In what ways are traditional media and social media different?

 It is vital to realize the difference between social media and traditional media because both are quite different from each other, and these differences should be known by individuals and companies so that they know how and when to use any media for marketing and advertising. There are different factors of social media, which are quite different from traditional media. The first such element in this comparison is immediacy. The social media has the essence of immediacy, because if a company has to inform about anything related to its business, then it can do it immediately by posting the information on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. On the other hand, if traditional media is going to be used to inform the audience, or market any product, this process is delayed, because it requires a lot of time. For instance, if any rumor about a company is heard in the media, and the company wants to respond it to through traditional media, then they will have to prepare a proper message or ad, which will take time. On the other hand, if the same situation is faced by the company, and it has its presence on social media, then it can immediately inform its users by posting on social media platforms.

       The other thing about social media is its wide reach as compared to traditional media. The reach of social media is worldwide and unlimited in the sense that there are so many social media platforms with millions of users. But if an ad is being played on TV on a Canadian Channel, then it is only meant to target Canadian people. But a message conveyed on social media can reach a global audience with more flexibility. The traditional media is better in terms of control, because a message is developed and delivered, and no one can influence it. But when anything is posted on social media, then customers can immediately respond to it, and they provide immediate feedback, which makes an immediate impact and a company cannot control the audience in this regard. Moreover, the accessibility of social media is also stronger than the accessibility of traditional media, because social media has global access to the public. Moreover, a person can use his/her social media on his laptop, tablet or smartphone, whereas traditional media does not enjoy this accessibility. So, these are some of the most important elements to differentiate social media from traditional media.

2. Define Social Media

               One of the latest and most popular media in recent times is social media, so it is important to define, what social media is, and how it works in the essence of marketing. Social media is defined to be a platform, which is formed by the group of internet-based applications, and the best part about these applications is that it allows users to create information, interact with each other, share information, as well as, sharing ideas & a variety of content. It is important to understand that social media is a platform, which comes with multiple options. For instance, a company or individual can use it for self-promotion and advertising so that they cannot only reach their target audience but also able to persuade them. There are different characteristics of social media, which should be looked at more closely because these are very crucial in terms of social media marketing. The first major element of social media is that it is real-time communication and that too with an instantaneous aspect. It has delivery platforms, which are not limited in its reach; rather these delivery platforms can reach the global audience in all corners of the world, where the internet is available. The social media also has the essence of multi-media, which means that audio and visual elements can also be used in social media platforms. It is important to know that user-generated content is developed by users for a variety of purposes. There are three different types in social media; paid media, owned media, and earned media. It has been observed that users use social media due to different motivations, like one user may use it to find out about his/her friends, and another one may use it to remain in touch with family and friends. It means that social media has so many options and variety that people can use it for multipurpose. Now social media is a modern platform for many organizations to build a relationship with customers to ensure an increase in customer equity and loyalty towards organization or brands. Social media provide the cheapest source of advertisement that also enables the marketing team to share attractive and engaging content at social media platforms to grab the attraction of customers. Conclusively, social media is a combination of applications and websites that provide the opportunity for users to create their profiles and share various kind of content in the social network. Some fine examples of Social media are Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

3. What is classed as traditional media?

               It is one of the most popular forms of media, which has been dominating for decades unless social media came into the scene with its great elements. It is vital to know that traditional media has been a critical part of the modern developing culture, which experienced the evolution of technology in so many ways. There are different mediums, which come under the umbrella of traditional media, and the first important one is Television. The TV has been one of the most popular forms of media when it was invented, and it continued to gain popularity amongst the audience. The other important element is the print medium. The newspapers, as well as other printing material, have been part of the reading culture for a long period of time, and it was the most dominant medium until radio and television came into the scene. The third important medium in traditional media is radio, which also has been there for a longer period of time as compared to TV. The outdoor communications such as billboards, etc. are also considered in the list of traditional media. The traditional media has been enjoyed and used by the audience for a long period, and it changed so many things for the entertainment and business industry. It is true that there are few limitations associated with traditional media when it is compared with the new media. Although, print media is also an example of traditional media. In past, newspapers, magazines, and broachers were common to spread awareness or communicate through print media. Print media was used to advertise products and services for companies. Thus, print media played a significant role in the marketing mix for many B2B companies. From last 50 to 100 years, marketing teams are using print media, television, and other examples of traditional media to advertise products and communicate with consumer markets regarding the features and benefits of a product or service for consumers.

4. What metrics are used to assess social marketing campaigns?

               It is a fact that social media is quite different from the traditional media, which means that marketing campaigns run on both mediums are also different in terms of their metrics. The first important metric to assess social media is its control vs. influence. If marketers use traditional media, they have control over the content as well as the reach of the message, like if the message is for print media audience, then it will only be delivered to print media platforms such as newspapers and magazines. On the other hand, when the marketing campaign is analyzed in terms of social media, it shows that content, as well as, reach of the message is not in the control of the marketer, rather it is in the hands of users, how they react to it. The control is different, so the influence of the message is also different. If an ad is printed in the newspaper, then it is controlled in terms of its reach and quantity, but how the message will reach and spread across social media, it is up to the users. If any social media campaign or video clip goes viral because users like it, then it can reach millions of users in a single day. But if the content of the message was not attractive, then users may avoid paying attention to such a message. The other important metric to assess social media is quality vs. quantity. It is important to look at the engagement of social media users for a certain campaign like how many users liked and commented on a certain post. How many times, a picture was liked and shared by social media users. It will determine the quality and quantity of the social media marketing campaign. If the message was liked and shared by millions of users, then it means it was quality content, and more content of such kind should be made to influence social media users. The other important metrics are divergence vs. convergence. The traditional media deals with convergence, whereas social media is involved in divergence, it means that things should happen naturally.

5. Give an example of a quantitative and qualitative KPI

               It has been observed that social media metrics are assessed through quantitative and qualitative KPIs. These key performance indicators are important for every marketer because it will explain the efficacy of certain marketing efforts. Quantitative and Qualitative KPI are both used in the business world for the evaluation and assessment of various organizational resources and activities. Qualitative KPI relates to subjective and non-monetary values. While on the other hand, quantitative KPI can be measured in a numerical way. If quantitative KPI is kept in mind, then it can be assessed with so many things. For instance, if a short video ad or any written post was shared on different social media platforms, and now its quantitative KPI is needed, then the marketer will look at number of visitors on the page, number of page views, number of followers, number of likes, number of leads generated, number of comments, as well as, number of shared links. The total number of likes or comments on a post can be calculated to represent quantitative key performance indicator. By calculating and comparing numerical values companies can evaluate the effectiveness of a marketing campaign started at the social media platform. However, if the purpose is to look at qualitative KPIs, then it will be analyzed that how a brand is being mentioned on social media as compared to the brands of competitors. The total views, as well as, the overall engagement of the users, will be assessed. It will also be assessed whether users are coming with positive comments and sentiments about the brand or not, and if they are convincing or tagging other family and friends regarding the brand