Is Social Media the New CRM?
RISMEDIA, August 17, 2010--For the past year, marketers have been searching for the right formula for their social media strategies. They are attempting to align sales and marketing objectives with the tactics that will generate the best return. Fast forward a year to a new marketing atmosphere in which social media--the marriage of technology and content--has been adopted on a grand scale, and the search has morphed into a race toward social media legitimacy, superiority and expertise.
To determine just how savvy marketers are, King Fish Media teamed up with HubSpot and Junta42 for the second installment of their three-part marketing research series. "Social Media Usage, Attitudes and Measurability: What Do Marketers Think?" reveals that despite the clear reliance on specific technological platforms, marketers who have made content king are seeing the best results.
That said, showing positive results for social media initiatives are not yet a requirement for funding at many organizations.
"It goes without saying that any marketing tactic is ultimately rooted in a company's desire to strengthen customer bonds and/or generate leads, but social media is an ideal platform for engaging in regular dialogues with customer bases and prospects," says Gordon Plutsky, Director of Marketing and Research, King Fish Media. "This research confirms what we've been saying for years: content is the key to creating an emotional connection. Social media has clearly emerged as a dynamic vehicle for delivering it to the right people in their preferred format."
Among the key findings of the Social Media Usage, Attitudes and Measurability: What Do Marketers Think?
-- 85% of survey respondents say that original content is critical to the success of their social media campaign.
-- Branded original and expert content is used more often than any other type of content. And development of an audience for content is one of the top objectives of marketers.
-- 43% of respondents revealed that they don't need to show positive ROI to get social media funding from their organization.
-- Nearly three quarters of all companies (72%) currently have a social media strategy, and of those that don't, the vast majority (80%) will within the next year.
-- Only 9% of surveyed organizations have full-time positions dedicated to managing social media responsibilities, while 90% include those as part of someone's overall responsibilities.
-- 85% of companies are handling their social media efforts internally.
-- Two thirds of the company's surveyed (67%) focus their social media efforts on their company as a whole, while 41% promote individuals within the company and 24% promote a specific brand.
-- Original content, both branded and expert, is by far the most used tactic for social media (73% and 72%, respectively). Video content (51%), user case studies (45%), and reviews (41%) are also used by roughly half of all respondents.
Phil Hobson, Hobson Real Estate Group, Prudential Texas Properties
(214) 659-3624
www.hgroupdallas.com