I can’t tell you how often I hear comments like, “Twitter is for kids” and excuses such as “I’m too old to have a Facebook”. At the risk of sounding harsh, you’re wrong! Social media is most definitely for everyone. Believe it or not, kids are not the only one’s deciding what technology works.
Consider these statistics recently cited by The New York Times:
- 12 to 17 year olds only make up 11 percent of all Twitter users.
- Teenagers only represent 14 percent of MySpace users and only 9 percent of Facebook.
- 35 to 54 year olds are the fastest growing market for the social media industry. This demographic has grown 60 percent in the last year.
If you haven’t already taken advantage of social media, you’ve got some work to do. My challenge: Start today. Social media is a relatively inexpensive and highly-effective tool in the toolbox. When used properly and combined with traditional media, it will create increased brand awareness and bottom line sales.
Here are some steps to get you started:
- Start your accounts: The registration process at each social networking site is simple and painless. With an e-mail and a few clicks, you are given access to millions potential customer profiles. Get started!
- Set goals: Timeline your goals. Set goals for the day, the month, and the year. Make sure these goals are specific, measurable and achievable. For example, in the first week, you may want create four new tweets to your clients.
- Integrate: Remember that social media is only a tool in the tool-box. Make sure that your social media endeavors are supported by a strong marketing plan that utilizes traditional, new, and emerging media.
- Stimulate a conversation: Through the social media outlets you choose, give your fans and followers relevant information that gets them involved in your business. Maybe you could give them information about a current or future promotion.
- Don’t resist change: As you all know, technology changes the way we live profoundly and rapidly. Social media itself is in a constant state of flux. Make sure you are always informed when it comes to new technology.
SRJ Marketing Communications specializes in applying social media in a fully integrated marketing strategy. For a consultation on how your business can benefit from social media marketing, contact us today. And remember, Twitter isn’t just for teens!
