CCT300+Lab7


 * Lab 7**

Social networks are becoming an increasingly popular tool for promotional purposes. Initially viewed as a casual communication service, the majority of social networks users were home consumers who simply wanted to communicate with their friends or family. However, a number of politicians and businesses are beginning to recognize the power of social networks, and its ability to spread information. Naheed Nenshi, for example, was able to utilize social networks to lead his campaign to victory and become the mayor of Calgary. Naheed Nenshi made effective use of popular services such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter in his campaign. Social networks have been credited to being an influential factor in Barack Obama’s campaign for presidency as well. Outside of politics, various companies have also been using social networks to aid in their marketing campaigns. Old Spice, for example, created a series of video responses on YouTube that worked alongside their new commercial.

Social networks are proving to be an incredibly cost-efficient method of distributing information. Services such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter are free to use and are capable of reaching audiences in the thousands or even millions. Obtaining similar exposure through traditional promotional methods, such as TV commercials, newspaper ads, billboards or posters would be incredibly costly. Furthermore, in addition to providing a cost effective way to reach a large audience, social networks also allow audiences the ability to participate. The interactive nature of social networks engages users, sometimes creating interest that would otherwise not be there. Social networks have evolved beyond a casual service and are now becoming a standard for both political and business promotions.

Kyle Martin Manoza