Target’s Australia Social Media Presence and Strategy Sample for Stude

Question: Discuss Targets Australia Social Media Presence and Strategy? Answer: Introduction Target is a famous discount retailer in the Australia slightly following in the retail business. The present competitive business environment demands the use of diverse means towards achieving a large market share in the business world. The brand has managed to market itself to the diverse target audience using various marketing strategies aimed at promoting and advertising products to its consumers. The social media presents a wide tool for creating marketing opportunities aimed at growing the awareness of the firm and consequently increasing its revenues (Paniagua Sapena, 2014). The paper looks at the diverse means through which Target Australia uses the social media to access its audience, promote its products, and obtain a significant market share. Social Media Presence Target Australia as a player ranked among the top retailers has a well-designed social strategy that cuts across the major and dominant social sites. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Youtube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other social media sites have a large following essential for the promotion of business ventures (Mercadal, 2014). Facebook has a growing user number of over a billion people with Twitter reaching almost half a billion with the other ones attracting large followings at their local levels. Target uses the diverse sites in creating awareness of its company and growing its brand recognition. Indeed, the firm does a lot to increase its social media presence owing to the numerous fans on the diverse pages created by the company. First, Target has a fan page on Facebook where the over 2000 likes demonstrate the level of awareness the firm has created for its business (Kaplan Haenlein, 2010). Besides having the high number of likes on the site, the firm goes beyond the likes to maintaining the high level of engagement that creates traffic to its social site. Therefore, Facebook presence proves the high rate of presence for the firm given the response and engagement by its customers. Besides, the firm has a strong presence on the Twitter site through the handle @Target, which experiences a high traffic that proves the efforts of the enterprise to increase awareness and development in business (Gaudin, 2015). Target Australia takes advantage of the offering by using the social media source to respond promptly to customer queries and interact with clients towards creating a good relationship. With the media source being wide and reaching several individuals, the firm manages to maintain a great presence on the site while meeting the needs of its clients through timely response (Albarran, 2013). Consequently, the individuals satisfied with the firm refer others to the site thereby growing the brand recognition. Moreover, the firm uses the Instagram handle in creating awareness of its products by uploading photos of the products on offer which increases the brand recognition for the business. The firm maintains the awareness by addressing the issues raised on a commodity thus remaining relevant in the market (Guth Marsh, 2016). The number of likes on the images indicates the kind of engagement that justifies the awareness rate of the firm (Percy, Elliott, Rosenbaum-Elliott, 2016). Maintaining the presence in the top three leading social sites as well as others in the local levels increases the brand name of the firm through the awareness created. Consequently, it is evident that the firm maintains a steady presence on the social media which boosts Targets brand name. Target succeeds in maintaining its presence since it attracts consumers using a 360-degree approach by remaining present in the diverse social sites (Gaudin, 2015). Therefore, it is realistic that the firm maintains a significant presence on the social media judging from the active participation by individuals as well the promise of marketing using the social media. Social Media Audience The social media is composed of diverse categories of people from all walks of life. Target as a retailer enjoys the diverse opportunity created by the social media and the nature of its business whose goods can be used by the broad category of individuals in the Australian market (Target 2017). Facebook presents a considerable percentage of the internet users in the world. The platform gives individuals the chance to reach its customers who exist on the social media (Johnson, 2016). The social media audience presents a significant market for the business of the firm who through their interaction manage to create concern and awareness of the business model (Scott, 2015). Judging from the case of numerous followers who respond and engage in conversations with the company, it is evident that the firm has a considerably high number of audiences on the social media. Besides, the social media users exist in the societies who are active consumers of the products by the firm (Fan, Gordon, 2014). In this case, the firm has a huge audience who are connected through the social sites based on the interaction levels experienced in the social media page. At the same time, the social media has a high percentage of youths who remain in active participation on the social site. As a result, the youths act as marketers for different groups thus leading to a high probability of individuals seeking and giving a referral to others thus expanding the audience for the business (Kohli, Suri Kapoor, 2015). The firm uses the social media to build its audience through advertising the products all over the social media and on their fan pages thus leading to the adoption of increased numbers of the audience for the business (Zhu Chen, 2015). The fact that the business develops products used by a broad population increases the number of audience for the firm. Social Media Marketing The social media remains one of the most active avenues in for marketing of products and services of companies. In this respect, Target benefits a lot by using the avenue to promote, market, and address the issues on products leading to customer acceptability of the products (Leonardi, 2015). Marketing is a concept that can only be viable when the right people have been targeted for marketing (Schlinke Crain, 2013). Target as a firm achieves the marketing concept through the diverse means it uses to reach its online social media individuals. The firm has a huge presence on the social media which experiences a constant interaction from most of the clients seeking help or recommending changes on a product. The platform presents huge opportunities for marketing that the firm uses to promote its products. The firm uses the channel in promotion the products it offers by taking a photo of the same and having them published. Once published, the reviewers and consumers are given a chance to comment on the products and air out their concerns leading to prompt address (Jin, Liu, Austin, 2014). In the same way, an increased number of people get to know of the products and more so the product itself. The responses given on the advertising efforts reveal the type of commitment placed on the firms use of the social media. The diverse people present get to know of the products on offer thus marketing the products as well as its brand name (Aral, Dellarocas Godes, 2013). Besides, the firm in its marketing venture considers the aspect of referrals where it asks its fans to refer clients to its business through the provision of a link that redirects individual to the main website where they can view the products and grow the possibility of becoming clients (Dijkmans, Kerkhof, Beukeboom, 2015). Besides, the firm markets its