Is social media necessary to establish and build a brand?
Social media has grown in popularity throughout the last decade in both the recreational and professional realms because it allows brands to increase brand recognition, and improve brand loyalty.
Social media increases brand recognition by providing additional points of contact with consumers and avenues to promote the brands branding. Using Instagram as an example, by posting and actively using this social media platform, it opens up the potential to engage with 500 million users – 300 million of whom use the application on a daily basis . Brands such as Bali Body and Triangl Swimwear have exclusively used Instagram to build their brand following. Each have capitalized on user generated content to develop and curate their Instagram feeds bringing about massive brand loyalty from users actively posting their products in hopes of being “re-blogged” on the larger more popular pages.
Brand loyalty is most easily fostered through social media because of the ease of engagement users have to engage with the brands content. They can actively show their approval by liking, sharing, reblogging, reposting or commenting on a brands post. The brand in return can have an almost instant response time, addressing questions as they arise and moderating any backlash that might arise as it happens. Brands looking to use social media to increase brand loyalty capitalize on the flexibility and speed of social media. Through Instagram and Facebook, the brand has the ability to post targeted content to their followers but run contests and giveaways that not only boost interaction but also allows their consumers to feel a part of the brand.
Established brands use social media to continue building their brand image or as a way of rebranding an old out-dated brand image, or reviving a line. New brands use social media to build their consumer base, allowing them to quickly reach hundreds of thousands of potential consumers with little to no monetary expense. In the present era of marketing and branding, social media is not the only avenue necessary to create a brand but can act as a huge factor to the success of a brands longevity.
