Unit #2 Portfolio

Introduction: My main focus for this Unit 2 Project is understanding the connection between growing businesses and social media.  I started with the question, "How does social media marketing affect the growth of businesses and startups?"  Through my research, I hope to find a positive correlation between the two, seeing social media as an asset in the beginning of businesses.  I believe that social media marketing significantly influences startups and businesses in a positive direction, by targeting members of their specific demographic and creating posts that are engaging with the correct audience, which leads to profit for the company.  Through research articles, TED Talks, and even first-hand experience with what our demographic sees on social media, the use of social media is going to show growth in the world of businesses.  Social media marketing significantly influences startups and businesses in a positive direction by targeting members of their specific demographic and creating posts that engage the correct audience, leading to an increase in profit, and success in business.

Personal Account: Social media marketing has been something that is a big focus lately, and more or less seen on common social media apps used such as Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok.  This is one way businesses can reach an audience without having the in-person interaction that is usually seen, making their services expand over locations.  This also allows for an increase in marketing as the goal is to persuade the targeted demographic that is interacting with posts that increase profit and business, creating potential revenue just from a post interaction.  Being able to share content that the demographic can see, different sides of on social media, also is a potential increase in how customers will react to the business themselves.  The use of social media in this generation seems like key revenue for businesses and startup companies to enhance their marketing skills, and create a wider expansion of customers and opportunities for business. 

Before even starting my research, I sent the questions to friends to get their opinions on the matter.  My little sister, Lily, replied "I see a lot of videos of people asking "watch this video" or such and such many times to help start my small business and it provides feed for the entrepreneurs themselves by receiving live feedback and support of the people they wish to service."  Through this I gained just a general basis without research on social media marketing from what my peers are seeing, as well as what I may see on social media.  From here is where I thought my research needed to be more thorough, and conducted towards the positivity that social media can bring, instead of the negative attention people enjoy focusing on.  

Social Media Success: In his TED Talk,"How Social Media is Changing the Way We Do Business",   Austin Falter discusses how we use social media to capture business. He begins by sharing his story, explaining that he had two months to get himself "out of the ditch" and make something with his company. Falter then runs straight to TikTok to see how this would help.  In doing so, Falter was looking at how big the influencer marketing economy can be when you know what to do.  The main message in Falter's TED Talk was that if you know how to grasp people's attention, then you can make a profit, and run a successful business from this.  Falter used the example of Dungeons and Dragons on TikTok.  When being discussed how the group used the content throughout to make a profit, he stated, "... it's in the hundreds of thousands and now it's millions of people who every night they are on their live stream, watching these nerds play D and D for four hours, and now all of a sudden they have revenue coming in from their content...," (Falter, 2023).  Falter emphasizes throughout his talk and his own experience that if you know how to capture people's attention, the emphasis on how social media can be used as a positive when promoting businesses, and stories can be successful.  

One of the main reasons social media marketing is beneficial to businesses is its ability to target specific demographics effectively. Unlike traditional marketing channels, social media platforms provide tools that allow businesses to tailor their advertisements to a precise audience based on age, gender, location, interests, and online behavior.

Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn advertise using an algorithm that allows for an audience most likely to engage with the content. According to The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Consumer Behavior: A Study of the Fashion Retail Industry, the text states, "Influencer marketing and user generated content have also emerged, adding another layer of complexity to the already complex digital marketing landscape," (Chowdhury, et al., 2024). When connected with the right influencers, or people of interest for the set demographic, startups and businesses are more likely to have higher profits and engagement with their products because of this benefit.

Success Story: There are many examples of small brands making their way into success through the start of social media. One example of this is the brand Glossier. Knowing that I myself use their products, and came across their products on social media, I believe that this is a success story worth talking about. Glossier's founder Emily Weiss wanted something different than she has seen in the beauty world. Through her time working on a Vogue photo shoot in 2010, she started an online website called "Into the Gloss." In the article Building a billion-dollar beauty brand in the influencer era, it discusses Emily's journey into turning that website into a billion-dollar brand. By using an approach to attract beauty users to something new, and never seen before. Weiss used Instagram to attract her target audience, and connect with them directly to create something that many use today.

Conclusion: In conclusion, social media marketing has proven to be a powerful tool for startups and businesses, offering benefits such as audience targeting, high engagement. As digital platforms continue to evolve, businesses that adapt their marketing strategies to leverage social media effectively will remain competitive and achieve long-term success. By understanding their target audience, creating content that users will want to engage with, businesses can use the full potential of social media marketing to drive growth and financial prosperity.

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