The world is changing and India has to keep up. The World
Wide Web (WWW) has been present in India for the last 25 years, but social
media has only recently picked up over the last 4 years and is growing rapidly.
There are more and more online users, and convenience is of the essence these
days.
The term ‘social media’ was associated with social
networking sites like Facebook, a tool that was used more for socializing with
friends and keeping in touch. Emails became a dated form of communication and
people resorted to other quicker means of online communication. In 2010 the
digital space in India started to grow. People realised that networking sites
could not only be used for leisure and fun, but also as a means of business
growth. The number of users online also started to grow, with the advent of new
cellphone technology like the Samsung Galaxy phone and Apple with its latest
technology of iPhones. Easier interface meant easier access to the online space
at a just click of a button.
India has seen a remarkable growth in digital marketing in
the business sector over the last few years. Tools like Facebook, Twitter,
Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn are now widely being used for
marketing products, brand publicity, keeping up customer relations and market
research. And best of all- it’s free! Each company has a separate marketing budget
for its online marketing, which is allocated for online advertisements on
Facebook, Twitter and Google using targeted marketing, i.e. focusing on the
target audience for that particular product or brand.
Social media has now become an independent job
profile. People are hiring experts to promote their brands and track product performance.
“Social media has moved rapidly from being 'purely social' to a 'business tool'
as more and more companies are now using the platform to recruit the right
people for specific jobs and this trend is expected to grow by about 50 percent
this year from 2013, according to experts” (NDTV,
Social Networking News). As a result, the employment rate has gone up and digital
agencies want to hire young talent who have some experience and
expertise in the area.
E-Commerce is also rapidly picking up in India, and people
have become more trusting towards online shopping. Social media platforms help
promote these websites through Google and Facebook ads, as well as Search
Engine Optimization.
Government and charitable
organizations supporting social causes are now using social media tools to make
an impact and reach out to the masses. By setting up their company profiles on
Facebook Pages, they are able to send out the right message to young audiences
who are always connected to the online space. The younger generation is very aware
and always willing to help out in whichever way they can, which benefits these
NGO’s in a big way. For instance, Red paws Rescue, a charitable organization that
was started to rescue stray dogs on the street, has over 15,000 followers on Facebook,
most of who fall between the age brackets of 20-35. Without the help of social
media they would have not been able to help hundreds of stray puppies find
homes in Delhi!
Social media has come as a great advantage for the
candidates standing for elections this year. During the recent elections of
2014, the Internet has been able to influence and gain the support of young and
middle class Indian voters through social networking sites. Known political
figures have been in touch with the masses by tweeting updates and relevant
information via Twitter. “It was predicted that by 2015, Internet users in
India will rise to 330 million, according to a Mckinsey and Company report of
December 2012” (Mainstream Weekly,
Uniqueness of the 16th Lok Sabha Election).
Thus social media has now become a 24x7 activity for the
people. It can be accessed at any time from any place. A popular platform for sharing information; be
it news, politics, the latest trends, celebrity gossip, sports, entertainment,
etc. which can be not only shared in our society but also globally. It has
become a hub of mainstream information and a new space for dialogue and
expression. It is the most popular form of Internet marketing used by brands,
celebrity figures, and even the masses as a two-way form of communication and a
way of bringing the world together.
