Social media are mostly interactive platforms which enable the generation or sharing/exchange/interaction of ideas, careers, interests, and anything else through virtual communities and online networks. It includes blogs, microblogging, vblogs, social networking sites, discussion forums, video, image and text. It was the internet platform where people meet and developed an open platform for communication and social interaction. Some of the prominent social media websites are:

The social media has brought a major change in communication. Many companies use it as a medium for marketing, promotion and advertising. It allows you to reach out to the widest audience by creating profiles and connecting with friends, family and colleagues. The major benefit of using this medium is that you can reach out to your audience wherever they are, at any time, and talk to them in real-time. The companies who are engaged in SME’s and are looking forward to expand their business should definitely consider social network marketing.

The web-based networks provide a great platform for small businesses to engage directly with customers and to build customer loyalty and trust. These social media networks have come to replace the need for expensive and inconvenient media advertisements. These networks allow users to share information about their products and services with their contacts, family and friends. By doing so, these users feel that they are getting directly involved in the product and service. The companies can provide valuable and unique content and can even interact with their clients to solve their queries and make their lives easier.

There is a large number of web-based SME’s, but only few of them get right to the core. These web-based SME’s are relatively new compared to the SME’s that have been in existence for several years. But the major difference between the two is that the SME’s on the web are cheaper to run as compared to the more expensive ones. The web-based social network companies are also able to provide their clients with an extensive range of services including marketing tools, SEO strategies, paid advertisements, viral campaigns, PR and events, content and much more.

Social media networks have come as a boon for SME’s looking to boost their sales and take their brand name to higher levels. Now, instead of spending lots of money on traditional forms of advertising, these digital marketing campaigns can enable a company to effectively engage and connect with its consumers on a more personal level. This is because the SME can easily measure statistics and find out what works and what doesn’t. These digital marketing campaigns enable a brand to create an identity, brand loyalty and trust amongst its consumers. The brand can easily measure results of its social media campaigns and spend accordingly to achieve its goals.

When a company makes the decision to use social media to expand its business then there are a number of things it has to keep in mind. Social media is fast becoming the most popular way for people to communicate with one another. Many people rely on it to connect with their friends and family, so the best place to start is by reaching out to your current customers. Always remember to provide them with informative, useful and timely information as this is what will keep them coming back to your page and encouraging others to do the same. It is important to keep in mind that the primary objective of using social networking sites such as Twitter or Facebook is to connect with your customers. You should never try to sell to them or force them to buy.