Social Media Integration in 2010…The New Marketing Key.
Is Social Media Here to Stay? Absolutely.
Social media is not necessarily a known term of the past, but undoubtedly a driving force of the future. Companies are quickly learning that if they intend on reaching their internet-savvy audience in as many ways as possible, integrating a social media marketing campaign into their existing communication strategy isn’t just necessary, it’s imperative.
Social media marketing is the fastest and most efficient way to communicate with your current customers, target audience and potential consumers. It has changed the way marketers communicate and engage with their audiences indefinitely. As a company, you are able to gain instant feedback through social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook that is valuable for increasing your customer’s satisfaction, as well as the future success of your business.
It is highly important to integrate social media into your company’s overall marketing campaign, and refrain from treating it as its own separate entity. According to the Alterian “Annual Survey 2009” report, the maturity of digital and social media requires integration of marketing strategies. Of all respondents surveyed on the level of importance marketing professionals worldwide place on social media for overall marketing success, 14% considered it critical for success while 54% considered it increasingly important. If your company desires to create an impression on your target audience from all directions of their online media intake, it needs to engage with them and their opinions through social media.
Word-of-mouth marketing from satisfied customers has just taken an entirely new turn in its process; right through the tunnel of their computer. A satisfied customer who enjoyed the performance of your product five years ago might tell his or her friend, sister, co-worker and possibly a few other people in his or her daily life. In 2010, a satisfied customer simply needs to Tweet once, create one Facebook status and write one blog post possibly reaching thousands of people in a matter of just seconds.
According to the “Small Business Marketing Forecast 2010” from Ad-ology, 50% of respondents claimed that lead generation is the biggest benefit of social networking for U.S. small businesses. Other benefits reported included 45% of respondents saying it assisted them in keeping up with the industry, 44% said it helped them monitor online conversations and 38% found it helpful in finding vendors or supplies.
A recent study from PostRelease showed how online forum users are enthusiastic brand advocates and are taking their online activities to the streets, telling others about products and services they recommend. These users are not just tweeting about your product or posting a Facebook status about it, but they are much more likely to publish blogs on it and organize meet-ups finding such joy in the online interaction. Today’s online users are yearning for interaction and feedback with their favorite brands, letting these users know that the brands are listening. The overall focus of marketers is consistently shifting from siloed campaigns and placing much more of an emphasis on listening to and communicating with consumers across channels, on and off of the Internet. Is your company making the effort? Please visit us at www.advp.com to learn more!
