Mind on Marketing

Mashable.com points to an updated presentation that provides plenty of solid evidence on the effectiveness of social media: What The F**k is Social Media: One Year Later. It’s a nice little slide presentation with pithy data on social media and engaging visuals. It gives six good reasons why you should care about social media:

1. 3 out of 4 Americans use social technology
2. 2/3 of the global internet population visit social networks
3. Visiting social sites is now the 4th most popular online activity–ahead of personal email
4. Time spent on social networks is growing at 3 times the overall internet rate, accounting for about 10% of all internet time
5. Social media is democratizing communications
6. Social media is like word of mouth on steroids

In addition to a list of dramatic statistics on the growth of Facebook, Twitter and social media in general, slide show author Marta Kagan (Managing Director, US, for integrated marketing agency Espresso) reminds us that social networking is about dialogue and listening. Two-way communication. And she says most businesses don’t do that. Instead, she says, the talkers are in the marketing department, and the listeners are in sales, research or service, and the two don’t talk to one another. (I’ve witnessed the truth of this situation in many consulting engagements in which the marketers don’t engage in conversation with sales. I’m always astonished.) In social media, the moment you talk, you are also expected to listen. And respond meaningfully and with integrity.

She also points out that social media is much more than a marketing channel. It can also function as a key element in

• Public relations
• Customer service
• Loyalty building
• Collaboration
• Networking
• Thought leadership
• Customer acquisition

Here’s what Kagan says you need to do:

• Define your company’s social media strategy (hope is not a strategy)
• Stop thinking “campaigns” and start thinking “conversations”
• Ask for help if you need it
• Don’t assume social media is the answer to everything
• Never forget the basic rules: Listen. Engage. Measure.

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