The Impact Of Social Media In India

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.