Social Media Marketing Strategies - Literature review Example

? Assignment 7 Insert Insert Grade Insert A1. Experience Design Designers have to face the reality when introducing a new product in the market. Norman (2004) has pointed out a very essential component of human beings that need to be taken into account- taking human feelings seriously. There are various ways in which we can take the feelings of fellow human beings into account which shall be discussed with reference to the writer’s ideas. To begin, it is important to note that emotions and otherwise; feelings are very important in decision making of human beings. There are three main components that every person as well as design should observe so that the feelings of the people involved are competently taken care of. The three aspects that need to be taken into account so that feelings of other people are taken seriously especially in design include appearance, behavior and their experiences or expressions. The three aspects need to be appreciated in the interaction with each individual so that they are able to connect with us. First, appearance or the visceral aspect as described by Norman (2004) describes the way we are able to appreciate how individuals react to the outward appearance of the product design. It is even imperative that we understand that appearance is even more important that functionality since most people are likely to perceive attractive things to be more user friendly than unattractive ones regardless of the real facts. The design should also take into account of the likely impact it may have on the pleasure or effectiveness that will be attained by the potential users. In effect, to be able to seriously take into consideration the people’s feelings, we should be able to provide them with products that are likely to revitalize their fond memories. Lastly, it is important that the products reflect the individual’s rational and intellectual principles and that they are able to associate with it by even giving an explanation of how it functions. Norman (2004) has suggested that computers should therefore take the emotional component through well designed programs that are able to take into account the user’s feelings. It is quite strange but equally hilarious to think that computers can have emotions or at least, have an element of creating emotions. To some extent, I agree with the writer to the extent that computers and other digitech products should have basic elements of emotions so that they are able to be more users friendly. Whereas there is a big challenge of perfectly creating programs that will be faultlessly respond to different emotions and handle different personalities, it is important that computers are able to create some aesthetic value apart from the normal usability features. It is important that computers and other technological products are able to identify with historical and memorable events that people are able to connect them and not view them as insensitive tools. The writer is therefore right when he states that there should be a human part in the working of machines. He gives a good example of robots that he believes should do more than just assigned tasks so that they are viewed as more capable. However, in as much as the concerns of the writer may be genuine in addressing this great weakness of computer related design, it is still inconceivable to think that computers will perfectly fit to relay emotions and relate with different personalities. Like every being has different emotional frame and they may vary according to the environment or some historical happening among other things, computers may need to have complex systems that will integrate all these aspects in a single program that is likely to take immense efforts and massive resources to achieve. A2. The Philosopher’s Tool Kit Wittkower (2008) has raised an important component in product design by using the example of an iPod and the philosophy behind its much fanatical following. The author raises four pertinent issues that consumers may want to address every time they listen to their music devices that are equally important for designers to understand. The philosopher’s tool kit is therefore important in developing similar projects as that of the mentioned musical gadget. The project I would try to develop will be on a video streaming gadget. In trying to develop the gadget, the tool kit by the author will be utilized to come up with a popular product among the users. In developing the new product, the major issues to be addressed include the way the people will relate to the device while viewing their favorite motion pictures. The first issue to be addressed is the way the device will be able to bring clear and sharp images and sound to create an impression that they might be directly communicating with the artist as in a live audience or that the movie in their play list is being composed for them. The next issue is to ensure that the device relays the artistic nature of the movie through a more enhanced display and control features so that they are able to connect with the design and even movie directors in a subconscious way and feel that the movie is meant for them. The device should also address the issue of personal identification and therefore should provide features that are able to associate with personalities. The users should be able to socially associate themselves with the gadget and this can be achieved through branding and the design to reflect what the current trends in watching as well as the memorable ones are. This will create a good image for the product to be adopted like a lifestyle product for fun loving and video viewing individuals in the global arena. The experience in developing this product is therefore a challenging as well as an interesting one. The identification of product features that are able to enhance bonding and identification with the various users is quite a daunting task to achieve an image in a short span. The mini project presents a good philosophically developed product according to