Adotas, the online newsletter about interactive advertising reported that, “Nielsen has come out with a new report that shows 17% of all time online last month was spent on social networking and blogging sites.”
This is a significant leap. It really shows that social media is an important part of our lives. In that report in Adotas, Jon Gibs, VP of media and agency insights for Nielsen’s online division stated “This growth suggests a wholesale change in the way the Internet is used. While video and text content remain central to the Web experience — the desire of online consumers to connect, communicate and share is increasingly driving the medium’s growth.”
What does all this mean for you? Well, the first thing is that the elements of social media are becoming more effective tools. That’s very good news! But, it also means you have to be careful. You have to spend money in the particular social media opportunity that gives you a chance to talk directly to your potential clients.
As I mentioned in my previous post, cities and downtowns can do very well on Facebook. I told you how Scott Corey used a very small advertising budget on Facebook to add fans to the Suisun City Facebook page. That’s because Facebook is an intimate, friendly, personal environment. What is closer to you than your hometown? But if you have a business message, you still have to consider LinkedIn first. And if you’re in a rock band, MySpace is probably the best answer. The possibilities of YouTube become more interesting as time goes on. And very likely Twitter may be ready to figure out how to let you buy advertising.
So, the great news is—we’re all spending a larger amount of time on social media sites. The important thing for you is to be clear about your goals and where your audience is. And then go there!
I am surprised that Nielsens report found that ONLY 17% of all time online was spent on social networking and blogging sites. I wonder how that percentage fluctuates every month? Also, would that percentage include time spent on blogging and social networking sites on mobile phones, or just computers?