At a recent event I was asked whether I thought social media was a fad. The finding of a new survey from the Association of National Advertisers, BtoB Magazine and marketing services firm Mktg should put that thought to rest — more than half the marketers polled (55 percent) said they’ve shifted funds from traditional media budgets to execute social media campaigns. 48 percent said they took money from marketing communications budgets. Twenty-six percent said they created an incremental budget.
What are they doing with the money?
- 66 percent of marketers have used social media in 2009, compared to 20 percent in 2007
- 50 percent have employed viral videos so far this year, up from only 25 percent in 2007
The top sites used are:
- Facebook (74 percent)
- YouTube (65 percent)
- Twitter (63 percent)
- LinkedIn (60 percent)
In 2009, the most effective newer media platforms were:
- Search engine marketing (SEM) (65 percent)
- Own Web site (59 percent)
- Search engine optimization (SEO) (55 percent)
- E-mail marketing (45 percent)
The study also showed the different ways BtoC and BtoB marketers use social media:
- Mobile is three times more likely to be used by b-to-c marketers
- LinkedIn rates first with b-to-b marketers
- Facebook is top among b-to-c marketers
- Twitter is used more by b-to-b marketers (70 percent) than b-to-c marketers (46 percent)
What tools will be hot in the next year?
For those not yet using these platforms 34 percent said blogs, 28 percent think mobile is the way to go and 23 percent will start using social media.
What’s your hot choice for the next year?
Image credit: WebSuccessDiva