brand name by addressing the concerns of the respondents on their business offering in a way that attracts new and existing clients to the business. Satisfied customers whose queries on issues are addressed earlier tend to find favor with a firm and increase their ability to refer others to a service (Dijkmans, Kerkhof, Beukeboom, 2015). In this respect, the firm accepts the errors expressed by clients and provide a timely solution for their products. In so doing, customers tend to draw close to such businesses and increase their loyalty standards thus reaching a wide population of individuals. Communication with clients is an important marketing concept that the firm utilizes through the social media platforms. For instance, the firm has a Facebook page where it writes to inform its clients of different products and allows for complaints to be lodged where the customer support team addresses such concerns (Vernuccio, 2014). In the process of solving issues, the firm manages to reach others who upon viewing the provisions can draw a liking to the products on offer. Therefore, the communication aspect of the business manages to act positively towards marketing the products and the brand name of the firm. Moreover, the firm takes the initiative of close relationship with its clients towards furthering its marketing efforts. The firm engages in the social lives with its fans by sending them birthday wishes and other holiday gifts through the social media (Dijkmans, Kerkhof Beukeboom, 2015). The concept creates an attachment with the consumers on its fan base thus developing the aspect of inclusivity in the main business (Target, 2017). As individual develop the sense of belonging, they tend to draw closer to the business increasing their loyalty standards. Besides, the peer influence acts positively in this case, where firms upon experiencing the kind of relationship created tend to develop a liking for the business thus joining in the business. Target uses the seasonal approach to market its goods to the customers. For instance, the firm promotes back to school products on its fan pages where a link exists to its mobile app (Gaudin, 2015). In the app, the firm provides a checklist to its clients which provide ease in choosing products in its back to school campaign. A classic example of the case is in the advertisement of the goods during fathers day where the firm displayed a product and beneath left the message Give dad something he can show off! while posting the image of sunglasses, watch, and t-shirt available at its store (Gaudin, 2015). The marketing tool appeals to individuals who would most probably be convinced to purchase a product for the fathers day. Besides, it gives alternatives for customers preferring their selection; the firm in its app provides a styler tool which allows for customization of products needed (Mangold Faulds, 2009). Such provisions giving ease to the clients promote product purchase and the growth of a brand name. Furthermore, the firm promotes knowledge of its business through the social media where in its posts gives the store location of its several outlets to clients for ease of purchase. Clients can then interact and seek for stores close to their neighborhood and have the response team reply with the location. Publishing the locations across the social sites enables a strategic marketing plan of the stores which contribute to its overall business goals. Social responsibilities act as core marketing initiative that leads to product awareness to the market. The firm carries out its CSR activities to the community and publishes the images and information on a particular activity. The firm donates 5 percent of its revenues to charitable events as in the case of 'Give with Target' aimed at funding education ventures for the less fortunate (Target, 2017). Consequently, the interaction with individuals through the initiative allows for a positive image which attracts consumers to the business. Eventually, the firm posts the images of the projects in progress to increase the touch with the community. Customers and other social media users pleased with the initiative tend to rate the firm positively thus leading to potential clients and adoption of a significant market for the commodities. Ethics, Privacy, and Security Marketing on the social media calls for certain ethical considerations for the public and the end users. First, the firm stays away from controversies and biases by neutralizing their advertisements to base on pure business concepts and hence providing no alignment to along ethical, cultural, or political lines which might limit its marketability (Target, 2017). Besides, the firm considers the right to privacy and thus stays away from the use of personal email obtained from the social media sites to promote its products (Gaudin, 2015). In any case, it seeks to do so, it seeks for permission from individual users who themselves have to grant permission before execution of such actions. The firm remains transparent and explains the products it offers for marketing and the relevance of the product to their lives. Before posting a tweet, the customer car department thinks of the comment to avoid an adverse effect on the users. In this case, it considers ethical guidelines towards marketing. The considerations allow the firm to propel in the market as it stays away from controversy while responding to the market demands adequately. Social Media Technologies Target uses several social media technologies in its business for marketing, creating awareness, and interacting with its clients. Facebook is the widely used technology by the firm where it shares blogs of its products, events, and updates on the business ventures (Target, 2017). Besides, it shares pictures on the firms activities, shares social responsibilities done by the firm, and posting videos of the same. At the same time, it posts poll questions on the services provided thus finding statistics on the product development (Target, 2017). Moreover, the firm uses the technology through an event page where all the information for the firm remains open to the public. On the other hand, the firm uses LinkedIn in running its advertisements and registers events while checking the profile of the attendees. Besides, it uses the site to create a LinkedIn group for different events and promote its products through the same avenue. In the same line, the firm uses Twitter by creating dedicated event hashtags where views and suggestions on the event and be communicated by individuals towards spreading awareness (Target, 2017). At the same time, photos advertising products can be posted on the social media thereby reaching out to several people in the society. The tweets remain relevant to the business thus promoting the activities and revenue stream of the business. Youtube and Flickr remain essential sites for posting videos of the firms presentations and social activities aimed at marketing and creating awareness of the business (Target, 2017). Conclusion Target Australia as a firm makes good use of the social media as an avenue to marketing products in the competitive world. The firm manages to meet the diverse needs of its clients by maintaining a large presence on the sites that have huge followings more so by its clients. Besides, it uses the avenue to create awareness of the upcoming events and products which end up popularizing the stores to individuals. The firm manages to stand out from the rest of the businesses by advertising to the present diverse audience on the social media. In this respect, the firm engages its customers in interactive talks and chats that lead to awareness creation on the diverse products sold by the firm. 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