From Real-Time Marketing to Corporate Social Responsibility

Abstract

Social media strategies are commonly adopted by large and SMEs due to the expected impacts on customer engagement, branding, sales, and overall company performance. One particularly interesting strategy conducted on social media is real-time marketing (RTM) that enables the company to get involved in the discussion of trending topics. The main aim of this chapter is to analyze RTM impacts on user engagement in the case of socially relevant topics, particularly Women's Day. It provides an analysis of publications by the 25 most valuable brands in Brazil (comprising both large companies and SME) and explores the interconnections between RTM publications and CSR policies. One main conclusion is that companies should approach socially relevant dates in accordance with their CSR policies, and that successful RTM initiatives can comprise alternative approaches: promotional actions, tributes, and CSR. The findings of this chapter are particularly relevant for SMEs, considering the democratic nature of RTM and overall social media strategies.