designing strategies newsletter

March – April 2019                    Volume 16 —  Issue 88

Remember when you were just a kid growing up?  Like everyone else, we all went through what our mothers fondly referred to as growth spurts.  Those were times when we seemed to grow faster and change more quickly than normal.  Social media seems to have been going through those types of  growth spurts as long as they have been in existence.  There is nothing sporadic about it for them.  It is always going on.

social media marketing report 2018Change seems to be a constant for those SM platforms that have grown to the top of the heap.  Social media growth spurts keeps small businesses – and, yes, even large companies –  on their toes at all times.  Just as we think we have a clear understanding of what we need to do for social media marketing success, the game changes.

‘Got it!’ does not seem like something any of us will ever be able to say about social media marketing.  At least, we won’t use that phrase for very long.  To keep positions as leaders in the war for social media supremacy, sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn constantly add new features and remove others to remain competitive.  Members bemoan the fact that older, established and very useful features disappear entirely or work less effectively.   Users are less interested in a constant flow of new bright, shiny objects than they are in an efficient platform from which to market their business to customers.

Social Media Marketing People Want to Know

Each year for the past ten, Social Media Examiner has provided a report on the State of Social Media Marketing Industry – subtitle:  How Marketers Are Using Social Media to Grow Their Businesses.  The most recent report came out in 2018.  The information in this report comes from nearly 6,000 people in the marketing sector of business.  The focus of the survey was to find out how they use social media to grow and promote their businesses.   Among so many other things in this 44-page report, marketers can find:

  • Benefits of Social Media marketing
  • Most used Social Media platforms
  • Organic and Paid Social Media marketing trends

Major Social Media Marketing Trends Revealed

Remarkably, most of the more important revelations that came from this survey relate to Facebook.   About half of the marketers surveyed notice remarkably high changes to their organic reach through Facebook.  That would be, of course, organically reaching  followers without paying for advertising.  A number of people I know have seen their organic reach drop to 10% to 15% and some, even lower than that.  Guess who owns your list of Friends on Facebook?  Not you.  94% of marketers still feel Facebook is a strong marketing channel in the social media world.  Strategies have changed:  marketers now focus less on building ‘community’ from their followers than in the past.

What Social Media Marketers Want to Know

Like most of us, respondents to the Social Media Examiner survey have lots of questions about social media marketing.  So far, I have found no easy approaches or long term tactics that work with the various social media platforms.  A full 84% of marketers surveyed wanted answers to every one of the following questions.  Those questions look very familiar, don’t they?  The first two and the very last one are of particular interest to me.  How about you?

social media marketing report

 

The Social Media Examiner 2018 Marketing Industry Report contains 44 pages of information you will find useful in planning your marketing through 2019. It’s easy to read and understand for even Social Media Newbies.  Charts and Graphs abound.   Click here to get a full copy of the survey.

No matter what type of planning you do to move your small business forward, research plays an important part. Social media marketing remains a major tool for reaching out and engaging your ideal customers.  This social media marketing research report for 2018 will be extremely helpful in developing your own marketing strategy and tactics.   If you missed these previous MCG articles on social media, they will be helpful in your research as well.

Top Social Media Trends for 2018

Video Marketing Research – 2019 Data, Tips & Trends

The more you know, the better your position will be when you begin your marketing plan.  Different types of marketing and marketing channels all have their own set of rules and guidelines.  Leverage your knowledge base to increase your return-on-investment (ROI) for marketing to move your small business to increased sales and profits.

VISUALIZE – ANALYZE – STRATEGIZE

Your Small Business to Marketing Success!