Think social networking sites are just for teens and people with too much time on their hands? The Center for Media Research gives a glimpse at social media use and how it’s changing the way the internet is being used by the wealthy.
“… the participation of wealthy online consumers in social networks dramatically increased to 60% in 2008, from 27% in 2007. Participation levels of online wealthy consumers in leading social networks are 16% for MySpace, 13% for LinkedIn, and 11% for Facebook. “
Mark my words. More online marketing efforts must become less like advertising and more like public relations. Even when a MySpace page is filled with ads, consumers are typically oblivious to their presence. But when a company finally “gets it”, and steps into to the snarky frontier of a social media with candor and insight, they become more relevant.
This is a scary thing for most businesses to hear, but it’s the truth. The customer is in control, and they’re talking about you in blogs, forums and text messages beyond your control.
But you’re not completely impotent, and can still be very influential in buying decisions. Social Influence Marketing. It’s not for the faint of heart, but nows the time to seriously consider the pros and cons.
Filed under: Marketing etc., social media/networks
