Summary Social Media Marketng Tracy L. Tuten & Michael R. Solomon
Chapter 1 – The Social Media Environment
Greetings, Digital Native
Social media are the online means of communicatonn conveyancen collaboratonn and cultvaton
among interconnected and interdependent networks of peoplen communitesn and organizatons
enhanced by technological capabilites and mobility.
The Infrastructure of Social Media
The Social Media Value Chain organizes the complex environment of social media into its core
components. It illustrates the core actvites of social media partcipants and the components that
make those actvites possible. As a social
media usern your actvites are made
possible by the underlying infrastructure.
In digital environment the pieces that
make up the social Web are crucial. These
include the Webn social channels and
vehiclesn the sofware that provides the
programming we need to carry out these
actvitesn the devices we usen and of
course the partcipants.
The Web as Platorm
The Internet is a network of connected data servers. Initallyn the Web (Web 1.0) was a network of
connected informaton. Web 1.0 was the area of cognitonn in which a network of data producers
served informaton to primarily passive consumers. Web 2.0 marked a major shif by connectng
networks of people in additon to networks of informaton.
From these advances blossomed the “social Web” and an era of communicatonn in which networks
of networked communites have members who partcipate as consumersn creatorsn and co-creators.
Economists refer to this as a network effect. Network efects enable organizatons to leverage the
value of crowdsourcing, a process that harnesses the collectve knowledge of a large group of people
to solve problems and complete tasks.
Web 3.0n the Semantic Web, is the expected next stage. The Web will be an universal medium for
datan informatonn and knowledge exchange. It will mark an area of collaboraton- not only for
peoplen but also of people and machines. In other wordsn social media will eventually serve to
support collective intelligence.
Social Software
Much of our experiences and what we are able to create or do online is due to a host of social
software applicatons. These are computer programs that enable users to interactn createn and share
data online. There are currently more than 1.2 billion apps available. Those appsn also known as
widgets (usually downloadable or embeddable)n are types of social sofware. A more recent
development is the chatbotn an articial intelligence computer sofware program that simulates
intelligent conversaton via writen or spoken text using a chat interface.
Social sites use complex mathematcal formulas called algorithms to personalize the content you see
in your news feedn recommend friend connectonsn and more.
Devices
1
,Devices are pieces of equipment we use to access the Internet and the range of actvites in which we
partcipate online. Wearables are smart devices that can be carried or worn on one’s body. They
measure and capture data which can then be storedn sharedn and further processed. Even devices
that aren’t “smart” on their own can become so by using an Internet of Things gateway. This refers
to a paradigm in which all the objects around us could be connected anytme and anywhere.
Gateways are devices that can facilitate connecton for objects without network capabilites.
The Zones of Social Media
The media we use range from mass media (means of communicaton that can reach a large number
of individuals) to personal media (channels capable of two-way communicaton on a small scale).
Social media cross the boundaries of mass and personal median so they enable individuals to
communicate with one or a few people as well as to thousands or even millions of others.
Part of the complexity of social media is due to the sheer quantty of channels and vehiclesn with new
ones coming online all the tme. These optons are easier to compare and contrast if we group similar
channels together. We can organize social media into four zones of social media.
Zone 1 is Social Community
Zone 2 is Social Publishing
Zone 3 is Social Entertainment
Zone 4 is Social Commerce
Some areas overlap two or even more zones.
Zone 1: Social Community
Social communities describe channels of social media that focus upon relatonships and the common
actvites people partcipate in with others who share the same interest or identicaton. Thusn social
communites feature two-way and mult-way communicatonn conversatonn collaboratonn and the
sharing of experiences and resources. For social communites the interacton and collaboraton for
relatonship building and maintenance are the primary reason people engage in these actvites. The
channels in the social community zone include social network sites, message boards and forums,
and wikis.
Social network sites (SNS) are online hosts that enable site members to construct and maintain
proilesn identfy other members with whom they are connectedn and partcipate by consumingn
producingn and/or interactng with content provided by their connecton. Proiles enhance the ability
of members to develop a social identity when they add a proile picturen basic informaton about
themselvesn and other customizable optons. Members maintain a social presence in the community
that may indicate their availabilityn moodn friend listn and status. Connectionsn whom we might call
friendsn followersn or fansn communicate and share content in variety of ways including direct
2
, messages, wall posts, and chat or instant messaging optons. Thusn SNS ofer both synchronous and
asynchronous forms of communicaton.
Zone 2: Social Publishing
Social publishing is the producton and issuance of content for distributon via social publishing sites.
Social publishing sites aid in the disseminaton of content to an audience by hostng content while
also enabling audience partcipaton and sharing. Social publishing made it possible for people to
share their contentn user-generated content (UGC)n without the barriers and gatekeeping of
traditonal publishing and broadcast models. We categorize social publishers into four use groupse 1)
individual usersn 2) independent professionalsn 3) professional contributors associated with
organizatons such as news median and 4) brands. Brands use social publishing as a distributon
and/or promoton mode in content marketing campaigns. The channels of social publishing include
blogsn microsharing sitesn media sharing sitesn and social bookmarking and news sites.
