Case Study Social Media Marketing In Pakistan Marketing Essay

The social web is same as the word explains it “Social”. In short, Social Media is a medium for social interaction, using highly reachable communication techniques. Social Media and Social Media Networking are the most important technologies that have been altering the face of the Internet. The Internet as we know it has grown-up so much in the past few years; sometimes it’s difficult to believe.

Social Media and Pakistan:

For the previous few years People of Pakistan have started expressing their views and opinions through Twitter, Facebook, Orkut, Google Buzz, blogging, and so on. Now a common Pakistani internet user is more aware of environment than he was ever before. In short the social media have immeasurably educated the common Pakistani.

Social Media for Businesses:

Online advertising is not somewhat new. Google, Yahoo, and MSN have ruled the internet when it comes to internet advertising platforms. Over the last 5 year’s websites like Facebook, twitter, linkedin have continued to grow in reputation and popularity, creating amplified opportunities for businesses to market online and reach millions of consumers.

Organizations in Pakistan have been promoting their products, services and brands using social media but still the industry has to crop up to not worth it. There is digit of brands that used social media not only as a marketing tool but also as a better customer service solution but still the results of such marketing tools in Pakistan are yet to realize. Though, our neighboring country India and many other countries has been using these social media websites as a marketing tool and getting better outputs from their social media campaigns.

Social Media Marketing:

Social media in Pakistan is shaping up which could be used as a cheap medium of marketing and customer service. Brands in Pakistan are investing hell of amount in television ads, radio and news paper ads, but most of our brands and organizations are not aware of the possibilities of social media marketing. Social media can boost up their sales and can build goodwill with less cost. Only businesses are not neglecting the possibilities of social media, educational sector is also doing the same thing. There is not even a single institute in Pakistan who is offering a short term or long term course on Internet Marketing. Even there should be a course on internet marketing for marketing graduates. They should be taught how to run internet marketing campaigns rather just telling them what marketing actually is and how to trap a customer by wasting hell of amount on TVC’s and radio ads. Our marketing graduates do know how to design a TVC or how to bring creativity in radio ads but they don’t know how to run an internet marketing campaign. Another issue arising now a days while hiring social media executives and that issue is “who should run internet marketing campaigns” Who are more competent in running these campaigns? Either, Business graduates or computer sciences graduates?

I think social media has all the beauty in its two way communication model. It’s all about collecting feedback from customer and creating awareness. A company which is operating their social media must listen to the complaints. This is an open platform for the customers to say anything they want. So companies must not make this media as one way communication models. And I strongly believe that there must be a course of Internet marketing for all marketing grads. [M. Sajjad, Social Media Executive]

Have you ever wondered how mega-corporations manage their social media initiatives? Almost hundreds of mega corporations running their social media campaigns on social networks.

Intel International:

If we take Intel as an example, Ekaterina has been a part of Intel’s Social Media Center of Excellence, She is managing Intel’s Facebook fan page. In an interview with Michael Stelzner Ekaterina told that Intel created their Facebook page for folks to talk about technology and, of course, Intel products. In the beginning the growth of Intel popularity on Facebook was 3% to 4% but after more attention and attractive contents it goes up to 10% to 12% monthly growth.

According to Ekaterina 20 or 30 years ago, they have been talking to folks in computer clubs about the products of Intel but now with the advancement of internet they can communicate with thousands of customers from one place.

Jet Blue:

JetBlue was one of the first mega brands to join Twitter and started communication with their customers. Today, Jetblue has over a million followers, and its account is often cited as an example of smart corporate tweeting. Through informal employee/customer interactions via Twitter, they hoped to humanize their entire organization

“Some people were asking for help, and others were saying things that weren’t correct,” recalls JetBlue’s manager of corporate communications, Morgan Johnston.

Coca-Cola:

Coca-cola international is also the one who used social media as a branding tool to create positive brand image in the mind of the customers.

Coca-cola international is also the one who used social media as a branding tool to create positive brand image in the mind of the customers.

Cocacola in the year 2009 got the name as the brand “making the best use of Facebook” by The Big Money for running a best campaign on Facebook known as “Expedition 206”.

Michael Donnelly, who is Group Director of Worldwide Interactive Marketing for Coca-Cola told in a report that their My Coke Rewards program was a biggest hit and it was a drive to create emotional loyalty in the mind of the customers.

Zong Pakistan:

Now if we talk about social media marketing in Pakistan there are limited numbers of brands using social media as a tool to interact with customers. Zong Pakistan recently came up with a new product “M9”. They created a facebook fan page and interacted with the customers, gifted them scratch cards, Ipods and different other gifts. M9 on facebook went a massive hit, with in just 3 days they got more than 20,000 facebook Fans and more than 2000 users interacting with them on facebook fan page.

With Less investment in social Media Zong created enough awareness. Got the views of customers about their favorite mobile packages and what type of packages users wants?

Intel Pakistan:

After a huge success of Intel International facebook fan page, Intel also adopted their social media marketing strategy in Pakistan.

Intel Pakistan Brought a platform where users can share, discuss and easily get first hand information about the latest technology developments and know what’s happening in the world of Intel Pakistan.

In a short period of time Intel Pakistan got more than 40,000 facebook fans who interacts with the Intel’s management so easily that was never before.

The Use of Social Media In Pakistan

I asked many questions from the participants from all over the Pakistan about social media in Pakistan and its usage.

Use of Social Media

(Usage of social media websites)

I began with simply asking the participants if they use social media in there daily life? In response to this question participants replied that they do use different social media websites in daily life and Facebook is famous in all of them. 99% of the participants use facebook and they have profiles on Facebook. Where as twitter stood at second place in this question with 48% respondents.

People aged 18-25 are more likely to use Facebook and Twitter where as people with the age 25-35 are more likely to use LinkedIn and Twitter. 27% Professionals, Graduates and Postgraduate students are addictive to social media websites as most of respondents were professionals and students. There were 75% males who answered my questions which show more males are using social media websites than females.

Time a person spends on social media websites

(Time Per Session)(Login Duration)

In Answer to my question which was asked to judge the time a person spends on Social media websites per session 61% respondents said they spend more than 30 minutes in social media websites per session means their 1 session is more than half an hour.

If I estimate total time a person spends on his/her favorite social media website in 1 day it would an average time of 3-4 Hours in a day. Male professionals are likely to spend more time on social websites in comparison to female professionals.

Ad Views

(Did you notice any ads?)

(Clicks on Ads)

72% of the social media website users notice ads that are being displayed on these websites. Where as 28% respondents do not consider or notice such advertisements on social media websites.

Significantly 42% of the respondents click on ads most of the time and 38% clicks occasionally. 42% of respondents who clicks these ads regularly are mostly the youth.

Advertisements:

(Ads that are liked the most)

(Organizations working Social media marketing)

People like images and text ads the most on social media websites this is clear messages to our future social marketing advertisers this could help them to understand what type of ads they should design.

There are 60% organizations in Pakistan who don’t have any dedicated department or person who is working on social media websites to promote their business where are 40% respondents said their organizations are working on social media marketing.

Where People Want to Advertise On

(Where you would like to advertise as an advertiser?)

When I asked respondents this question if they are a marketing manager of an organization and they are required to run a campaign on social media then what social media they’d prefer to market their products? And 96% respondents were in the favor of Facebook.

45% professionals said they would prefer Facebook and Twitter for marketing of their products. Where as 30% of Graduates said they would either prefer Linkedin and Facebook.

In short, most of the people want to market their products in social media sites and they want to learn how to use the social media tools available.