R093 · 05 Social Media

How social platforms are used to promote products, build communities and engage audiences.

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Social media platforms used to promote media products

Social media platforms let organisations share content quickly, interact with audiences and target specific groups with adverts. Posts, stories, reels and live streams all play a role in modern media campaigns.

What is Social Media in iMedia?

Social media refers to platforms and apps where users can create, share and interact with content. Examples include Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, X (Twitter), Facebook and YouTube.

For media products and campaigns, social media is used to share trailers, teasers, behind-the-scenes clips, competitions, polls and links. It allows two-way communication between producers and audiences.

Key points you must remember

Social Media at a Glance

These infographics summarise how organisations use social media and the key advantages and risks you can write about in the exam.

How Organisations Use Social Media

Platforms, posts and interactions used to support a media campaign.

  • Share trailers, teasers and behind‑the‑scenes clips.
  • Post still images, posters, memes and short updates.
  • Use stories, reels and shorts for quick, visual content.
  • Run competitions, polls and Q&A sessions to boost engagement.
  • Collaborate with influencers and partners to reach new audiences.
  • Link out to websites, streaming services or online shops.
Content types · Campaign activities

Advantages & Risks of Social Media

Useful points for 2–4 mark questions and 9‑mark discussions.

  • Advantages: interactive two‑way communication with audiences.
  • Advantages: highly targeted adverts using interests and behaviour.
  • Advantages: fast, low‑cost distribution with viral potential.
  • Risks: negative comments, trolling and reputational damage.
  • Risks: misinformation, misuse of hashtags or posts being shared out of context.
  • Risks: privacy concerns and over‑reliance on platform algorithms.
Pros · Cons · Exam language

Video Overview

Social Media revision video on YouTube
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Watch on YouTube R093 · Social Media

iMedia Matters Podcast

Flashcards & Mind Maps

For flash cards and mind maps, use our NotebookLM for this topic. It includes quick-fire revision prompts and visual links between key ideas.

📘 Open NotebookLM for Social Media

Games to Practise Social Media

Use these games to practise how social media fits into campaigns, how it differs from traditional media and how to choose suitable platforms and content for a target audience.

All topics

iMedia Genius

The flagship exam-style quiz covering every R093 question type: MCQs, short answers, binary questions, bonus rounds and timed scoring.

Exam-style All R093 content Mixed difficulty
Knowledge · Reasoning
▶ Play
Media industry

Sector Sorter

Drag-and-drop game sorting traditional vs new media, products and job roles. Perfect for Section A media industry questions.

MCQs Sectors Job roles
Recall · Classification
▶ Play
Product design

Client Brief Detective

Race the clock to find key information in client briefs: purpose, audience, timescales, ethos and constraints.

Short answers Client brief Constraints
Reading · Interpretation
▶ Play
Social media

Social Media Strategy Arena

Pick the best platforms, content types and tactics to hit campaign goals and improve engagement.

Arcade quiz Platforms Engagement
Application · Evaluation
▶ Play

Exam Practice – Social Media

Q1. State one way a company can use social media to promote a new product. (1 mark)

Technique: Give one clear example such as posting teaser images, sharing a short video, running a competition or using paid adverts.

Q2. Explain one advantage of using social media instead of posters to reach teenagers. (2 marks)

Technique: Make a clear point about where teenagers spend time or how they interact with content, then explain the impact on reach or engagement.

Q3. Describe one way a hashtag campaign can increase audience engagement. (3 marks)

Technique: Describe how the hashtag works, then develop your answer by explaining how it encourages sharing, conversation or user-generated content.

Q4. Explain two risks that an organisation should consider when using social media for a campaign. (4 marks)

Technique: Give two separate risks (e.g. negative comments, misleading posts, privacy issues). For each one, explain the possible impact on the organisation or audience.

Q5. A film company is using social media to promote a new superhero film. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using social media as the main platform for the campaign. (9 marks)

Technique: Cover both sides. Include targeting, interactivity, sharing and analytics, but also risks such as negative feedback, information overload and excluding audiences who are not online. Finish with a justified conclusion.

  • Paragraph 1–2: Advantages (targeting, sharing, user-generated content, analytics).
  • Paragraph 3: Disadvantages (trolling, misinformation, over-reliance on algorithms).
  • Paragraph 4: Compare briefly with traditional media support (TV, posters).
  • Final paragraph: Conclusion – recommend the best mix for the campaign and justify it.

Can You Now…?