Social media are social interactive technologies which enable the generation or sharing/recreation/ exchange of ideas, hobbies, career aspirations, and other types of creative expression through virtual networks and online communities. Social Media is a platform that permits users to create and share user-generated content in the form of blogs, videos, images, text and other things. Social Media allows users to easily create and share user-generated content with others through online social networking websites such as Facebook, Digg, Twitter and MySpace, to name a few. The Internet has made it easier for businesses to reach out to their target audience.
Social media provides a great opportunity for businesses to interact with their target audience on a more personalized basis. In addition to the ability to make connections with other individuals, Social Media provides businesses with the opportunity to create and develop meaningful customer relationships. Social Media allows customers to share information about the products and services on offer with friends, colleagues, and customers. Online social networking sites are a great way for businesses to promote events, seminars, discounts, or news regarding their products or services.
Social media provides businesses with the opportunity to build brand recognition, build customer relationships and generate sales through the use of highly visible platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Flipboard, Vimeo, Weblog, MySpace and StumbleUpon. Social media networks are also being used to share data and integrate services such as business analysis and surveys with consumers. Social causation allows users to organize, store, search and analyze information from these communities. As a result of the increased accessibility and usefulness of social media networks, social media companies are working towards creating tools that will make creation more meaningful and easier for end-users.