The time is right for social marketing
Posted: July 20, 2011 | 8:43 ET by Tessa Wegert

Still haven't embraced social media as part of your digital marketing strategy? Now's the time. Not only is Google+ up and running (and prepared, Google says, to "fix" what's wrong with online sharing), but Canadians continue to show their allegiance to making meaningful connections online. Ipsos Reid reports that 60 per cent of online Canadians – which amounts to 50 per cent of all Canadians – now have a social networking profile.

This fascination with social networking spans all demographic groups. Eighty-six per cent of 18 to 34-year old Internet users have a social presence, but so do 62 per cent of those aged 35 to 54, and 43 per cent of users 55 and older. The frequency with which Canadians use social sites like Facebook is on the rise, as is their interest in other social networking services like Twitter and LinkedIn. Perhaps most interesting to advertisers is the evidence that nearly half of all Canadian social site users "like" or "follow" an average of 6.7 brands through their social site of choice.

In other words, if your campaign objectives include creating a long-term relationship with online consumers, your digital media buys should be supplemented by a Facebook page and a Twitter account. Both allow marketers to deliver branded content and exclusive offers over time. And if the current trend toward social media is any indication, you'll be doing so for a long time to come.



Tags: Consumer Attitudes , Interactive Strategist , Marketing Strategy , Marketing Trends , Social Media


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Tessa Wegert is a veteran media strategist with a background in media planning and buying, content development, ad copywriting, and campaign management. As a prominent industry writer she has been covering digital marketing and technology for leading newspapers and trade publications for over a decade. Connect with her on Twitter (@tessawegert) and LinkedIn.
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