1. Social media isn’t just experimental; it’s real ROI and can be tracked and measured
- Similar to website analytics that come with most hosting accounts, there are tools and analytics applications that measure real-time activities within social networks such as Radian6, Infegy Social Radar, Scout Labs, and Alterian
- Free sites like SocialMention.com and HowSociable.com quickly measure your influence and visibility over a broad social media spectrum
2. Get intimate with smart phones
- Social network activity is becoming more local and mobile with GPS in smartphones
- Location based services and features create competition, promote offers, and reward participants. Examples include Yelp, Foursquare, etc.
- Localized results help people connect more intimately
3. Niche social networks are rising
- People are beginning to seek out niche social networks and online communities to access in-depth information and focused discussions (i.e. Facebook links your interests or “likes” to others that share the same).
4. Search engines are becoming more social
- Search Engines are employing real time content
- Search engines are collective in nature. Social network interactions from users help in determining the relevance of search results.
5. Slow economy = rewards for shared expertise
- Consumers respond favorably to no-strings-attached advice and/or expertise from brand ambassadors, CEOs, professionals, etc.
- Engaging customers and prospects via social media develops thought leadership and credibility
- Consumers are less likely to interpret shared experience or product reviews as advertisements but rather, credible user experiences
6. Social media marketing is scalable and strategic
- Social media provides several outlets to promote and define a brand.
- Savvy brand marketers not only utilize social media as a way to market a product, but also a lifestyle, cause, or channel for customer service
7. Less Clutter, More Efficiency
- It’s easy to filter out the “noise” in social media networks with simplified design and user experience
- Posts and feeds distributed via social networks are often short and concise
- Streamlined news feeds and fresh content are now the forefront of user profiles
8. Blogging/ Micro-blogging (twitter)
- Blogging is one of the best ways to create fresh content around your brand
- With the creation of blog posts (unique landing pages), this allows visitors to easily share content across their social networks, which in turn boosts page views and site traffic
- Blogging is often a crucial strategy in enhancing organic (free) search engine ranking
- Add personality to the lifestyle of your brand and offerings
9. Social Media is becoming a part of every business’s lexicon
- SMB’s to Fortune 100 companies have already incorporated social media practices as part of their corporate culture or have hired agencies to manage their growing social networks
- Every industry has a unique approach to social media marketing, from brand enhancements to customer relations to promotional marketing.
- Social media is the new PR hub
10. Quality of relationships on social networks is improving
- The act of sharing and conversing motivates participation and exchange of information and gives users a sense of “belonging”
- Improved privacy settings enable users to strategically engage their personal and professional audience
