What is Social Media ?
02/06/2012
Social Media seems to be the new trendy phrase these days. But what exactly is it and what does it involve? To me, Social Media sounds like some kind of function, especially for journalists! Social Media can be described in a number of ways – discussions and opinions, online conversations and interactions, sharing and collaboration, and my personal favourite, word of mouth on steroids. In the business world, word of mouth is a simple, free and integral part of any marketing and advertising campaign. Social Media has the potential to supercharge any business marketing approach and it all takes place in cyberspace.
The use of Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter has exploded of late and they are not just being used to inform your friends on what you ate for lunch or to find out what Warnie’s up to. They are being used to promote, develop and advertise businesses. Sales are increasing and new leads are being generated thanks to Facebook and Twitter. In 2011, 25% of all time spent online, was spent on Social Media and Blog sites. Judging from the total number of Twitter (1.8 million) and Facebook (10.9 million) accounts in Australia alone*, the total amount of time spent online will only increase in 2012 and beyond.
What does this mean for your business? Well, it means there is an untapped source of potential clients and customers, available at your fingertips. It means you can reach your target audience directly in a way that has never been done before. It means spending less on advertising in the traditional sense – newspapers, magazines and Yellow Pages. It means your business can develop and cultivate an online presence and develop an online value – the higher the value, the more people will flock to you.
Of course, developing a Social Media profile will take time and commitment. That’s where we come in. Signing up to Facebook and Twitter is simple – it’s coming up with the right Social Media Strategy that will help grow your business. We can meet with you and create a Social Media Plan that is unique and tailor made to meet the requirements and goals of your business. We have the resources, staff and time to devote to creating, managing and maintaining your Social Media presence. Contact us today.
Instead of focussing on how much a Social Media Marketing campaign will cost, focus on how much it is going to pay.
* Based on statistics at the end of May, 2012.
Article By : Amanda Phoenix (Social Media Consultant)
