Building a Business Case for Social Media. A Guidebook to the Benefits of Social Media and How to Sell it to the C-Suite

The business world is a twitter with streaming status updates, viral video sharing, 24/7 blogging and even social media enabled geo-location apps. Yet even with all this activity and interest, many in both the Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) spaces seem to be lagging in active social media implementation and participation. Sure, more savvy and forward-thinking executives are getting it and incorporating social media into their business building and marketing plans, but it seems like much of the business world is waiting for the proverbial tipping point.

That tipping point is already here. As less enthusiastic adopters flounder on ramping up resources to properly plan, execute and monitor social media – your customers are turning to social at astronomical rates. They expect you to be there, as well.

The rise of a community of individuals
About 13% of online adults in the U.S. use Twitter, according to a new report released June 2011 by the Pew Research Center. That's up from 8% about six months ago – a testament to the 5-year-old social networking site’s growing popularity. In addition, more than half (54%) of the adults who use Twitter send their tweets using a cell phone, Pew said in the update to its ongoing Internet and American Life Project study.

According to yet another Pew study, nearly half of all American adults (47%) report that they get at least some local news and information on their cell phone or tablet computer. The information they seek on mobile platforms is practical and real time: 42% of mobile device owners report getting weather updates and 37% get material about local businesses on their phones or tablets. Fewer get news about general news alerts or other local topics.

What is the connection between social media and the intense proliferation of mobile devices like smart phones and iPads? The answer is that these tools facilitate effortless sharing – and sharing is the name of the game in social media. As mobile usage – and social usage via mobile – continue to spike, so too does the need for businesses to market their brands and services via these platforms and tools.

Share