So, what exactly is social media? Although there is no single definition, several
sources agree upon certain fundamental characteristics. It is widely acknowledged
that the keys to social media success are user participation, user loyalty, user
motivations, and the interaction between people. In contrast to the mass media
marketing tactics, social media marketing allows companies to connect with potential
customers on a level never before thought possible. The low cost of social media
marketing as well as the quantum of user information that is available have
contributed towards making social media marketing big business (Mangold & Faulds,