This edition first published 2017
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The social media revolution has undoubtedly brought limitless guides on how to maximize the new technology towards a desired outcome. The inherit definition of social media is grounded in its ability to support interactive dialogue across various media platforms (Baruah, 2012). However, the majority of social media references measure success by its ability to maximize profit or become a viral sensation. As social media scholars we wonder, if the entire premise of social media is the ability to hold a conversation online, wouldn't a successful social media endeavor be to successfully engage the intended audience through interactive dialogue rather than top-down diffusion? Thus, the idea for Strategic Social Media: From Marketing to Social Change was born.
Inspiration was further ignited by a futile search for a textbook to use for a college-level social media course. While numerous social media texts intend to offer a step-by-step “how to” manual in social media marketing practices, few provide theoretical explanations for the role social media play in facilitating behavior change in audiences. It was important to create a reference that covers the many opportunities that social media affords users in breaking down barriers with institutions of power, achieving greater transparency, and encouraging dialogue to mobilize users. Our hope is that this book provides a balance between best social media marketing practices and the application of traditional communication, behavior change, and marketing theories.
Social media are able to inspire human behavior change, whether that behavior change is intended to inspire marketing decisions or social change. We believe it is important to provide social media strategies that readers can apply to any past, present or future social media platform. The intersection of theory, practice, and mindfulness will help practitioners make better decisions regarding brand objectives and the world they impact, and make them more valuable than a professional who is only familiar with social media tools and marketing business models.
This book is divided into five distinct sections: 1. Social media landscape; 2. Social media users and messages; 3. Social media business models and marketing strategies; 4. Social responsibility and cause marketing; and 5. The future of social media technologies.
We begin by exploring the role of social media in today's convergence culture by asking questions such as: What is the current social media landscape? How are individuals and organizations utilizing new media tools? The section introduces three primary functions of social media – diffusing information, providing a sense of community for audiences, and mobilizing users into action. These functions will build the foundation for all social media strategies outlined in later sections of the book.
The second section of the book focuses on constructing social media messages that reach intended audiences and ignite dialogue and behavior change. It examines how social media alter the way we view the audience. Rather than viewing users as a passive entity who only consume online messages, we favor theoretical assumptions about how users participate and negotiate in the information-exchange process. By transforming social media messages from modes of information diffusion towards more interactive sites for mobilization, we are able to establish a sense of community among users.
Third, the book examines various social media business models and marketing strategies. Classic marketing literature has focused on how to best compete with similar products. This section explains the importance of collaborating and communicating with your competitors to promote mutual gain. It also offers insights on how to best evaluate and monitor social media marketing efforts.
Next, this book explains why marketing for social good is more important than ever. By examining case studies in public health, civic engagement, and cause marketing, we identify the potential of social media to make a positive difference on the world. Social media users demand increased transparency with how products are manufactured, sold, and reviewed by other consumers. By taking control over social media narratives, practitioners are able to increase their return on investment, while also promoting social good.
Finally, this book explores the future of social media landscape. The section explains how to integrate traditional media with new, incorporates a more sustainable mindset, and argues for a general framework for social media scholarship. The book concludes by offering insights on Web 3.0 and the future social media technologies.
In writing this book, we were fortunate to receive enormous help and support from family, friends and colleagues. We are particularly grateful to Roger Cooper, Ryan Mahoney, Rafael Obregon, Pat Peirce, Patti Peirce, Paul Peirce, Jie Tang, Mingtang Wang, Xu Wang, and Sichun Yang, who have been a tremendous support since the first day of this project. The faculty members at the West Chester University and the University of Akron who have helped us along the way, including Timothy Brown, Elizabeth Graham, Chih-Hui Lai, Edward Lordan, Andrew Rancer, Julia Spiker, Philip Thompsen, and Heather Walter. Our gratefulness is extended to the anonymous reviewers who read the manuscript in various stages of development. There is no doubt that the book becomes a stronger effort as a result of implementing their comments. We would especially like to thank Wiley-Blackwell and its editors for their constant support and guidance. Finally, to our kids – Beatrice Mahoney and Maxx Tang Yang – who were born in the middle of this project, thanks for motivating and enriching us every day.
Ultimately, the goal of this book is to share with our readers – students, social media practitioners, and current/future generation of social media users – the power and positive possibilities that social media hold in influencing personal relationships and social change. While it would prove impossible to predict all of the new media changes that we will see in our lifetime, we hope this book can shed light on the future of social media landscape – a world where marketing and social change will no longer exist in mutually exclusive entities. We hope that Strategic Social Media: From Marketing to Social Change is a valuable resource for anyone interested in successfully persuading audiences through social media messages.