Last October, we reported that “93% of social media users said that brands should have some presence on social media outlets.” Well, a year later, it’s evident that companies share the same sentiment and are ready to take on the world of social media.
The e-tailing group and PowerReviews recently released findings of their first annual Community and Social Media Study, which assessed the social media adaptation rate of 117 companies, as well as their motivation for utilizing these social media tools.
The findings show that social media has already become a part of the marketing mix for many companies, with a majority of the remaining companies planning to adapt within the next year.
According to the study, Facebook has become the most popular social media outlet among companies, as 96% of the retailers surveyed either already utilized Facebook (86%) or plan to within the next year (10%). However, other word of mouth and social media outlets are not overlooked, as 94% of respondents plan to take advantage of customer reviews and 91% plan to utilize Twitter by the end of 2010.
The findings go on to uncover that the companies’ primary goals for using social media tools, besides driving sales, are (1) to engage their customers, (2) increase brand loyalty, and (3) mobilize their advocates to drive word of mouth.
So what does this all mean for you and your brand? Well, if you’re not already using social media to engage your consumers, there’s a good chance that your competitors already are…or they’re planning to do so within the next year.
If you’re thinking about jumping into the social media game, or you’re not sure how to engage consumers on your online networks, check out some back to basic tips here.
