Bob Cole and Sue Cole--Westchester County Business Journal
The debate is over. Or, rather, it should be.
For businesses that want to be on the cutting edge of today's marketing curve, it is no longer a question of: "Should we enter the social media game?" Many have already responded affirmatively. For those who haven't, the debate is: "Should we get started today or tomorrow?"
And the answer is: "Sooner is much better than later."
The reasons are many, but for purposes of brevity we'll cite only three.
First, there's the exploding number of those already in the social media game. More than 100 million individuals use Facebook while another 35 million are happily linked into Linkedln. Additionally, Adam Singer, a frequently quoted blogger on social media, reported this January that there are 2.6 million articles in English on Wikipedia, 100 million YouTube videos viewed per day, 3 million Tweets per day and 238 million visitors attracted annually to Digg.
Does anyone harbor doubts as to which direction these numbers are going? Or that avoidance of social media creates a less than "with it" image? Or that use of social media is no longer primarily reserved for teenagers? (Indeed, a recent study revealed that the fastest growing sector of new Internet marketing users is people between the ages of 35 and 50.)
Second is the vast smorgasbord of choices encountering those who want to begin marketing through social media. Facebook. LinkedIn. MySpace. Digg. Wikipedia. YouTube. Twitter. Tagged. Flickr. BlackPlanet. The list is seemingly endless. And gowing.
Third is the realization that companies can be in the social media without blogging, tweeting - or even turning on a computer. All it takes is for someone else to blog or tweet about you and - voila - you could be all over the social media.
Witness the recent learning experience of Domino's Pizza. A prank video by two Domino employees in which one sticks cheese up his nose and sneezes into a sandwich he's making with that cheese racked up nearly 1 million views in the 48 hours between the video's initial airing and the company's (understandably) irate response. It also elicited numerous tweets asking what took Domino so long to respond.
According to Business Week, the company hadn't wanted to "jump in without a strategy" but a Domino spokesman said: "We were kind of pushed." The article also noted that marketing experts are recommending active Web brand monitoring and that Pizza Hut is seeking a Twitter-based intern to do just that.
On the plus side, many businesses are taking proactive approaches to social media - and reaping benefits.
For example, a Chicago-based yacht cruise company recently launched group and fan pages on Facebook and is now anticipating a 30 percent annual increase in charters despite the faltering economy.
Kodak recently named an officer its chief blogger in order to more effectively reach social media outlets.
A Ronald McDonald House added a "YouTube Testimonials" link on its homepage that takes visitors to its YouTube channel.
Online test preparation company PrepMe.com recently added a vice president to handle online marketing chores. Then it then launched a Facebook crossword game to attract student interest and began group pages associated with high schools using PrepMe services.
To be sure, the constant introduction of new social media raises many "How will I know what's best" and "Will I ever learn how to properly utilize each one" questions. But help is available in a slew of "how to" articles, almost all of which can be Googled.
We recommend four approaches to becoming reasonably current:
* Monitor on-line and traditional business media for "how to" tips.
* Take advantage of the number of networking groups that offer idea-exchanging sessions on tapping social media opportunities.
* Check out the risks before starting, and protect your profile and contacts from unwanted eyes.
* Don't let fear or embarrassment over mistaken initial steps stop you from plowing ahead.
You're not alone - especially if you're over 35 - in being tentative and/or shouting: "I'll never figure this out!" The important thing is that social media is here to stay. And public opinion is being shaped online just about every second of every day. So c'mon in and join your competitors who are already enjoying its benefits.
Source: (C) 2009 Westchester County Business Journal. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved
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