It is completely natural for social networks to be acknowledged by the business professionals who have become interested in finding a way to implement social media websites in their business. Marketing, as a discipline aimed at reaching consumers, was naturally the basis for implementing social media in business. Having in mind the number of social media users, marketing professionals saw a significant potential in establishing relationships with the customers, as well as an opportunity for promotion. That is how social media marketing as a concept has been introduced.

The purpose of social media marketing is to present a business through social media and to use it as a way to communicate a message to potential consumers. While the main goal is about promotion, the companies, as well as individuals, can obtain many other benefits from social media marketing.

Types of social media websites

The common stereotype comes from a misunderstanding of the term “social media”. Most people think of social networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter when they hear the term “social media”, but in fact this term refers to different websites that allow interaction among the users and the exchange of information through a variety of channels.

Six types of social media have been established so far, depending on the type of social profiles, social processes, interactions, and content being exchanged.

Collaborative projects – This includes online magazines, wikis, question-and-answer platforms, etc.
Blogs and microblogs – This category includes platforms such as Twitter and Tumblr, where the content is shared in the form of short or long blog articles.
Content communities – Websites such as YouTube and Vine, where users share content and then interact by sharing their impressions.
Social networking websites – This category includes the websites that people most commonly identify as ‘social media’ in general. Websites such as Facebook and Google+ are in this category.
Virtual game worlds – One of the most popular websites in this category is World of Warcraft.
Virtual social worlds – their game-like design allows users to create a virtual identity and interact with other users through an online platform.

Mobile social media
According to the latest statistics, the number of users who access the internet via a mobile device has surpassed the number of desktop users, which obviously shows the overall importance of mobile platforms in the usage of social media.
This trend also affects social media marketing, as companies must adapt content and websites for mobile devices. Furthermore, some companies have recognised the value of developing mobile apps that are easy to install and provide simple access to their websites and different features. In addition, mobile apps can provide both free and paid features. This is why it is important to consider mobile users and the optimisation of content for mobile devices when working on social media marketing.
We are witnessing a period where social networks hold an important role in everyday life. Social networks have become an important source of information and news, in addition to being a simple way for people to communicate with others regardless of their location. Social networks are becoming an important tool used in various global events, starting from music competitions and sports events to political elections and campaigns.