TECHNIQUES FOR MANAGING MESSAGE CENTER IN A SOCIAL MEDIA NETWORK SERVICE

CHAPTER 1: Introduction

Social media networks meant as sites where individuals could socialize meet old and new friends and interact with each other. Just as the internet was applied into business organizations from the military, so also the commercial value of social media networks became apparent and gained the attention of business managers and became the best friends of marketers in virtually all organizations with presence on the internet. Relationship building and interactions are the major reasons for the adoption of social media networks by individuals, however, organizations leverage the ubiquitous usage of these sites and views them as platforms on which to interact directly with existing and new customers for their goods and services. This is a clear paradigm shift from the traditional methods of interacting with customers as more than one customer can be reached easily and cheaply as well with just a click of the button. Personal interaction with customers instills smooth feeling of loyalty and questions are answered with ease

1.1            Background of the Study

Stelzner in his 2014 report published by Social Media Examiners stressed that the top two benefits of social media marketing are increasing exposure and increasing traffic. The report further revealed that a significant 92% of all marketers indicated that their social media efforts have generated more exposure for their businesses. Increasing traffic was the second major benefit, with 80% reporting positive results. These days, almost everyone and every organization have a presence on the social media, particularly the popular ones such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+ and Pinterest. As at March 2015, there were 1.415 billion active users on Facebook, and 288 million monthly active users on Twitter. With the explosive youth population in Nigeria, you can imagine what chunk of those statistics we boast as a nation. However, most corporate presence and iconic presence (prominent individuals) on the social media are mere presence with no marked focus, strategy, or intent to engage the teeming online public/market .This conundrum is largely to due to not knowing what it takes to maintain a vibrant online-cumsocial media presence. The research therefore seeks to investigate the Techniques for managing message center in a social media network service.

1.2            Statement of the Problem

These days, almost everyone and every organization have a presence on the social media, particularly the popular ones such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+ and Pinterest. As at March 2015, there were 1.415 billion active users on Facebook, and 288 million monthly active users on Twitter. With the explosive youth population in Nigeria, you can imagine what chunk of those statistics we boast as a nation. However, most corporate presence and iconic presence (prominent individuals) on the social media are mere presence with no marked focus, strategy, or intent to engage the teeming online public/market. This is largely to due to not knowing what it takes to maintain a vibrant online-cumsocial media presence. The research problems involve an investigation of the Techniques for managing message center in a social media network service.

1.3            Objective of the Study

1 To determine the nature of the social media network service

2 To determine the Techniques for managing message center in a social media network service.

1.4            Research Questions

1 What is the nature of social media network?

2 What is the Technique for managing message center in a social media network service?

1.5            Significance of the Study

The research shall provide significant information of the nature of social network service with a view to also articulate measures for managing message center of a social media network.

1.6            Statement of Hypothesis

1 Ho The use of social media network is low

   Hi The use of social media network is high

2 Ho The use of the message center in a social media network is not effective

   Hi The use of the message center in a social media network is effective

2       Ho The Techniques for managing the message center of social media is not effective

Hi The Techniques for managing the message center of social media is effective

1.7            Scope  of the Study

The study focuses on the appraisal of the Techniques for managing message center in a social media network service

1.8            Definition of Terms

SOCIAL MEDIA DEFINED

Social media networks are platforms or sites that facilitate the building of social relationships among people of different races and provide opportunities for them to share interests, activities, backgrounds, or real-life connections, . Social network services consist of a representation of each user’s social connections, and a variety of additional services. Social media is the medium to socialize as well as market and today, the plethora of social media networks are among the finest opportunities available to organizational marketers in their bids to connect with existing and prospective customers.

Organizational brand

A brand is a sign, symbol, logo, term that a producer or group of producers put on their product or group of products in order to ensure differentiation from other competitive products in the market. Branding is a process that is used by the businesses to utilize marketing strategies to enhance their product or service image so that it is more readily recollected by the customer  Branding can as act as a promotional strategy to produce consumer patronage and loyalty and also influencing their buying patterns

Consumer purchase intention

According to Ajzen “intentions are assumed to capture the motivational factors that influence a behavior, they are indications of how hard people are willing to try, of how much of an effort they are planning to exert, in order to perform the behavior”. Purchase intention can be defined as the decision to act or physiological action that shows an individual’s behavior according to the product.

Competitive tools

Competitive differentiation is a tactic used by organizations to help set their products or services apart from that of the competitors. Differentiation can be achieved through packaging, marketing campaigns and after-market product support. Startup companies often develop products or services in niche markets in order to competitively differentiate themselves around a specific consumer need. A positioning statement can provide a basis for competitive differentiation, defining specific advantages a particular offering provides.

Brand campaigning

Specific activities designed to promote a product, service or business. A marketing campaign is a coordinated series of steps that can include promotion of a product through different mediums (television, radio, print, online) using a variety of different types of advertisements. The campaign doesn’t have to rely solely on advertising, and can also include demonstrations, word of mouth and other interactive techniques.

Organizational performance

According to Richard  organizational performance encompasses three specific areas of firm outcomes: (i) financial performance which includes; profits, return on assets, return on investment, etc., (ii) product market performance which includes; sales, market share, etc., (iii) shareholder return which includes; total shareholder return, economic value added, etc.

The balance scorecard

Firstly it is important to note that the balance scorecard apart from being a means of measurement for organizations, it also acts a means of management which monitors the performance of all or part of an organization, towards strategic or operational goals. It was originated by a Robert Kaplan and David Norton in the 1990’s, It is a strategic planning and management system which is used to align business activities to the vision and strategy of the organization, improve internal and external communications, and monitor organization performance against strategic goals and it is used extensively by nonprofit organizations, government and private organization