According to a study performed by the Pew Research Center—a nonpartisan fact tank—in May 2013, over 70 percent of adults use one or more of the social media sites available online. Even with these statistics, only about 50 percent of individuals trusted online social media sites for advertising. As of February 2014, newspaper ads are still the most trusted form of advertising media that is available today. The other forms of trusted media that individuals and companies turn to for information and advertising instead of using social media include magazines, television, radio, and billboards.
It's easy to understand why some people would think social media sites have taken over. Approximately three out of every four adults who get online have a Facebook account. Other social media sites include Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and LinkedIn. These websites make it easy for new and old friends to get acquainted or reacquainted, and they offer a simple solution on how to stay in touch with loved ones, especially when they live far away from one another. It is also much faster to connect online than sending a letter through the mail, which could take weeks to arrive at its destination.
According to a recent article in Fox Business, both small and big companies use social media sites to build bigger brands and to increase sales. Snapchat can be used to send deals to customers, ads on Twitter and Facebook help spread the word about a brand to potential customers, and business-networking sites are an easy way to meet with other professionals and get recommendations without having to attend tradeshows and other events. Even though the Internet provides an easy way to communicate, nothing beats face-to-face communication with customers, and letters and invitations to events are still an excellent way to provide the personal touch that is not possible with social media sites.
In spite of the convenience of looking online for a product, most consumers prefer a printed version of a catalog to an online one, according to Forbes Magazine. Even the majority of companies who are using social media sites continue to publish print catalogs for their customers. Catalogs are a form of successful direct marketing, and even though they have remained unchanged, the way customers can place a catalog order has improved; the majority of orders are either placed online or over the phone but rarely through the mail.
Even though social media sites have changed the way we do business and communicate with one another, there is still a wide variety of other media options. Most companies have transitioned over so they can accommodate both print and Internet users, but one can assume social media is here to stay.
(Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net)
Become a member to take advantage of more features, like commenting and voting.
Register or sign in today!