Microsharing sitesn also called microblogging sitesn work much like blogs except that there is a limit
to the length of the content you can post.
Zone 3: Social Entertainment
The zone of social entertainment encompasses eventsn performancesn and actvites designed to
provide the audience with pleasure and enjoymentn experienced and shared using social media. The
social media channels supportng this zone include communites dedicated to entertainment like
Spotfyn as well as mult-zone social networks like ooutube and Twiter. Social games are by a
substantal margin the most advanced channel in the social entertainment zone.
Zone 4: Social Commerce
Social commerce refers to the use of social media in the online shoppingn buyingn and selling of
products and services. Social commerce enables peoplen both networks of buyers and sellersn to
partcipate actvely in the marketng and selling of products and services in online marketplaces and
communites. Social shopping is the actve partcipaton and infuence of others on a consumer’s
decision-making processn typically in the form of opinionsn recommendatonsn and experiences
shared via social media. Channels include reviews and ratngsn deal sites, deal aggregators, social
shopping markets, social storefronts, community marketplacesn and social networks with sales
conversion functonality. In additonn organizatons can socially enable aspects of their traditonal e-
commerce websites by using tools such as Facebook Connect, and share applications.
Social Media Marketing
Marketing is the actvityn set of instructonsn and processes for creatngn communicatngn deliveringn
and exchanging oferings that have value for customersn clientsn partnersn and society at large. The
classic view is that organizatons accomplish these goals through a marketing mix that includes the
so-called Four Ps (Productn Pricen Promotonn and Place).
Today we need to add a ifh Pe Partcipaton. Social media marketing is the utlizaton of social media
technologiesn channelsn and sofware to createn communicaten delivern and exchange oferings that
have value for an organizaton’s stakeholders.
Marketng Communicaton: From Top-Down to Bootom-Up
Traditonal marketng focuses on push messaging (one-way communicaton) using a large dose of
broadcast and print media to reach a mass audience. There are minimal opportunites for interacton
and feedback between customers and the organizaton. The brand message is controlled in a top-
down manner by brand leadership within the organizaton.
As it became clear that the Internet was not going to go awayn marketers focked to cyberspace.
Howevern most of them stll applied the familiar model of the Four Ps to the digital domain. This form
of marketngn tradigital marketingn is characterized by improvements in interactvity and
measurementn but it retains the primarily vertcal fow of power in the channels of communicaton
3
Chapter 1 – The Social Media Environment
Greetings, Digital Native
Social media are the online means of communicatonn conveyancen collaboratonn and cultvaton
among interconnected and interdependent networks of peoplen communitesn and organizatons
enhanced by technological capabilites and mobility.
The Infrastructure of Social Media
The Social Media Value Chain organizes the complex environment of social media into its core
components. It illustrates the core actvites of social media partcipants and the components that
make those actvites possible. As a social
media usern your actvites are made
possible by the underlying infrastructure.
In digital environment the pieces that
make up the social Web are crucial. These
include the Webn social channels and
vehiclesn the sofware that provides the
programming we need to carry out these
actvitesn the devices we usen and of
course the partcipants.
The Web as Platorm
The Internet is a network of connected data servers. Initallyn the Web (Web 1.0) was a network of
connected informaton. Web 1.0 was the area of cognitonn in which a network of data producers
served informaton to primarily passive consumers. Web 2.0 marked a major shif by connectng
networks of people in additon to networks of informaton.
From these advances blossomed the “social Web” and an era of communicatonn in which networks
of networked communites have members who partcipate as consumersn creatorsn and co-creators.
Economists refer to this as a network effect. Network efects enable organizatons to leverage the
value of crowdsourcing, a process that harnesses the collectve knowledge of a large group of people
to solve problems and complete tasks.
Web 3.0n the Semantic Web, is the expected next stage. The Web will be an universal medium for
datan informatonn and knowledge exchange. It will mark an area of collaboraton- not only for
peoplen but also of people and machines. In other wordsn social media will eventually serve to
support collective intelligence.
Social Software
Much of our experiences and what we are able to create or do online is due to a host of social
software applicatons. These are computer programs that enable users to interactn createn and share
data online. There are currently more than 1.2 billion apps available. Those appsn also known as
widgets (usually downloadable or embeddable)n are types of social sofware. A more recent
development is the chatbotn an articial intelligence computer sofware program that simulates
intelligent conversaton via writen or spoken text using a chat interface.
Social sites use complex mathematcal formulas called algorithms to personalize the content you see
in your news feedn recommend friend connectonsn and more.
Devices
1
,Devices are pieces of equipment we use to access the Internet and the range of actvites in which we
partcipate online. Wearables are smart devices that can be carried or worn on one’s body. They
measure and capture data which can then be storedn sharedn and further processed. Even devices
that aren’t “smart” on their own can become so by using an Internet of Things gateway. This refers
to a paradigm in which all the objects around us could be connected anytme and anywhere.
