Social media not social enough for many digital marketers
Published August 04, 2011
There is a growing understanding that social media is important to overall digital marketing efforts, as a recent survey from agency new business development group RSW/US and digital marketing agency Web Liquid found 74 percent of marketers now try to track consumers' digital discussions about brands.
The companies said marketers know social media monitoring is valuable, with 95 percent of survey respondents reporting they think tracking what consumers say about brands is key to marketing campaigns.
"Word-of-mouth is one of the oldest and most trusted forms of media, and provides foundational insights about customers and brands even in today's digital environment," states Matt Cronin, a Web Liquid founding partner. He added that while there are plenty of options for social media monitoring and other internet marketing automation tools, "marketers also need more sophisticated programs in place to capitalize on the growing opportunities in this online conversation."
The study found that less that one-quarter of respondents - 23 percent - said they're "very satisfied" with their current options for monitoring tools.
In spite of the survey's results, CMS Wire reports many companies still see social media as something they can tack on to a more traditional marketing campaign, rather than something that needs to be fully integrated.