How involved are consumers with social?
Data from Involver shows 14% of Americans’ time spent online is within the social space; one in six minutes is spent sharing, tweeting, updating or playing games on social networks. Their data also shows than in September 2010 47% of adults had ‘liked’ a brand on Facebook; in April 2011 59% had done so.
As for what to expect from social networks heading in to the New Year, Larry Drebes, Janrain CEO believes social has a strong life expectancy in 2012, especially the social login.
“A key part of social are the user profiles stored on the various networks. In 2012, consumers will become savvier about the different types of identities they control and manage. For example, LinkedIn for professional purposes, Twitter for sharing news, PayPal for commerce, etc,” said Drebes. “On the flip side, businesses or brands will get savvier about the social profile data passed to them with the user’s permission through the social login process.”
As for security in the social space, Shoutlet has completed a SOC 2 audit – which basically means independent auditors have accredited them as secure and reliable. The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) developed the SAS 70 audit, now called the SOC 2.
“An organization that undergoes an SOC 2 audit demonstrates to its customers, users, and prospects that it has moved beyond startup and entrepreneurial status. It is dedication to integrity, honesty, quality, stability, and reliability; and distinguishes itself as a mature entity open to independent inspection of its practices and controls,” said Robert Emkow, Certified Information Technology Auditor.
“In the world of social media, protecting customer, fan, and follower data is critical. We’re proud to be the first in our category to undergo the rigorous review process that independently validates our commitment to the highest level of privacy and security for our customers,” said Shoutlet CEO, Jason Weaver.
Meanwhile, small businesses have a new place to look for social media statistics and management. VerticalResponse has acquired Roost, a platform which allows users to create, schedule, publish and track social media actions from a single desktop.
“The number of our customers who share their email marketing campaigns with their social networks has increased over 1,400% since the beginning of 2011, so it’s clear that small businesses understand the power of social media. Now with Roost’s social media marketing tools, they can take their customer engagement efforts to the next level,” said Janine Popick, VerticalResponse CEO.
How important is social to most people? According to the Social Life Audit one-third (32%) of Americans believe a Facebook page is the best microscope into another person’s life – better than a month-to-month calendar or even credit card statements.
