Awhile back I attended a copywriting workshop where the instructor proposed a question regarding the constant evolving marketing industry and technological advances. As he went around the room seeking an answer, he wanted our input on what we thought was the best business to consumer strategy. While I looked around, I could see people staggering to his question unable to provide a solid response realizing that perhaps it was no longer so easily defined… As we all further discussed this, the only concrete observation we were able to conclude with indicated that companies are now more than ever investing in 360 marketing and incorporating new nontraditional media channels. Social media and digital distribution are becoming a necessity as they are now greatly integrated with TV and print in attempts to continuously engage the public and acquire every possible wandering eye (and finger) …

So which one is most effective? Well that’s yet another question to which the answer is not straight forward but speculations often lead in the same direction. The speed in which trends evolve on the internet can often be baffling; however, with more and more Canadians increasing their time spent online specifically on social media websites, social media marketing is definitely experiencing a steady and fast paced accumulation.

Marketing Magazine hosted a study which found that social networks get a lot of press and are becoming the dominant communications tool therefore making the increasing concentrations of people at these types of websites very attractive to online marketers and businesses. For example, 56% of all online Canadians now have a social network profile up from 39% just 18 months ago and of those with a social network profile, 85% are with Facebook.

“As the consumer continues to spend increasing amounts of time in the digital world, businesses and marketers are paying increasing attention to the Internet,” says study author Mark Laver. “However, online social networks tend to be extremely personal and this creates a dilemma for marketers and businesses—how to communicate in a personalized setting without upsetting the target audience.”

This leads us to the next question:

How (and why) should marketers use social media to their advantage?

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