Tag: social media marketing

Recent research is indicating that this channel is an important route to generating trends and conversions.

As smartphone penetration continues its rapid rise, it has been predicted by recent research that social media marketing over these devices will play a growing role in the success of mobile commerce.

The popularity of smartphones is bringing an increase in the growth of the use of online content from those sources.

For example, a recent report from Brafton indicated that smartphone users and tablet users have increased their visits to websites by 52 percent this year, when compared to the same time last year. Moreover, the design of a brand’s site can elicit various reactions from visitors. Done properly, and optimized for a smaller screen and touchscreen functions, brands can elicit excitement and a drive to learn more and take action – such as make a purchase – leading to a potential rise in conversions.

Social media marketing helps to drive consumers to those landing pages so that they can be converted.

Another report, this time from Vision Critical, determined that social media marketing can also help mobile commerce by easing the transition to the channel from having only been on the standard web. Even when the smartphone optimized or responsive website has not yet been created, brands can use Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, and even YouTube to help to make sure that they are making themselves present, available, and relevant to smartphone consumers, even before an official website or app (or both) remain in the pipeline.

In the Vision Critical survey, 35 percent of mobile Twitter users said that they completed all of their social media marketing inspired purchases right from their smartphones. Moreover, an additional 46 percent said that they did most or some of those purchases from their devices. Only 19 percent said that they transferred over to their desktops or laptops to complete the transaction.

This suggests that social media marketing can directly lead to conversions over mobile commerce. It was supported further as the trend was not isolated to Twitter. Among Facebook users, 17 percent said that they always used their device for that reason, while 40 percent said that they did for part of them. Among Pinterest users, the figures were 19 percent and 43 percent, respectively.

In a recent interview, the CEO of major Canadian marketing companies revealed her opinion on the channel.

One of the most renowned independent marketers and communications entrepreneurs in Canada, Arlene Dickinson has shared her views on social media marketing and its associated cost.

She was interviewed by Ernst & Young over video to share her ideas with the other marketers.

According to Dickinson, when comparing the cost of social media marketing with more traditional techniques, she began her answer by pointing out that “it’s really difficult to compare cost.” The reason is that it is very hard to look at a comparison of cost on its own when it comes to any kind of advertising tools, not just this particular type.

Dickinson takes a deeper view of the value of social media marketing beyond what is spent.

She went on to explain that social media marketing can appear to be “much less expensive” when it is compared to more traditional methods. However, she explained that “it’s really about whether or not you’re getting your audience to hear your message and to act on your message.” For that reason, it can be very challenging to look exclusively on the number of dollars put into a specific tool for a specific campaign, because the impact must also be brought into consideration.

Dickinson also explained that this is the case no matter the purpose of the social media marketing or other form of advertising, from attempting to encourage people to take action, purchase something, or to build a brand.

Therefore, Dickinson feels that “just a cost analysis is never the right way to look at it.” Instead the ROI (return on investment) must be examined based on the dollars that have been spent and the size of the budget for that purpose.

This can help to place social media marketing in a new light, as many people have either applauded it for being extremely inexpensive, while at the same time others have booed it because it doesn’t always generate the same results as more traditional methods. The ROI must be the measure of a certain campaign’s success.

Dickinson is the CEO of Venture Communications and is broadly known for her strategic and creative approach which has made the company an international powerhouse with a client list filled with blue chip organizations. She is also the CEO of YouInc.com and Arlene Dickinson Enterprises, and is known for her participation in the award winning television series, Dragons’ Den and The Big Decision, as well as being the author of the book Persuasion – a #1 Best Selling book, and the creator of the Persuasion product line.