Traditional marketing has generally been a one-way communication, whereby companies decided what products they wanted to make and sell, what the brand message would be, and how they would deliver their message to their target audience.

The Internet, social media, and online communities have dramatically transformed communication between buyer and seller. Consumers now have access to a variety of tools, channels, information, opinions, and peer groups. As a result, the traditional one-way communication has evolved into a two-way conversation, forever shifting how companies communicate with their target audiences and the influence that consumers now carry in the marketplace.