The Advertising Industry Turns to Social Media For Powerful Marketing

Over 95% of Americans have access to some kind of phone, and most of that percentage is in reference to smart phones. Humans always strive to make things better, especially technology. We want to make things more convenient, safer, faster, and more powerful. So to go from a large, heavy phone with a dial that is isolated to whatever room you’re in and can only call certain numbers to a device with more processing power than NASA computers in the 1970’s is a miracle of technology.

Throughout the years, most people are burdened with distance between them and their loved ones, co workers, or cut off from the rest of the world because of their location. Social Media was a saving grace, allowing users to share photos, videos, music, and messages instantly from around the world. Social Media can grant an individual incredible power that can be used for good or evil, with the ability to post a hateful comment anonymously or support a stranger going through a difficult situation.

With billions of eyes glued to their phones, Social Media became one of the most popular platforms for the arts, entertainment, businesses and individuals looking to spread their message to the world. When Facebook reached 1,000,000 users in 2004, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was concerned about advertising on what would become one of the top social media apps too early. He would wait a year until letting the first ad run on Facebook in 2005. As Facebook users grew, so did the frequency of ads. In 1 year, the ad revenue grew to $60 million, and in 2016, apps like Facebook and Instagram made Billions in ad revenue.

Social Media has undoubtedly become one of the top contenders for advertisements. Companies are always looking for new opportunities to advertise their products, so when Social Media gained so much popularity these same companies saw a brilliant opportunity: to advertise right in the palm of a user’s hand. Televisions, radio, and other broadcast formats require a stereo or cable connection to view and listen too. Social Media has the advantage of being available on smartphones, which in the age of 2020 are used by almost everyone in America.

Now more than ever it’s important to note the potential of Social Media Marketing. Dozens of educational institutions have created Social Media Marketing Degrees, courses, and certification programs. Businesses like Walmart, Target, H&M, and Kohls have created entire departments dedicated to the pursuit of Social Media Marketing campaigns. With the power to advertise right on a device that has become a necessary technology in recent years, professionals who learn skills that help them market on social media have grown in demand exponentially.