A guest post by James Ainsworth of Marketing Donut
Given that social media is a field of marketing still in its infancy, reports are published daily on social media habits. Indeed, the viral growth of social media usage studies, and studies of studies, was recently highlighted in terms more expected of Private Eye than a serious publication like The Economist, which said: “An astonishing amount of time is being wasted on investigating the amount of time being wasted on social networks.”
Jokes aside, research conducted by eMarketer shows that 45.4 per cent of senior marketers considered social marketing and engagement channels as a “top priority”, with 42.2 per cent deeming it “important”. Social engagement as a marketing strategy took the top spot over search marketing, mobile marketing and blogging. Are you looking to make social media count?
Marketing, by its very targeted nature, will always migrate to where the audience is having the conversations. In December 2009, global users spent an average of five hours on social networking sites, up from three hours in December 2008, a significant increase of 82 per cent. So naturally you want to be where the action is, right?
A lot has been written about Twitter, and the data set relating to it is evolving as rapidly as the real-time messaging service operates. A graphical view of Twitter produced in August by Information is Beautiful may look very different today.
Twitter is not a one-size-fits-all solution to your communication needs; for many, it is a problem, a headache of time versus money. Everything impacts your bottom line and so it stands to reason that you may have reservations over something that is touted as free marketing but essentially is not.
Twitter takes time, it is a long haul, hard slog of an investment if you want it to work and generate leads for your business. A daily commitment is required to build up your presence, to share and engage with fellow users. Connections with people and opening up your business to the online public are where the rewards come from.
This may seem pessimistic and curt but the new kid on the marketing block requires planning to incorporate it sensibly into your overall marketing strategy, just as you would any other new method you try. Don’t just do it, make it count.
If you want to give Twitter a go for your small business we have a useful ‘Get started…’ guide on the Marketing Donut.
Follow us on Twitter @MarketingDonut
[...] Twitter for small businesses: Make it count businessontwitter.co.uk [...]