2. Where did social media start
• Social media isn’t really “new.” While it has only recently become part of
mainstream culture and the business world, people have been using digital media
for networking, socializing and information gathering – almost exactly like now –
for over 30 years
• Social media is one of those terms that means different things to different people.
Some history: it was originally associated with Web 2.0, the Web's shift from
publishing to a platform for the masses to share content and opinions. Then the
corporate world caught on that social media wasn't just for consumers; the
term Enterprise 2.0 emerged to take Web 2.0 inside the enterprise, and the phrase
social media expanded to include both.
Borders, Brett. "A Brief History Of Social Media." A Brief History Of Social Media. N.p., 2 June 2009. Web. 05 Aug. 2012.
<http://copybrighter.com/history-of-social-media>.
Bradley, Anthony J., and Mark P. McDonald. "HBR Blog Network." Harvard Business Review. Hrb Blog Network, 10 Oct. 2011. Web.
05 Aug. 2012. <http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/10/the_true_so-what_of_social_med.html>.
4. Currently in the social network
• More than 50% of consumers indicated they follow
retailers on social media platforms to obtain
information on deals and coupons
• The average American is spending roughly 6 hours a
month on Facebook alone, so there’s tremendous
potential to increase your exposure through this
medium.
• The ultimate goal of social media is to create a
personal connection between buyer and seller
"Social Media Resource Center." V12 Group – High Performance Data and
Data Technology. V12 Group’s Social Media Resource Center, n.d. Web. 05
Aug. 2012. <http://www.v12groupinc.com/socialmedia-resource-center/>.
5. Opportunity and Benefits
• Total number of Facebook users worldwide1.2 Billion
• Total number of registered Twitter users105,779,710
• 26.3% of all web display advertising takes place on
social sites, yet only 10% of retailer’s display
advertising is on social sites.
This is a tremendous amount of possible people you can
reach just by using facebook and twitter alone.
"Statistic Brain " Statistic Brain. Web. 05 Aug. 2012.
<http://www.statisticbrain.com/>.
6. Continued…
• Low cost - most social media platforms are completely free to use,
the only cost to businesses being the time spent on updating
profiles and interacting with contacts.
• Measurability - With social media, businesses can test marketing
messages and approaches, gauge user responses and tweak the
message accordingly
• Flexibility - , information can be published in seconds, making it
possible for businesses to ensure that their content is always up to
date
Salcido, Miguel. "Advantages of Using Social Media | Advantages of Media."
Advantages of Using Social Media | Advantages of Media. Organic SEO
Consultant, n.d. Web. 05 Aug. 2012.
<http://www.organicseoconsultant.com/advantages-of-using-social-media/>.
7. Final Thoughts
• Social media today is one of the largest avenues of business growth and
exposure. If nothing else for the sheer volume of people you can reach.
“With over 500 million users, Facebook is now used by 1 in every 13
people on earth, with over 250 million of them (over 50%) who log in
every day” (digitalbuzzblog). As the number of people you can influence
the better for your business. “Word of mouth has been shown to be the
best way to drive clients to your business”( optimum7). “It seems likely
that social media is here to stay and the key challenge for corporations is
likely to be how they integrate these new technologies into their existing
media mix” (melcrum). The opportunities are endless within the social
network. You have an invaluable resource that is both free and profitable.
Inci, Duran. "Social Networking in the Corporate World." Social Networking in the Corporate World. Optimum7, 13 Jan. 2011.
Web. 05 Aug. 2012. <http://www.optimum7.com/internet-marketing/social-media/social-networking-in-the-corporate-
world.html>.
Hepburn, Aden. "Facebook Statistics, Stats & Facts For 2011Â |Â Digital Buzz Blog." Digital Buzz Blog. Digital Buzz Blog, 18 Jan.
2011. Web. 05 Aug. 2012. <http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/facebook-statistics-stats-facts-2011/>.
Gregory, Daniel. "Social Media and the Corporate Communicator." Social Media and the Corporate Communicator. Melcrum,
n.d. Web. 05 Aug. 2012. <http://www.melcrum.com/about/press/smr.shtml>.
