Social Media Marketing

by Ann Johnston

SOME FACTS: Overall digital marketing spending will increase 17% in 2010.  This includes Social Media Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Mobile Marketing, E-Mail Marketing, and Paid Search Marketing.  28% of marketers are shifting budget from traditional media to digital media.  But the largest percentage increase is in Social Media Marketing - In 2010, more than 70% of companies surveyed planned to INCREASE their Social Media marketing.

With all these stats you are saying….but how does anyone have time to keep up. You've got your website and you're pretty happy with it.  You may be doing Search Marketing.  You wonder if your website has a good SEO plan.  You might even have a good e-mail marketing plan.  Are you missing the biggest internet marketing opportunity of 2010?  Do you have a Facebook Fan Page for your company?  I don't mean a personal Facebook page, or a group.  I mean a Facebook Fan Page.

Internet Marketing in 2010 is going to require that you broaden your scope a little bit and and open up to the fact that there are 400 Million people now on Facebook.  Yes, 400 Million (worldwide).  You may not like it.  You may not be interested.  But believe it or not there are lots of people whose lives revolve around it.  And we are not just talking about kids --- high school and college age.  We're talking middle-age moms and dads who are talking to their children AND catching up with people from their past or present. The other site to not forget about is Linked In. This site is for business professionals and is also a great way to connect and recommend online.

What are people doing on these social media websites?

Three things to remember when thinking about Social Internet Marketing  1)  They are asking their friends things like:  "What's a good _____ (insert almost anything) for me or my kids".  And they getting responses online.  2) They are looking at and clicking on ads on the right.  Oh and there's a third thing that's growing.  3) They are "searching" for stuff.  Now Facebook has a contract with Microsoft Bing to deliver appropriate search results, but that begs the question – are you using Bing for your Online Search Marketing or are all your eggs all in the Google search marketing basket?

What's the next step?  People will be asking to see your Facebook page - maybe they can't be bothered to go Google you.

Learn How and Why this is happening.

If you would like to meet and discuss Social Marketing for your Local Business please let us know at CSM! Call us today at 309-693-2345.