Social Marketing

According to the May 2012 Asociación Mexicana de Internet (AMIPCI) and ELOGIA study “Hábitos de los Usuarios de Internet en México,” social networks were second only to search engines as the type of website where internet users in Mexico recalled seeing online ads.

Social business – a company’s move from a presence on social platforms to strategic engagement that supports business goals, fosters brand affinity and generates co-created value – is no small undertaking for corporations, but it is undoubtedly the direction in which top companies are heading, according to an in-depth study on social media trends.

Nearly one-fifth of US internet users would buy a brand if a friend followed that company on social media

Every generation of young people seems to be misunderstood by their elders, and today’s teens are no exception. While adults may accuse adolescents of preferring electronics to face-to-face contact, March data on teenage internet users in the US from Common Sense Media, a nonprofit that advocates for kids and families, shows that claim may be unfounded, or at least deserves qualification.

On Facebook there’s a relationship status for “it’s complicated” — and that’s what it’s starting to feel like in the world of online marketing and advertising: It’s complicated.

Burst Media released the results of a survey covering the social media preferences, habits and actions of independent web audiences. Conducted in May, the study of 1,453 U.S. online adults aged 18 or older found that three-quarters (76.3%) of respondents visit social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and foursquare—though it’s clear that women are more active social media users than men. One-half (49.0%) of female respondents visit social media sites at least a few times per day, versus just one-third (34.0%) of men.

While loyalty programs have been popular in the US for years—with the average American consumer belonging to 18 loyalty programs according to loyalty marketing publisher COLLOQUY—whether these members are active is another story.

When General Motors pulled its advertising from Facebook, many took it as an indication that the social network’s ad products didn’t work. But in reality, the pullout tells a different story.

Not only consumers find their way onto the popular social network sites, an increasing number of companies also use it. 80% of the American companies use Facebook, 45% have a Twitter account, 48% are present on LinkedIn and 31% use YouTube. These numbers show that American companies have evolved further in their social media usage compared to companies in Europe.
61% listen to conversations between consumers on social media

Tampico Beverages announced its recent launch of an interactive “Piñata Bash” social media contest and 3D Facebook app to promote its 20-ounce, single-serve, refrigerated juice drinks among young adults in target markets nationwide.

Having a presence on Facebook has proven successful for marketers in several ways, and recent studies have shown the popularity and success of earned media on the site.

For retailers engaged in the social media sphere, customizing their approach with social and mobile strategies is leading to social commerce success.

comScore, Inc. released its latest report on social networking in Latin America from its comScore Media Metrix service. The latest research shows that more than 127 million Latin Americans ages 15 and older visited a social networking destination from a home or work computer in April 2012, with the average visitor spending 7.5 hours social networking during the month.

The last few weeks have confirmed it for me: Social media is about 70% hype, and 30% business. I mean that the majority of conversations surrounding social media center on behavior that creates page views but very little actual value to a brand marketer, and therefore little impact on the business of the Internet.

As social media continues to alter how people connect personally and professionally, its impact on building culture in the workplace is debatable, according to Deloitte’s new “Core Values and Beliefs” survey conducted online by Harris Interactive.

Twitter use is on the rise among US adults, particularly among the 18-to-24 age group, and a growing percentage of those consumers are using the service daily.