Connecting with consumers has always been the main focus of brands ever since the invention of marketing. Kaymu – one of Africa’s largest online shopping communities – brings a fresh perspective on using Social Media as a marketing tool.
Marketing has evolved greatly since 1941, which saw the broadcast of the first tv ad. This was followed by “ the infomercial” in the 1970s and finally, the Internet in 1993; and the rest, as they say is history.
The internet changed the way marketing is done. It opened up a whole host of new touch points between brands and their consumers. Unwilling at first, companies and brands soon began to realize the importance of Social Media and how they can use it to reach people. In fact events like the one hosted by Kaymu in the ongoing Social Media week in Lagos helps share best practices from the industry and propagate “the Internet of things” even further.
But how exactly does Social Media work for branding? The answer is Consumer communities. Consumer communities are one of the driving factors behind the success of brands like Lego, Vans or more recently, Uber.
The formula is very simple. A community is created or discovered by a brand. Active and relevant participation by the brand in the community leads to the development of a stronger affinity within the followers of the brand and ultimately leads to the birth of advocates, which in turn gives the brand credibility. Tools like Facebook, Google AdWords, Twitter, etc. have made it easier to target relevant consumer groups and be at the right place, at the right time in the virtual world.
Of course, at the very basis of marketing and branding lies the importance of being at the right place at the right time in the real world along with cyberspace!
