Study: Marketers Should Use Social Networking

A new study indicates users are beginning to better understand the limitations and strengths of social networks. Social media tools – RSS, podcasts and blogs – are growing in popularity with both users, and online marketers can use the same tools to increase revenue.

by Kristina Knight

All of the “Emerging Digital Channels: Consumer Adoption, Attitudes & Behavior” respondents said they used email regularly. Text messaging (88%), message boards (71%), blogs (63%), podcasts (38%) and RSS feeds (28%) were also favorite tools for study respondents.

"Emerging technologies are offering marketers and consumers an increasing number of channels through which to communicate, although marketers are allocating budgets for multi-channel communication without a clear understanding of the effectiveness and desirability of each channel," said Doug Anderson, president of Bluestreak (via MarketingVOX).

From a marketing standpoint, the most surprising result is that emerging technology users don’t mind a few advertisements mixed in. The only medium they prefer not to see any advertising is text messaging. Many users seem to look at advertising as a trade off – if they want good content there must be some form of advertising on the site.

Marketers can take advantage of this availability to advertisements by using emerging technology to advertise products. Social networkers are known for responding to peer-to-peer reviews and content, so having reviews of products readily available via a blog or feed is a good way to change browsers to converted shoppers.