T1.6

With the increase in use and demand of social networks today, business have found need ways to improve their companies. With the boom of social networks brought about a new type of company that can sell people information to companies. Social Media Monitoring Companies like Alterian, Radino, Attensity, Visble Technologies, Conversion, and Nielsen Online provide social media monitoring to companies. There are numerous business approaches and ideas these monitoring companies can take. One business idea that stems from this company is specialized marketing. These companies can sell specific details to other companies about people which the companies can use to market targeted audiences. For instance, adds pop up on people’s internet pages all the time, but they are usually irrelevant. When a person is on their facebook page and twitter they share useful information about themselves such as their gender, age, location, and interests which can help companies advertise to a direct audience.

            For example, while I am on my facebook page I may see an advertisement to purchase golf supplies. I am not interested in gold what so ever, so I would most likely ignore the add. However, if a social media monitoring company saw that I checked in on facebook to a yoga studio or listed in my bio that I loved yoga they could give my information along with the millions of other social network users who love yoga to advertise specifically to us.

            They could advertise by posting an ad directly on our social media page, or access the email linked to our account to send us coupons and other offers. Also companies could have the chance to “friend request” (facebook) or follow us (twitter) so their companies updates and offers would be something we could see on a daily basis.

            The textbook reading mentioned how companies are already using information to follow up with customer complaints. For instance say I tweet “Flight delayed again.. Delta airline stinks.” A social monitoring company could send this to delta and a customer service representative could contact me (via direct message on twitter) offering a first class upgrade or something along those lines. These companies really can use the idea of getting personal with customers as a major business and marketing opportunity.