“Many large companies recognise the importance of social media tools but lack vision on how to use them …” according to a survey of 200 companies conducted by Vignette Corporation and published May 2009.
The survey goes on to identify that Social Media is the “new way of engaging and interacting with customers, partners, and employees”, with real-time micro-updates rather than formal announcements. Shifting control to the customer.
The results highlight the transitional period we are in:
- 50% have started their Social Media initiatives in the last two years
- 23% have plans to start their Social Media initiative
- 13% have no plans
- only 14% have more than two years experience with Social Media
- less than 40% have no (documented) strategy, no team, …
Of those with Social Media initiatives nearly 70% use it for marketing: for increased awareness, engagement, to bring customers to their web site. Successful examples being Dell, and Starbucks (see earlier posts …)
The report stresses that Social Media must be part of a marketing strategy, and not and end in itself. That a community cannot be created, but only fostered or promoted. You must start the dialogue, but must be transparent, and authentic.
I’d read early this year that Dell was experience great success with its marketing program on twitter, and the other day I received a link to their entry in Facebook. Dell have also provided, based on their experience of “conversations with customers” a series of “Social Media Guides” for small business. They can be found here: 