500 Word Essay Advertising 
Social media plays a significant role in ensuring that advertising is successful. Social media is made up of websites that enable users to create and share content with other users across the internet. In today’s world almost everything that takes place revolves around social media and as a result any new product, business or service being advertised is associated with social media in some way. According to some analysts, social media is “a group of Internet-based applications that build on the ideological and technological foundations of Web 2.0, and that allow the creation and exchange of user-generated content” (Kaplan, p61). With the world growing to be more technological enhanced it shows that more customers and potential customers are becoming more dependent on social media when pursuing a product or service of interest. Social media is user friendly, allows for sharing of content with a wide audience and makes it possible for relationships to develop among other brands. Social media is important in ensuring advertising is successful because it provides a user friendly platform that is compatible with its intended user's ability to use it easily and successfully. Previously, mainly younger persons were the ones who used social media; however, recently older persons are being more engaged in social media because it is much easier to operate and understand now. Many persons believe that social networks are only for younger people, yet we find that everyday older people are using social media not just to keep up with family and friends but to actually communicate with organizations of interest and to engage with their customers. From an older person’s perspective, “social media allows them to have their own say and provides them with a warm welcoming feeling that they belong” (Ongeri, 1). This would therefore lead to an increase in the success received from advertising via social media because customers prefer easily accessible and user-friendly