Gateways are devices that can facilitate connecton for objects without network capabilites.
The Zones of Social Media
The media we use range from mass media (means of communicaton that can reach a large number
of individuals) to personal media (channels capable of two-way communicaton on a small scale).
Social media cross the boundaries of mass and personal median so they enable individuals to
communicate with one or a few people as well as to thousands or even millions of others.
Part of the complexity of social media is due to the sheer quantty of channels and vehiclesn with new
ones coming online all the tme. These optons are easier to compare and contrast if we group similar
channels together. We can organize social media into four zones of social media.
Zone 1 is Social Community
Zone 2 is Social Publishing
Zone 3 is Social Entertainment
Zone 4 is Social Commerce
Some areas overlap two or even more zones.
Zone 1: Social Community
Social communities describe channels of social media that focus upon relatonships and the common
actvites people partcipate in with others who share the same interest or identicaton. Thusn social
communites feature two-way and mult-way communicatonn conversatonn collaboratonn and the
sharing of experiences and resources. For social communites the interacton and collaboraton for
relatonship building and maintenance are the primary reason people engage in these actvites. The
channels in the social community zone include social network sites, message boards and forums,
and wikis.
Social network sites (SNS) are online hosts that enable site members to construct and maintain
proilesn identfy other members with whom they are connectedn and partcipate by consumingn
producingn and/or interactng with content provided by their connecton. Proiles enhance the ability
of members to develop a social identity when they add a proile picturen basic informaton about
themselvesn and other customizable optons. Members maintain a social presence in the community
that may indicate their availabilityn moodn friend listn and status. Connectionsn whom we might call
friendsn followersn or fansn communicate and share content in variety of ways including direct
2
, messages, wall posts, and chat or instant messaging optons. Thusn SNS ofer both synchronous and
asynchronous forms of communicaton.
Zone 2: Social Publishing
Social publishing is the producton and issuance of content for distributon via social publishing sites.
Social publishing sites aid in the disseminaton of content to an audience by hostng content while
also enabling audience partcipaton and sharing. Social publishing made it possible for people to
share their contentn user-generated content (UGC)n without the barriers and gatekeeping of
traditonal publishing and broadcast models. We categorize social publishers into four use groupse 1)
individual usersn 2) independent professionalsn 3) professional contributors associated with
organizatons such as news median and 4) brands. Brands use social publishing as a distributon
and/or promoton mode in content marketing campaigns. The channels of social publishing include
blogsn microsharing sitesn media sharing sitesn and social bookmarking and news sites.
Microsharing sitesn also called microblogging sitesn work much like blogs except that there is a limit
to the length of the content you can post.
Zone 3: Social Entertainment
The zone of social entertainment encompasses eventsn performancesn and actvites designed to
provide the audience with pleasure and enjoymentn experienced and shared using social media. The
social media channels supportng this zone include communites dedicated to entertainment like
Spotfyn as well as mult-zone social networks like ooutube and Twiter. Social games are by a
substantal margin the most advanced channel in the social entertainment zone.
Zone 4: Social Commerce
Social commerce refers to the use of social media in the online shoppingn buyingn and selling of
products and services. Social commerce enables peoplen both networks of buyers and sellersn to
partcipate actvely in the marketng and selling of products and services in online marketplaces and
communites. Social shopping is the actve partcipaton and infuence of others on a consumer’s
decision-making processn typically in the form of opinionsn recommendatonsn and experiences
shared via social media. Channels include reviews and ratngsn deal sites, deal aggregators, social
shopping markets, social storefronts, community marketplacesn and social networks with sales
conversion functonality. In additonn organizatons can socially enable aspects of their traditonal e-
commerce websites by using tools such as Facebook Connect, and share applications.
Social Media Marketing
Marketing is the actvityn set of instructonsn and processes for creatngn communicatngn deliveringn
and exchanging oferings that have value for customersn clientsn partnersn and society at large. The
classic view is that organizatons accomplish these goals through a marketing mix that includes the
so-called Four Ps (Productn Pricen Promotonn and Place).
Today we need to add a ifh Pe Partcipaton. Social media marketing is the utlizaton of social media
technologiesn channelsn and sofware to createn communicaten delivern and exchange oferings that
have value for an organizaton’s stakeholders.
Marketng Communicaton: From Top-Down to Bootom-Up
Traditonal marketng focuses on push messaging (one-way communicaton) using a large dose of
broadcast and print media to reach a mass audience. There are minimal opportunites for interacton
and feedback between customers and the organizaton. The brand message is controlled in a top-
down manner by brand leadership within the organizaton.
As it became clear that the Internet was not going to go awayn marketers focked to cyberspace.
Howevern most of them stll applied the familiar model of the Four Ps to the digital domain. This form
of marketngn tradigital marketingn is characterized by improvements in interactvity and
measurementn but it retains the primarily vertcal fow of power in the channels of communicaton
3
