Social Media IS EFFECTIVE...here are some numbers to prove it

Social media is good...blahh blahh blahh...social media is the new it thing....blahh blahh blahh.

People can talk all they want to about whether or not social media is effective, but the proof is in the numbers. In the early stages it was considered a Fad and now it has its own degree program like I mentioned in the blog below this one. I'm pretty sure it is here to stay, but don't believe me, take a look at the numbers.

Do you believe marketing businesses via Twitter and Facebook works?

Taken from the Wall Street Journal almost a year ago, the posted link is data that shows social media is considered more effective with over 2 times more yes votes than not. Several people who answered the poll question also took some time to comment on what they felt were the benefits to social media and how effective it had been for them. The following is a very good comment that sums up how positive social media can be for a company:

rickey gold wrote:
If done right, social media (and social networking) absolutely works. I see it with my clients who are building visibility and growing business....and might be in trouble this year were it not for the social media marketing they did last year. Which leads me to believe that the people questioning its value are either NOT doing it right or don't understand how it works. As far as cost, a marketing tool that costs hundreds of dollars per month is incredibly cheap when compared to the cost of a print ad (yes, just one!), radio or broadcast advertising or a public relations campaign.

With comments left like that and 64.5% total votes, it is safe to say that YES social media is effective and will continue to be.

Masters in Social Media is no longer a dream

Social media is a very new development on our campus, but in places like Birmingham has already been a full on masters program for almost two years now. The article is posted in a link at the bottom if you would like to check it out. The fact that social media is such a "fad" is an argument that is getting smaller and smaller by the day. Everyone in the business industry is finally starting to realise that this little internet thingy needs some atttention or else your company is going to miss out on a BIGGGG chunk of practically free advertising and marketing. But still, people are skeptical.

"Many educators and students alike have voiced their skepticism in such a degree as social media, stating that the premise for the program is not credible and is just as easily self-taught; its content does not justify a 48-week course and a tuition total of $6,200. However, many others defending the program claim that with the current, monumental changes happening to media, those with public relations, journalism, or electronic media degrees must, as a necessity, keep themselves apprised of the information evolution."

The paragraph above taken from the article makes a good point. Social media is something you very well can learn on your own. You are essentially paying $6,000 for a piece of paper that says you have completed a masters program. Still, it IS something that many fields needs to be well educated in like it also states above. To have a competative advantage, they need to be familiar with social media.

Not only is the masters program in social media smart considering the direction technology is moving, it is also very smart of the schools to get onboard with it. They recognize that social media is not a fad and they can make some extra money in tuition to by joining in on the social media craze.

Read more: Get a Master's Degree in Social Media: The New Wave of Information Exchange - StateUniversity.com Blog http://www.stateuniversity.com/blog/permalink/Get-a-Masters-Degree-in-Social-Media-The-New-Wave-of-Information-Exchange.html#ixzz15YVx6PMa

http://www.stateuniversity.com/blog/permalink/Get-a-Masters-Degree-in-Social-Media-The-New-Wave-of-Information-Exchange.html

Wanna look like a Gossip Girl??

It is now a common thing to see social media being connected to television shows. During commercial break they advertise to get on facebook to see deleted scenes, twitter to see what this star has to say about filming, buy apps on the iphone with quizzes and more. But the latest successful tactic to create more sales has been linking an online store to a facebook page.

Gossip girl is an example of this. On their facebook site you can be linked directly to the official Gossip Girl website to order t shirts and designer wear featured on the show. The CW Store is a website on its own but having it posted on the facebook page is just another way for them to increase traffic.

On a marketing stand point, this is very clever. Not only does it increase potential sales made through purchase, it also increases the amount of traffic the CW Store gets. Social Media is not only used to connect, it is used as a form of sales.



Redbox on your phone!

Most people have seen those large soda machine things outside of McDonalds or Walmart. Only instead of getting a Pepsi you have the option to rent a movie for the cheap price of $1 per night plus tax. Redbox has taken over in regards to movie rentals putting Hollywood video and Blockbuster either out of business or on the verge. Their only main competitor is Netflix with online streaming, and even Redbox is looking into ways they can get on board with this feature as well.

Not only are they trying to set focus on online streaming, they are making a splash in social media as well. They send texts once a week with a coupon for a free movie rental. They have developed an app for iphone that lets you know where the closest Redbox locations are and what movies they have in them. They also post frequently on their facebook page, keeping the customers included by starting discussions based on movies. Toy Story 3 has been a recent topic along with ratings on movies.

From a marketing stand point, Redbox is doing everything they are supposed to right. They are giving out free incentives and are trying to get their customers involved by online discussions. Probably they main reason Blockbuster is now trying to conform to THEIR platform rather than the old uneffective way of renting movies.

Yahoo Integrates Social Media with email

Yahoo has recently launched the new Beta program that allows users to now link their facebook, twitter, flickr, and other social media accounts. This new program is available on all of the latest technology as well; droid, ipad, iphone, all while linking directly to your PC.

Of course, Beta has a lot of really interesting email related perks but the mail thing I am impressed by is how linked it will be to social media sites. Pictures from Flickr can now be opened into email messages. An email can be sent straight to a facebook status update or a twitter "tweet". The use of social media is getting easier and easier. Now it is almost thrown into the consumers face, every possible source for social media is being filled with an ad to "check us out on facebook". Consumers can post or search through websites and company profiles in one simple step thanks to the constant growth of social media. It is slowly proving that social media is NOT a fad, it is here to stay.

US government uses social media to find fraud...

http://www.visabureau.com/america/news/15-10-2010/us-government-using-social-media-to-detect-us-visa-bogus-marriage-fraud.aspx
Hopefully you read the above article since it is really short. This whole idea is crazy! I think it is scary that social media has become so popular that government officials are now using it for very important jobs like this. Not to mention the security issue there, I don't think I want those people creeping around on facebook.

Also, I think this is a very very smart tactic. Its clever to use something considered for free time as a tool to catch people who are lying about their affairs and get a little more perspective on them.
It is very interesting how the article pointed out most of the time the government accounts will be added as friends because the people they are monitoring like the attention. Thankfully I never add anyone who I don't recognize. Just the whole idea that the government is using social media proves even more that it is not a fad and its here to stay.

Old Spice Guy or Monster?

In class last week, we watched the video I have posted below about the Old Spice Guy. A funny 33 second video that has now reached over 1.6 million views, it has turned into an incredibily successful advertising campaign. I honestly don't think that anyone expected it to be as popular as it was. The video started a whole stream of twitter posts and Old Spice actually made videos as a response. The videos circulated all over the internet and email, only giving the company more and more free exposure.
Now, Old Spice is getting more attention on the news and online thanks to the video Grover from Sesame Street posted about "How to smell like a monster." The video clearly spoofs the original and plays off the same jokes only with the childish audience in mind. Of course this is a direct reference to pop culture and I don't excpect any of the kids to understand it. The video is mostly something the parents would pick up on. Either way it is amazing to think that a tiny Old Spice video can make such an impact on the online community. It has now even hit big by having a popular children's show create a spoof about it. Now we as viewers just have to decide who we think is cuter, The Old Spice Guy or Grover...
Smell like a monster