Key Issues of Elaborating Branding Strategies by Using Social Media Marketing Platforms

Building a brand requires in-depth planning and scrupulous execution at every stage of its life cycle. In this continuous process, social media is one of the most powerful communication channels. It allows marketers to achieve a wide variety of branding objectives. However, managing a brand-building process is often affected by external factors, reputational threats and possible PR crises. Therefore, social media can be regarded both as a challenge and an opportunity for brands. It is extremely important to analyze social media in the context of branding. The paper provides in-depth revision of the role of social media in the branding process. Some of the most influential authors are cited for the literature review. The issues reviewed are as follows: opportunities of social media in branding, communication peculiarities of social media, positioning, reputation management and challenges. Statistical data from various sources is provided for emphasizing some aspects of branding through social media. The paper is summarized by an analysis of the issues reviewed and conclusive remarks.