Mike Andrew Consulting

Social Media – Fast Becoming A Trusted Advisor

By mike, Oct 01 in blog with 0 comments

Have you ever wondered just how intrusive social networking has become in our daily lives, or does it just seem that people around you are obsessed with their social media network activities, then you might just be right.

New research just released today from the US, indicates social media users say their social networks make up their most important activities on a daily basis, both on line and off line, and I bet you thought it was just people like me who were obsessed with it didn’t you.

The only on line activity that was considered more important was email, with chatting and web browsing as daily activities ranking lower. When they were asked to compare online social networking with off line activities, social media site users responded that going out with friends was more important, and that puts social networking miles ahead of real life activities such as playing games,watching TV and playing sport.

So what is the main activity that users get up to on these internet social networks? 81% of site users said posting photos as their top activity with responding to others posts and posting about their own thoughts or daily activities, next in line.

Now the good news, and this is really very important news for companies who are using social media, is that over 40% of users said they linked in with a company, product or service on a social network, and 38% had actually clicked on paid advertisements.

Another very important consideration for business in this survey, is the trust factor, users of social networks place high trust in their social network, with more than 50% saying they considered information shared on their network when considering or researching products or services, and this trust factor was higher amongst the younger users, with over 65% of 18 to 24 year olds using referrals or advertising gained from their social network.

This finding is very very important for those in the business community, because the survey shows that Gen X&Y have integrated social media networks into their daily lives in such a way, that it has now become a trusted resource in their decision making process.

The inclusion of social media into your marketing plan is now vital, particularly when it comes to building brand loyalty for the future. Creating trust and having the right strategy in place for social networking is the key factor in building success with social networks, understanding how to network within in this space and becoming the trusted adviser are the key elements to a successful social media strategy.

Mike Andrew owns and operates an Internet Marketing Consultancy on the Gold Coast in Queensland

About the author

Mike Andrew has been working with the Internet and small business for over 12 years. Mike has been a keynote speaker at conventions and seminars and conducted social media training sessions all over the world. Mike has an extensive media background having worked in electronic media for over 30 years. Mike specialises in social media and Internet marketing strategy, SEO techniques and search engine marketing campaigns. His articles appear on numerous blogs around the web as well as national magazines.