Media 104 Blog - Social Media Marketing
One of my most commonly used social media profiles is Facebook.
I use Facebook frequently throughout the day to communicate with people, go through my news feed and check out up and coming social events. As I scroll through my news feed advertisements often appear, as well as on the side bar of my Facebook tab.
The advertisements that appear are often accompanied by an option that allows me to inform Facebook if the said advertisement appeals to my interests or not. By occasionally filling out these polls I am allowing Facebook to cater the advertisements placed on my news feed to my liking and broad interests.
Technology means that the internet can be used in a cost-effective manner for personalization and customization of market offerings. Advertisers aren’t having to pay to install their advertisements on big billboards or play them on live television. Instead they can pay to have them frequently appearing all over Facebook feeds around the world.
Facebook has adapted to this internet form of advertising by distributing advertisements to specific target audiences, which adds value to their advertising platform. Products being marketed are more likely to want to pay for advertising spaces where they know their image will be seen by audiences likely to buy their items.
Commentators argue that Facebook is now as powerful as the media corporations, which have been regulated for their influence.
I viewed this particular advertisement on my own Facebook newsfeed. It grabbed my attention straight away for several reasons.
1. The image of the laughing, tan girls on a beach.
2. The fact that the spray tans are $15 – very cheap.
3. The location of the tanning salon being close to me – Willis Street, Wellington.
This advertisement’s target audience is perfectly summarized in the image it portrays; young females. Facebook has my location details, so it is able to notify me of events, and places close to me. This particular advertisement is specifically suitable to me as I am currently a university student living away from home, so special deals such as a $15 spray tan in winter are going to catch my eye right away.
This particular advertisement has been placed on my newsfeed, and would have been placed on many other similar peoples feeds too. I am part of a carefully selected target audience demographic who are young, female, students and who live in Wellington.