Defining of Social Media

Social media can be defined as the application of Internet and mobile applications to
foster social interactions. It can also be defined as technological tools that seek to foster the
exchange of user-generated content. Through the use of social media, individuals can
interact and share information. Social media has brought to life a new communication model.
Individuals who are active on social media platforms can discuss, modify, and share the
content that stems from other users in the social media networks. The salient features of social
media include access to real-time content, the ability to publish content from different places, the
ability to network, the digital nature of the applications, and the user-centered nature.

Social Media Versus Traditional Media

Traditional media existed before the inception of social media. Traditional media
includes radio, television, and the press. One of the major differences between social media and
traditional media is the transfer of information. Social media is founded on the involvement of
users. Users generate information and can contribute to various discussions online. In
contrast, traditional media has a one-way transfer of information. Social media has also
introduced new types of interactions that were not part of the traditional media. Personal
interaction has been made possible by social media and was absent in traditional media. In
addition, in social media, users define what they want and have the power to choose what they
deem relevant and what they believe is not relevant (Zembik, 2014). There is no firm
supervision in social media that was present in traditional media. While under traditional media,

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various media stations were owned by certain enterprises, in the age of social media, no one had
a monopoly over information.

Customer Knowledge Categories

Knowledge is an important factor in the business world. Firms that are actively involved
in the market have to ensure that they generate information about the market. Customers define
whether or not a business will be successful. All firms must strive to understand customers.
Customer knowledge can be classified into three categories, namely knowledge about customers,
knowledge for customers, and knowledge from customers (Zembik, 2014). Knowledge for
customers relates to important information on how to satisfy the needs of consumers. Knowledge
from customers relates to the opinions of customers on the goods and services that they consume.
Knowledge about customers relates to the needs, preferences, and motivations that customers
have. Through the use of social media, businesses can get relevant information that can help
them make critical choices driven toward success. Customers can articulate their
needs freely on social media platforms.

Promoting An Organization Through Media Relations

Social media is a vital source of information in the digital world. A company can grow its
brand’s audience through the use of social media. Companies should use social media as the
primary channel of communicating with consumers. Social media can also be used to gain a
competitive advantage over rivals. A company can ensure that it creates a dialogue with
consumers and, in so doing gaining knowledge from consumers. A startup company should
create social media pages and ensure that it keeps the pages regularly updated. By actively
posting on social media platforms, a company can have a strong relationship with its consumers.

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The main strength of this approach is that it is cost-effective. On the other hand, the major
weakness of this strategy is that it is time-consuming. It is challenging to post regularly on social
media pages. It is also difficult to come up with posts that are engaging.

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References

Zembik, M. (2014). Social media is a source of knowledge for customers and enterprises. Online
Journal of Applied Knowledge Management, 2(2), 132-148.