"This book presents a critical examination on the integration of social networking platforms into business tactics and the challenges presented by consumers' use of these online communities, highlighting pivotal issues such as brand management, customer loyalty, and online services"--

Modern marketing practices have evolved to become a dynamic meeting point for technology practitioners and business professionals. Digital technologies have added a new paradigm to the way businesses are projected, communicated, and developed through their marketing activities, from message delivery to content production. Digital Marketing Strategies and Models for Competitive Business is a collection of innovative research that seeks to connect theory with application, identifying best practices over digital marketing to business purposes. While highlighting topics including consumer analysis, search engine marketing, and marketing communications, this book is ideally designed for marketers, managers, executives, advertisers, graphic designers, researchers, practitioners, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and educators.

Social media has become an integral part of society as social networking has become a main form of communication and human interaction. To stay relevant, businesses have adopted social media tactics to interact with consumers, conduct business, and remain competitive. Social technologies have reached a vital point in the business world, being essential in strategic decision-making processes, building relationships with consumers, marketing and branding efforts, and other important areas. While social media continues to gain importance in modern society, it is essential to determine how it functions in contemporary business. The Research Anthology on Strategies for Using Social Media as a Service and Tool in Business provides updated information on how businesses are strategically using social media and explores the role of social media in keeping businesses competitive in the global economy. The chapters will discuss how social tools work, what services businesses are utilizing, both the benefits and challenges to how social media is changing the modern business atmosphere, and more. This book is essential for researchers, instructors, social media managers, business managers, students, executives, practitioners, industry professionals, social media analysts, and all audiences interested in how social media is being used in modern businesses as both a service and integral tool.

This book examines issues and implications of digital and social media marketing for emerging markets. These markets necessitate substantial adaptations of developed theories and approaches employed in the Western world. The book investigates problems specific to emerging markets, while identifying new theoretical constructs and practical applications of digital marketing. It addresses topics such as electronic word of mouth (eWOM), demographic differences in digital marketing, mobile marketing, search engine advertising, among others. A radical increase in both temporal and geographical reach is empowering consumers to exert influence on brands, products, and services. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and digital media are having a significant impact on the way people communicate and fulfil their socio-economic, emotional and material needs. These technologies are also being harnessed by businesses for various purposes including distribution and selling of goods, retailing of consumer services, customer relationship management, and influencing consumer behaviour by employing digital marketing practices. This book considers this, as it examines the practice and research related to digital and social media marketing.

Consumer interaction and engagement are vital components to help marketers maintain a lasting relationship with their customers. To achieve this goal, companies must utilize current digital tools to create a strong online presence. Competitive Social Media Marketing Strategies presents a critical examination on the integration of social networking platforms into business tactics and the challenges presented by consumers’ use of these online communities. Highlighting pivotal issues such as brand management, customer loyalty, and online services, this publication is a pivotal reference source for business managers, professionals, advanced-level students, and consultants interested in the latest research on the use of digital media tools for business opportunities.

What people get out of social media—and how businesses can get more out of it Almost no one had heard of social media a decade ago, but today websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have more than 1 billion users and account for almost 25 percent of Internet use. Practically overnight, social media seems indispensable to our lives—from friendship and dating to news and business. What makes social media so different from traditional media? Answering that question is the key to making social media work for any business, argues Miko?aj Piskorski, one of the world's leading experts on the business of social media. In A Social Strategy, he provides the most convincing answer yet, one backed by original research, data, and case studies from companies such as Nike and American Express. Drawing on his analysis of proprietary data from social media sites, Piskorski argues that the secret of successful ones is that they allow people to fulfill social needs that either can’t be met offline or can be met only at much greater cost. This insight provides the key to how companies can leverage social platforms to create a sustainable competitive advantage. Companies need to help people interact with each other before they will promote products to their friends or help companies in other ways. Done right, a company’s social media should benefit customers and the firm. Piskorski calls this "a social strategy," and he describes how companies such as Yelp and Zynga have done it. Groundbreaking and important, A Social Strategy provides not only a story- and data-driven explanation for the explosion of social media but also an invaluable, concrete road map for any company that wants to tap the marketing potential of this remarkable phenomenon.

It's a fact that companies so far have only scratched the surface of what can be achieved with social media. Whatever continent, industry, company size, current degree of social media adoption or your job title, the purpose of this book is to inspire you to see how you can raise the bar further to reap new rewards. It will give you the tools to make a difference to your organisation's social media strategy development and delivery going forward. In addition it will also give you more intellectual support and confidence to discuss social media on a higher level with peers, inspire colleagues or negotiate and create support for increased investments from your leadership team. In The Social Media MBA editor Christer Holloman has crowd sourced 15 thought leaders from 4 continents to offer an exceptional educational programme written for experienced social media professionals just like you. In addition, learn through cases studies produced by the social leaders at these brands: ARM by Kerry McGuire Balanza – Director of Strategic Marketing Aviva by Jan Gooding – Global Brand Director Dell by Stuart Handley – Communications Director Evans Cycles by Will Lockie – Head of Social Media GlaxoSmithKlein (Ribena) by Verity Clifton – Brand Marketing Manager Kodak by Madlen Nicolaus – Social Media Manager Phillips by Hans Notenboom – Global Director B2B Online Sage by Cath Sheldon – Online PR Specialist There is more, connect with the co-authors and other readers by joining The Social Media MBA Alumi group, visit http://www.socialmedia-mba.com or search or the group on LinkedIn to stay updated on the latest, ask questions or join the discussions.