the guidelines of Wittkower’s philosophical tool kit. The stages involved must be successful enough to come up with a brand that is easily adaptable to the needs of the users as well as flexible enough to contain any adjustments. Senses maybe biologically controlled but they are also a subject of social influence. As Wittkower (2008) illustrates, listening may be subject to various aspects of the social world that are likely to shape our thinking and perception and in turn determine our choices to listen to certain sounds or music. The product of the mini project is also faced with a challenge to not only attract the potential consumers into viewing but also to sustain their viewing by enhancing selectivity over available product substitutes. A3. Selling a Product- Selling Yourself Evans (2010) has pointed out the increasing importance of social media marketing to the contemporary business organization. She outlines the different strategies that may be employed by enterprises to ensure that they are able to interact with their prospective customers at individual level through social media. It is even proposed that there should be strategies to be deployed even if the tactics used may not be ethically correct. First, it is important to state the importance of taking into account the feelings of others and taking them seriously. Feelings are part of every human being’s emotions and therefore every individual need to take into consideration by first identifying the expectations of each and every individual. By so doing, it will be easy to know how to best handle their situational requirements rather than generalizing them. Another important way of recognizing the need of considering the needs of individuals through taking their feelings seriously is by preparing to check their emotional status before they are taken care of in any way. In this way, the person will not overreact to any misunderstanding that may result. In marketing, it is important that the feelings of customers are equally not hurt but taken seriously. This is because marketing performance excellence largely depends on the basic recognition of the needs of customers that may be connected to their emotions and looking into ways of satisfying them through product development strategies and marketing strategies. Evans (2010) has proposed several strategies in social media marketing that may be insensitive to the feelings of the potential consumers although they may be successful in achieving sales increment through online platforms. Through use of flashy and distractive optimized words that lure potential customers into purchase of products, the strategy does not take into account the feelings of the customer provided they are able to purchase the products. However, the writer seems to recognize that feelings of individuals are important in purchasing decisions and that is why she proposes that these feelings be manipulated for the success of the enterprises. Consequently, even though it is out rightly immoral to think that it is through maneuvering customer needs through taking advantage of the trust developed between them and companies through social media, the author may be right because the strategy has been used to success in achieving a competitive edge by companies operating in the global business arena. However, achieving the trust of customers and prospective buyers and thereafter duping them into purchasing the products may be disastrous if the feelings of the customers at the subsequent purchases are not going to be taken into close consideration. It is important that the feelings of the consumers are not seen to be played with to achieve organizational wealth maximization. Strategies like the return on conversation recognize the importance of product differentiation through listening to individual needs of customers. However, as proposed by the author it may not be necessarily about the customer’s benefit but for the success of the marketing departments and the organization which beats logic. At personal level, I have been subject to such manipulations in the social media with issue of referrals and other optimization techniques that lead the customer into deals that may not be good enough as they initially seem very common today. The attempts made by the companies in attracting me to buying the products may in most cases seem to be dishonest in the way they overstate the benefits of purchasing the products online. It is normal for products to be able to have their brand identity that make them unique from others. When there is a lot of mobilization and indicated benefits on the products through luring messages that are sometimes distractive when engaging in online platforms is one element that has influenced my perceptions on my initial product evaluation. As a consequence, I have got the feeling that the advertising efforts by the various techniques deployed by social media marketing may be hurting and insensitive to my personal feelings. They may sometimes be a good example of how companies have decided to eat into the privacy and space of consumers without caring to think of how it might feel to be bothered by constant prompts and alerts that may be unwanted during certain times. They have seemed to be like indirect manipulations into buying because they have also engaged the other peers in influencing buying decisions. Lastly, it is certain that the social media marketing strategies deployed by the firms using the proposed strategy have appeared like hunters in the jungle of business arena looking for the prey that are the customers and regardless of the hunting method or the consequences of such acts, their only goal is to attain the benefits that result from their kill. References Evans, L. (2010). Social Media Marketing: Strategies for Engaging in Facebook, Twitter & Other Social Media. Missouri: Que Biztech Norman, D. (2004). Emotional Design: Why We Love (Or Hate) Everyday Things. New York: Basic Books Publishing Wittkower, D.E. (ed.) (2008). iPod and philosophy: iCon of an ePoch. Chicago: Open Court Publishing Read More