Compared to traditional marketing, social media marketing is still an alien theory to many people, but the rate that it has gained power in the marketing world is entirely fascinating. Take for instance the number of retail companies that have tanked because the access to an online market. There are people making a killing just by selling products via live stream videos. People now have leverage based on the number of followers they have on social media. An influencer can be chosen knowing they could produce a lesser quality promotion, but still, be chosen simply because it will reach a larger audience at a cheaper price. The dot-com period of technological advancement has put the world at your fingertips. To think there was a flurry of anxiety and skepticism about cyberspace in the 90s, and now people get anxious about not having the ability to access the internet or cell service. Social media marketing is tragically misunderstood because the majority of people’s first thoughts are “influencers.” Content creators or influencer marketing is a huge tool for social media marketing, although not the only aspect of it. Content creators are influencers, but not all influencers are content creators. Influencer is a broader range that includes celebrities, who became famous/influential offline, but their influence follows them to online platforms. They can promote products and companies they don’t necessarily use. Whereas a content creator typically has a specific niche or target audience. They curate their posts, videos, and photos to keep their audience engaged and gain their trust. They have to articulate content specifically to each platform they use. A good content creator relies on authenticity and generally doesn’t promote something they wouldn't back up since their audiences look to them for advice. So, all that being said content creators is one way to use social media marketing to promote a product or service. Paying someone to create content that promotes or reviews your product and post it on their social platforms or to have advertisement links within their websites. Another pillar of social media marketing is establishing your business online and using the different platforms to showcase your products and services. Many people will see an add and look into a company's profile. Giving them a glimpse into the life behind the product. A big part of your marketing plan should be maintaining social media channels. This also helps you to collaborate with influencers. They can see who they are partnering with and if it aligns with their platform’s aesthetics. Creating profiles also allows you to listen and engage with people through posts, whether they tag you, message you or comment on your content. Regardless if it’s a good or bad mention, you can thank them for their support or correct a situation. Allowing you to build relationships and network. Some tools collect information that allows you to follow posts that make mention of your business without tagging it. People spend a lot of time on social media so having your brand present and able to engage is a powerful tool. The one thing that should be every business’s number one concern is growing and acquiring new customers. That requires advertising. Social media marketing allows you to advertise at the push of a button to a wider range of audiences. Not just through content creators. Pretty much every social platform has an advertising option that will push your ads and posts to an audience that is more than just your following. It gives you the ability to run multiple media advertising campaigns at once. You can create audience targets based on their search behaviors, interests, demographics, etc. There are endless tools and resources at your disposal to optimize your ads, make changes in bulk and automate everything. There are even analytic tools to help show you how well your social media marketing is performing, they show you how far your reach is compared to previous months, are you getting positive mentions, are their hashtags with your brand name circulating, allowing you to know if you are posting engaging content. Although a simple enough concept, social media marketing can be complex because of ever-changing and evolving social media platforms. Making social media marketing is ever-changing too, requiring you to stay up to date with the constant changes and strategies. In essence, social media marketing/being present on social platforms allows your brand the opportunity to be discovered by future customers. With new generations that have more of an attachment to the internet, where most things are readily available to them before even getting dressed. Why not follow suit and enjoy the luxury of being able to run most of your business operations from the comfort of your own home.