This has continued to increase due to the launch of Google Plus, Google's attempt to create their own social networking tool! We will be monitoring the effect this has on social media trends as well as more general browsing habits.
Whilst there are many positive reasons for social media marketing there is still a lot of value and much to be gained from other marketing channels. One that shouldn't be overlooked is e-mail marketing.
Mailers work best when you are communicating with existing clients or old prospects. These people will be familiar with your company name and be more open to receiving information from you. Of all the marketing campaigns we undertake we find the open rate and click through for mailers to a 'known' database is on average double the rate that it is for a new or bought in database.
If you do not currently have a database built on past relationships or business dealings then start to build one. Use your website to collect the names and e-mails of people visiting your site. The best way to accelerate this is to offer something in return for the e-mail address, such as;
- Subscription to a newsletter
- The download of a brochure
- A voucher
- A log-in for a members only area of the website
- A promotional gift
Once you have a good database of contacts who want to hear from you it allows you to market pro-actively to them using an e-mail marketing system.
Also on our radar
Is Google's recent re-design (you have noticed it) which has been aimed at making the search and subsequent results more friendly for use on a tablet style device. The uptake on I-Pads (29 million sold to date!)and the subsequent flood of similar products could change the way that browsers and websites function so we are keeping a very keen eye on developments there.
Happy Browsing,
Ben