Your Guide to The Social Media Revolution

Because of the rapid growth of social sites, not every business is prepared to acknowledge just how important maintaining a marketing presence on the various social networks is. While many in the business world still look at social sites as an unproven or niche industry; the overwhelming majority of internet traffic is generated by social networking site activity. What this means is that for the millions of people who utilize these sites as their primary source for news, entertainment and communications, businesses that don’t advertise on these sites do not exist. All other marketing sources combined do not have the reach of advertising on social networking platforms.

Are You a Social Media Rebel?

Social media marketing was once an afterthought in the world of business advertising. As time has proven, the internet is here to stay and is also widely acknowledged to be a key part of any modern marketing plan. So to, social media marketing has now matured into a full-fledged resource that anyone involved in marketing cannot afford to ignore.

Marketing on social networks provides an unprecedented level of interaction between businesses and their potential customers. Traditional marketing communicates in one direction; from the business to the consumer. Social media on the other hand, encourages customers to interact with both the advertiser and the message. The backbone infrastructure of social networks also allows consumers to share advertisements with friends and family in an instant and seamless way.

Businesses make decisions based upon the inherent risks and rewards of the choices they make. In terms of social advertising and marketing the risks are minimal if any.

The rewards of using social media as a marketing strategy include:

• Low barrier to entry
• Communicating with an engaged and interested audience
• An unprecedented level of real-time data on the success of any marketing campaign

Another important factor that any business considering using social media as part of their marketing strategy should consider is competition. Where one company may choose to ignore social networking, it is highly unlikely that any competitor will make the same choice. What this means is that having no social media advertising presence can actually damage the viability of a business.

Social marketing is a reality that no business can afford to ignore. As time passes, the impact of social media is expected to become even more entrenched in modern society. Investing in social networking now with an eye toward the future, can help to ensure that businesses remain relevant to their customers.

To further illustrate the power and sustainability of social media, take a look at Nielsens State of the Media: Social Media Report 2012. The data collected will blow your mind if you are able to spot the coming trends in our social media future.