Click here to view Sergio’s 2009 Digital Impact Conference presentation Social Media’s Role In Building Your Brand: Your Brand Is What “They” Say It Is.
Whether you are fortifying your brand to endure the economic downturn, or repositioning your brand in preparation for the economic rebound, consider this:
Your brand is no longer what you say it is, it’s what “they” say it is. And the social media marketplace is where “they” – customers, prospects, journalists and other influencers – are talking about your brand. They are forming and sharing opinions that will impact your brand at the speed of light, and you need a clear strategy to effectively foster these conversations. You also need to get it right the first time by understanding which tactics will help you control your brand before “they” control it for you.
We, at MarketingSherpa, recently conducted the most comprehensive study of social media marketing and PR practices to date. 1886 social media practitioners participated in this study. When we asked them which strategic communications goals social media has been most effective at helping them accomplish, more than 90% said it was brand building. They also told us which tactics rated highest, not only in achieving their branding objectives, but in producing a favorable marketing ROI.
We found that integrating social media into the marketing mix can produce results in which “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”. This chart demonstrates which marketing tactics offered the best fit with social media.
Social media is changing the way companies communicate in the pursuit of commerce. And the change is not limited to the way marketers communicate with customers and prospects, it is having an even greater impact on how PR agencies and in-house practitioners communicate their brand to journalists and other influencers. The impact of this change is far reaching, and it is forcing many companies to learn to adapt or become extinct.
By Sergio Balegno, Senior Analyst with the MarketingSherpa Research Group. Sergio’s research focuses on the topics of Social Media Marketing and PR, Email Marketing, and Business Technology Marketing for MarketingSherpa Benchmark Guides and Special Reports. He is the lead author of the 2009 study, “Social Media Marketing and PR: Benchmarks and Best Practices”. Sergio presents his findings and opinions as a frequent speaker at MarketingSherpa summits, industry conferences and online events. His 30 years of marketing experience have included roles as client-side executive, agency principal, consultant and now as an analyst of emerging digital marketing strategies.
Social Media Benchmarks and Best Practices for 
Harnessing the Power of the Social Marketplace
MarketingSherpa’s first–ever “Social Media Marketing and PR: Benchmarks and Best Practices” comes at a critical point in the emergence of social media marketing and public relations, as organizations seek new ways to generate maximum revenue with minimal investment. This benchmark guide examines what really works in social media marketing with information based on in–depth research from 1,290 social media marketing and public relations practitioners. Download a free excerpt of the guide.
Join Balegno for his presentation “Social Media’s Role In Building Your Brand: Your Brand Is What “They” Say It Is” at the Digital Impact Conference: Learn to Profit From New Media, Thursday, April 30–Friday, May 1, 2009 in New York, NY!
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