Social media is shaping the environment in which everyone does business. The  connectivity between consumer and producer continues to change in this digital landscape, and the trend shows no sign of stopping. But just how impactful has social media become, and what is it affecting as it grows?

The first and most obvious change is marketing techniques that applied in 2005 are no longer effective. With the consumer becoming actively more involved with their brands, businesses must adopt customer relationship and engagement strategies. It’s only through interacting with the consumer through forward facing, viewer friendly marketing materials that you can grab attention, and keep it.

Part of retaining the attention of an average social media user is making content “snackable.” Short, concise, and easy to digest has become the new trend in digital marketing. Gone are the days of long campaigns and commercials. The public wants it memorable, and they want it now, so deliver your message with precision.

With connectivity being the driving force behind the rise of social media, it’s no wonder that the first to mirror this trend in marketing stands to benefit the most. Advertisements are viewed unfavorably because they are interruptions that rarely coincide with the interests of the viewer, but by coupling interactions between groups of like-minded individuals and your product, you allow consumers who share a mutual interest to speak on your behalf.

Brand strategists the world over are exploring different directions to take their companies. With social media bringing consumer personalities to the fore, institutions like Dove and Nike have taken the empowerment approach. By pivoting focus from the individual ego to a larger and more socially conscious message, companies found that people willingly rallied behind their products due to a shared belief in the message.

For a business to stay on the cutting edge, it’s paramount to keep one hand on the pulse of social media. With consumers sharing a platform granting them an unprecedented voice, a business must adapt to work within these changing times, or face being consumed by the rising tide of technology.

John Partilla is the CEO of Screenvision, and he’s a veteran of the marketing industry with nearly three decades of experience in a variety of roles.  Please read “John Partilla Named Screenvision CEO,”  “John Partilla: Screenvision Names Exec CEO – Variety,” “Screenvision Taps John Partilla To Be CEO As It Seeks To Rebuild” and his  Screenvision profile to learn more. Also, check out his Crunchbase, Twitter, and LinkedIn.