The Internet as we know it today began in the early 1990s. During the last two decades it has grown to become an integral part of many people’s everyday lives. The Internet started out as a place to exchange information, but has now become one of the top ways for companies to reach potential customers. Traditional forms of advertising, such as print ads, billboards, direct mail, flyers, and product testing events, are still used by businesses; however, social media tools and programs are increasingly relied on to “get the word out” about a particular brand or service. Facebook and Twitter are just two of the tools used as a cost-effective way to connect with those already familiar with a product, but also to convince others to buy a company’s products or services. The increasing affordability and wide accessibility of computers and smartphones have increased the amount of time an average user spends on the Internet and using social media. In fact, the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project reports that 79 percent of Internet adult users used Facebook in 2016, up from about 65 percent in 2012. Instagram and Pinterest were the next most popular social media platforms, with 32 and 31 percent of adults using them, respectively. 

The rapid growth of social media sites and tools on the Internet has created demand for workers who are experts in social media. These workers perform a wide range of duties, from seeking to raise their company’s position on search engine results to contacting bloggers to convince them to review their company’s products, monitoring chat rooms, and steering negative conversation back to the positive.