The Impact of Digital Management in Social Media and the Freelancer’s Role
Introduction
At present, social media is a crucial part of products and brands in society. Companies must keep in touch with their consumers, whether it is informing them about new products, obtaining feedback, or simply trying to retain current customers. Kaplan and Haenlein state that over 60% of marketers have integrated social media into their marketing activities.
With the fast-growing use of social media, companies have been compelled to track the progress and efficiency of their chosen marketing strategies. This is very difficult to do without a social media management tool, hence the importance of these tools to marketers.
A social media management tool is defined as a tool or software which is used to manage and analyze social media websites in a single dashboard or interface. These tools are used for the purpose of scheduling, tracking, analyzing, and managing social media marketing campaigns.
Background of digital management in social media The early development of social media began with simple tools such as a blog or online diary, and has evolved into something much greater in a relatively short period of time.
According to Kaplan and Haenlein, there are six different types of social media: collaborative projects, blogs and microblogs, content communities, social networking sites, virtual game worlds, and virtual social worlds. These types of media have created new opportunities for creating innovative marketing strategies.
There are a variety of different ways social media can be utilized in marketing, but in recent years many companies have utilized social media management tools to streamline their social media marketing efforts. For these companies, it is important to fully understand the functions of a social media management tool and the ways it can help create a competitive advantage.
Background of digital management in social media
Up until the mid-1960’s, direct mail advertising was the primary form of advertising for political candidates. Within the past ten years, the use of the internet for advertising in political campaigns has dramatically increased. With more than 109 million homes in America having an internet connection, the use of the internet as a campaign tool has exploded. It was not until the 2008 Presidential Election that the full potential of using the internet for campaigning would be realized.
Now, social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter along with other internet related tools are a major means by which political campaigns directly contact potential voters. Internet advertising is still relatively new to the political arena, and it may not always closely resemble online marketing in the private sector. However, the trend in recent years has shown that internet advertising will continue to grow in its presence in political campaigns.
Given the magnitude of the future growth of the use of internet advertising for political campaigns, a primary goal of advertising efficacy is necessary. With the proven success of micro-targeting and the increased use of social media tools to engage potential voters, campaigns must create an online strategic communications plan.
The rise in the use of social media can be a potential method for efficiently reaching a large number of people, something traditionally inefficient for small scale political campaigns because of the prohibitive cost of TV or radio ads. Advocates and political bloggers can quickly disseminate information to a very narrow or specific target audience. Message delivery has also been made more efficient.
Politicians or campaign workers can engage in direct communication with constituents. Users from social media can ask specific questions or get to know a candidate’s positions and views in a more interactive environment.
This is a double-edged sword, as more direct contact with a candidate could sway some constituents, possibly crossing the line between conversing with a candidate for public office and actually accepting services from that candidate.
Social media can also be more than just a PR tool. Many times causes or advocacy groups can harness the power of social media to initiate grassroots movements at the local level.
An example of this was the effective use of Facebook in organizing opposition to the budget cuts in the state of California. Lastly, the effectiveness of social media can be measured as all data on the internet is stored indefinitely and can be subject to statistical analysis. This provides a definitive answer as to whether or not a campaign initiative was successful in the short term and creates a database for best practices in future campaign initiatives.
Importance of freelancers in the digital age
Modern businesses operate in a global environment, driven by the increasing decentralization of work and rapid development of technology. Within the creative industry, this has seen freelance work grow in importance, with the digital age having a significant impact on the way freelancers operate — offering both benefits in terms of method and opportunities, as well as bringing on new challenges.
The very nature of digital management in social media has made the global marketplace an increasingly viable option for freelancers.
The internet has allowed easier access to a wider range of consumers and clients, creating a borderless marketplace that is also more competitive. Social media is now a part of everyday life for most people around the globe, with an estimated 1.96 billion users in 2010. This number is expected to see continued growth, with an estimated to over 2.5 billion users by 2025.
With such a large audience regularly using social media platforms, there is a great opportunity for small business owners to reach out to potential consumers. This is where freelancers can also provide cost-effective support for small businesses trying to make it in the competitive world of social media.