Our team at Effective Design Studio has been analyzing the effects of social media on the business marketplace with tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and Blogs. Social media is the hottest new marketing innovation in the today’s business marketplace and it’s a trend that keeps growing.
Let’s start with some facts. The usage of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter now span the globe. The current global audience for Facebook alone is over 300 million users and Facebook reports 50% of those active users log on any given day. Even President Obama has a Facebook page! To better understand the demographics of its users, there are a handful of sites that track data and generate daily reports from Facebook's advertising tool. This helps marketers and researchers understand how to best utilize Facebook, and what messages would resonate with its audience outreach.
So, is social media the right opportunity for your company?
The answer is most likely, YES! For example, recent Facebook data reports suggest that social media is catching on across all age groups. As you may assume, the younger tech-minded generation is the largest market segment, and this still remains true. However the 35-54 year old demographic grew by almost 300% in 2008 and the 55+ demographic was the second fastest growing with an increase of almost 200%. That same group of 55+ users continued to grow in the first half of 2009 by a staggering 513%. With this data, most companies will find their target market falls within the parameters of Facebook audiences.
It is important to remember, although Facebook is generally seen as a social platform i.e. sharing personal photos and events with friends and family, Facebook also allows businesses to publish up-to-the-minute information when users become a “fan” of your page. This can make it a very easy and effective tool for keeping audiences informed and engaged in your company.
Easy updating doesn’t mean meaningless content. Like all marketing communications, social media should be brand-centric and meaningful to your company’s target audience by reinforcing key points of differentiation. With every communication, keep your marketing goals in mind. Building brand influence through social media is completely possible if used correctly. More than 10 million users become fans of pages on Facebook each day. These real-time updates might be information you would not spend time and resources to update constantly on your website. Who would see them? But with so many users on Facebook daily, these smaller tidbits of information can be updated and seen frequently.
Interested in more ideas on how you can harness the power of social media?
Give us a call today to find out more. 206 328 8989 or email caroline@effectivedesign.com.
