Social Media 101

Why social media?

Social media has changed the way consumers discover brands and products. Visual content shared on social media has become the new storefront. It entices people to explore and ultimately, gets them to buy products. Being active on social media is integral for Kia Canada because: n 71% of Canadians are active on social media n One-third of Canadians say that companies that are active on social media have a better reputation than those that are not n 71% of consumers who have had a good experience with a brand on social media are likely to recommend it to others n 30% of Canadians say they are more loyal to companies they can interact with on social media n Social media increases purchase intent l Across all verticals and price points, the majority of consumers research products online before buying them, investigating social proof of a product’s value l 1 out of 4 purchases are now a result of social media recommendations—this encompasses all categories and all purchases

When to use what platform and why:

Facebook Facebook is by far the largest platform, with over 2 billion monthly active users, 61 percent of whom are between the ages of 25 and 54. Facebook is good for lead generation, exposure and positioning a brand as a thought leader, or sharing video content. Its advertising platform can be highly customized to target very specific audiences and amplify content effectively. Facebook is also a good platform for building relationships, showing the human side of your business, and turning leads into loyal followers and customers. Many different content types are appropriate for Facebook, but the key is content that shows a different side of your company. Facebook is both excellent for reaching large numbers of people, but it’s important to remember that there’s also a great deal of competition. You can sign up for Facebook at http://www.facebook.com using a designated Kia Canada email address and can download the mobile app to your cell phone and tablet. Instagram Instagram is the top social platform for engagement, with more than 500 million active users worldwide and growing, the majority of which are under 30. A highly visual platform, Instagram is all about real, beautiful images. Where are you? What are you looking at? What are you doing now? Strong visual content on Instagram is paramount to draw the eye into the caption to learn more. The only place where links

are clickable in the Instagram app is in your bio. Remember, the more you act human, the more you win. Instagram is personal. It’s for those real-life moments. You can sign up for Instagram at http://www.instagram.com using a designated Kia Canada email address and can download the mobile app to your cell phone and tablet. Pinterest Pinterest is all about aspiration and utility. The app is dominated by women, making up 70% of their user base and 66% are aged between 25 and 54. It’s particularly effective for topics and brands relating to retail, food, style and home décor. Here, you’re not just selling a product; you’re giving knowledge. Infographics, recipes and DIY instructional content perform well when relevant and timely. Typically, what’s shared on Pinterest would be considered too much text for any other platform, but it feels right at home on Pinterest. People are shopping and ideating on Pinterest, so they’re spending more time on the content and looking at it with a critical eye. The platform dimensions are different and allow for it, but more important longer pins take up more real estate. You can sign up for Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com using a designated Kia Canada email address and can download the mobile app to your cell phone and tablet. YouTube Understanding that by 2025 it’s predicted that 50% of viewers under 32 will not subscribe to paid TV, YouTube’s strength and use as a channel will undoubtedly continue to grow. Today, users 35+ and 55+ are the fastest growing YouTube demographics. 62% of YouTube users are male. Interestingly too, on mobile alone, YouTube reaches more 18-49-year-olds than any broadcast or cable tv network. Music and entertainment content still dominate YouTube’s most viewed content funnels. How-to tutorials, product reviews, unboxings, vlogs and shopping hauls are strong content funnels that perform very well in a YouTube setting that are often capitalized by marketers. You can sign up for YouTube at http://www.youtube.com using a designated Kia Canada email address and can download the mobile app to your cell phone and tablet. Twitter Twitter was made for instant news and quick engagement. Its users utilize short messages, called Tweets, which are limited to a maximum of 280 characters, to connect with their followers and share information that might be useful or interesting to someone in their audience. Twitter users turn to the platform to discover interesting people and companies online, participating in online conversations through using and tracking hashtags and by following people, brands and topics of interest. Twitter has 261 million international users, with approximately 37% between the age of 18 and 29, and another 25% between 30 and 49 years old. In fact, 80% of Twitter users are affluent millennials. Twitter is also an important customer service tool for business, with 85% of users saying they believe it’s important that they can connect with brands through the platform. You can sign up for Twitter at http://www.twitter.com using a designated Kia Canada email address and can download the mobile app to your cell phone and tablet.