Social media came to be in the early 2000s. Social media was originally created as a platform for people to connect online. “Friendster”, a social media site created in 2002, is actually credited with “giving birth to the modern social media movement” (CBS News). People had never been able to connect online as easily and conveniently before. Another facet of social media that became very popular was blogging. Blogs became so widely used because they “allow for reader engagement. Blogs are often included in social media because of the ability for readers to comment and have a discussion with the blogger and others who read the blog makes it social” (Duemyer). Blogs made it so that anyone could have a voice and be heard which is why people eagerly followed. Facebook came next, created in 2004, and then apps like Twitter in 2006 and Instagram in 2010. These platforms became gateways for companies to communicate with their customers. Social media platforms connected the customers even more as “they got a level of access that they never would have before. They are more informed than ever,” and “they have platforms to share their opinions and views” (Gonsalves). Fashion consumers could for the first time see what went into the ads that they saw and the clothes that they wore. With social media came the introduction of the “live” video, a way for anyone to live stream media. This has become an essential tool for marketers as “Facebook reported lived videos were seeing as much as triple the watch time as traditional video. It also was garnering 10 times the comments” (Halevy). Having so many people able to view content so easily, companies are able to boost their marketing strategies and brand exposure.
