, but The Information has reported that OpenAI had been offering some companies as little as a million dollars a year to license content.

Journalism requires a peculiar mix of skepticism and earnestness; as journalists, after all, we consider ourselves integral to the functioning of civic society, even if much of society doesn’t particularly like us. This breeds a funny mix of pugilism and sanctimony that can be, frankly, a little unlikable. Speaking recently on the “Print Is Dead. (Long Live Print!)” podcast, Tina Brown, a former editor of The New Yorker and Vanity Fair , compared members of the U.K. press with their American counterparts. “They see it as a job,” she said, of her fellow-Brits. “They don’t see it as a sacred calling, and I think there’s something to be said for that.”

The business models that will sustain journalism in the future won’t be perfect. They’ll leave people out who need good-quality news the most. They will probably cater to older, wealthier men who (for now) make up the demographic most likely to pay for news. There will be idiocy and the enablement of rich idiots. But there will also be new generations of journalists willing to leap into an unsteady industry because they think explaining the world around them is worthwhile, if not particularly remunerative. The sanctimony that Brown sniffs at certainly exists, but a little bit of the holy spirit is probably necessary to report on contemporary America. Even if past experience has taught journalists that change is often a destructive force, the crisis is here, and it needs solutions if we’re going to keep recommending, in good conscience, that promising young talent join the media’s ranks.

Many journalists working today have only ever been part of a culture of decline. Four months into my first job at The American Prospect , it had a fund-raising crisis and nearly closed. GQ sent a writer to chronicle the scene at one of our staff meetings, where the editor-in-chief talked about our post-termination health-care benefits. “There are appreciative, if not thrilled, murmurs of ‘awesome,’ from the group of mostly 20-somethings,” GQ reported. Twelve years later, it still feels like we’re all trying to outrun the cuts. A change of pace would be nice. Until then, scraps of hope will have to do: the journalist who’d taken her career “in a different direction” rescheduled our call. ♦

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Simpli English Reveals Why Social Media Marketing is necessary for Startup Businesses

Simpli English introduces Social Media Marketing startegies for Startup Businesses.

Gurgaon, India - February 19, 2024 —

Social media marketing for businesses stands out as a potent tool, exponentially expanding reach within a short span. Establishing a pervasive presence on social media solidifies brand legacy in the minds of consumers. Regardless of the product's nature or specificity, reliance on social media remains imperative in the dynamic landscape of commerce.

social media advertising essay

Understanding the essence of social media marketing may elude some, leading to inquiries such as, 'How can social media benefit my business?' Social media encompasses everything necessary for steering businesses in the right direction.

To dispel any lingering doubts, consider the following reasons regarding social media marketing for businesses:

- Facilitating Relationship Building:

A valuable instrument for fostering relationships with the target audience, social media cultivates trust over time. Perseverance is deemed crucial to instill positive impressions in the minds of others.

- Targeting and Positioning through Ads:

Witnessing a remarkable surge in social ads across various platforms, companies find them to be a cost-effective means of promotion. Running ad campaigns on diverse social media platforms allows for precise audience targeting.

- Price Advantage:

Unparalleled in terms of cost-effectiveness, social media marketing outshines other promotional strategies. Even when engaging external PR agencies for social media product promotion, the expenses remain relatively economical compared to traditional marketing methods. The return on investment through social media channels surpasses simple arithmetic calculations.

- Building Brand Loyalty:

Invaluable for businesses is the loyalty of customers who steadfastly adhere to the brand. Establishing a loyal consumer base through social media entails direct interaction, addressing queries, and providing informative industry content. Such engagement broadens reach and fortifies brand loyalty.

In conclusion, acknowledging the indispensability of social media is crucial for businesses. It's advisable not to overlook any social media platform, be it Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc. While the initial phase may present challenges, embracing social media proves rewarding in the long run. As the adage goes, 'Being in business, never say never to anything.'

Now, If someone has already hired an external agency for social media marketing for business then they need to judge themself whether agency is really doing the same or duping them with some manipulative things. Or they can self learn it from the best digital marketing institute in India .

About the company: Simpli English is a provider of the best and innovative learning platform to take classes of English speaking online.

Contact Info: Name: Nischay Pasrija Email: Send Email Organization: Simpli English Website: https://simplienglish.com/

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