You can’t watch a news show or read a periodical or blog without someone weighing in on the value of social media. If you’re not sure what to do, you have plenty of company. A recent Citibank/GfK Roper study found that 76% of small businesses find that social networks aren’t helping them grow their businesses. That’s a sobering stat.
But then a recent Performics study found that an impressive number of consumers are using social networks to share brand info: 46% say they would talk about or recommend a product on Facebook, and 44% would do so on Twitter. Meanwhile, 36% of YouTube visitors have visited a business’ website after hearing of a brand on a social network site.
The study also found that communicating relevant messages in the consumers’ language and on their terms yielded the best prospect for growth in sales. So what gives? Are the Citibank/GfK Roper businesses just not using social media effectively?
What’s been your experience? We’d like to know.