As we know in this day and age, social media network sites such as Twitter and Facebook have become quite popular. Not only have they become useful tools for people to connect, but they have also helped spread brand awareness. A recent study has shown that almost half of the users on Twitter that were introduced to a brand searched for additional information. The survey also showed that about 34% of users on other social network sites went on to search for more information.
However, one of the most astounding data found was the number of correspondents that recommended and discussed products via Twitter or Facebook (44% recommendation and 39% discussion via Twitter; 46% via Facebook). Two groups, social media agency Everywhere and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, are great examples for this topic.
Everywhere set a Guinness World Record for the most widespread social network message within a 24-hour period. Four nonprofit cancer organizations agreed to donate one penny for each using the phrase #BeatCancer. This one-day pro-bono campaign helped raise more than $70,000 for all four organizations.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation decided to get involved with social media by creating a Fan page and had several staff, board members, and volunteers suggest 10 friends to become fans. And the media wildfire sparked from that point on. The foundation now has over 90,000 fans. The organization also has a Twitter and YouTube account that they update with stories about children and their wishes.
Both of those stories are great examples and show strong potential for growth for any organization. It’s all about how a company uses it to their advantage. However, with great power comes responsibility (and accountability). Your solutions, opportunities, and Tweets could either be helpful and expand your business or diminish any possible prospects. Both examples can be depicted and show that word of mouth is still present. It’s just taken another form, via Facebook/Twitter.
As I said at the beginning of the post, social media marketing is going to continue to grow. However, your company’s involvement using social media sites is only part of the solution. The other half is understanding the ins and outs on how people interact with your business, competitors, and other similar products and services. Since the world-wide-web is so vast, these social media sites are your beacons to help spread awareness about your company.
Written by Chris C.
