Question

Social Media Through Word-of-Mouth" Please respond to the following:

• How powerful and influential is social media word of mouth? Find an example from the last 6 months of where social word of mouth has made or broken an organization or an example of where it has changed a government or culture. Discuss that example and how you think social word of mouth made or broke that organization or a government or culture.

• How much do you think consumer conversations actually influence purchasing decisions? Can you quantify this influence or find research that proves it? Justify your response.

Answer 1

Answer-

social is powerful and influential

Social media possesses incredible influential power, and since the advent of the Internet it's evolved from a simple way for people to keep in touch into a massive global network connecting organizations, communities and people. Social media is the easiest, fastest and most explosive way to transmit and receive information! And best of all - absolutely anyone can take advantage of it. Active membership of the most frequented social network is now over one billion people, With the global population still rapidly growing, it's become abundantly clear that social media is no passing fad either. Its influence is remarkable. Small businesses and large corporations alike have tapped into this influence to reach new customers and generate real, honest communication.

Example

The Internet and social media are very powerful tools that can influence and shape human behavior. The social media has played a significant role in recent outbreaks of social protest and resistance. The mushrooming of Occupy protests, the Arab Spring, the mobilization of resistance against the Government of the Ukraine or in Hong Kong was heavily dependent on the resources provided by the social media. Many observers have concluded that in a networked world the social media possesses the potential to promote public participation, engagement and the process of democratizing public life.
the social media are powerful instruments for mobilization of people is not in doubt. However, it is not its own technological imperative that allows the social media to play a prominent role in social protest. Rather the creative use of the social media is a response to aspirations and needs that pre-exist or at least exist independently of it. This technology ought to be perceived as a resource that can be utilized by social and political movements looking for a communication infrastructure to promote their cause.

Take the example of radicalized jihadist youth in the West. In many cases the social media has been represented as a powerful technology that incites young Muslims to become radicalized. Often the term“sudden radicalization” is used to highlight the power of social media to swiftly convert otherwise confused young Muslims into hardened extremist jihadists. Yet there is considerable evidence to suggest that young Muslims who go online to visit jihadist websites have gone through a process of self-radicalization. They are already drawn towards radical Islam and are looking for a medium to express their ideals and interact with those who share their sentiments. What these websites do is to affirm, deepen or harden sentiments that their visitors already possess. Their experience of the Internet may encourage young Muslims to move in unexpected radical directions but these individuals have already developed attitudes that disposed them to embark on such a journey.

consumer conversation influence purchasing decisions

Culture

Culture is one of the key factors that influences a consumer's buying decisions. These factors refer to the set of values, preferences, perceptions, and ideologies of a particular community. At an early age, buyers learn to recognize acceptable behavior and choices when selecting products.

Social factors, which includes the groups to which the customer belongs, and his or her social status, also affect purchase decisions. Human beings are innately social. They need people to interact with, and make decisions. Social groups, like families, can influence the buying decisions of consumers. These factors are further divided into:social status and family.

Family is one of the most important buying organizations in our society and, is thus, the most influential group. Family has a direct or indirect influence on the behavior and attitude of a buyer. In the traditional setting, it was the wife in a husband-wife model relationship who was responsible for making buying decisions related to product categories such as household products, food, and clothing.

Social class

Social class or status can also influence buying decisions. The members of a social class are one that share similar behavior, values, and interests.

Motivation

Every person has different needs. There are physiological needs, biological needs, social needs, etc. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, human needs are arranged in a hierarchy, from most pressing to least pressing.