A report came out from the CIM this week that says the majority of marketers still do not see social media platforms as a usefull channel in which to aquire new customers. A measly 23% of marketers believe that social channels will help in getting new customers, according to the study.
The report, which looked at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn, also found that a third (34.5%) of the 1,500 marketers polled said that their social media activity in 2011 was “not at all effective”, with only 13.7% reporting it was “extremely effective”.
The CIM report fuels the debate on the effectiveness of social media. In these times of restricted marketing budgets it is hard to justify expenditure on something that generates followers, retweets and sheep flung in the direction of other contacts
The CIM says that marketers are also failing to see the value of social media as an insight tool, with only 20% of marketers using Facebook for market research. Whilst some companies such as Nestle are using SM to test out new flavors of Kit-Kat, other brands are seeing it only as a necessary evil that maintains their market position rather than building on it.
Despite doubts however, the report found that 74.5% of marketers plan to increase their investment in social media in 2012. Is this a sign that maybe more people can see its uses than they want to let on? With a new channel, people like to keep their cards close to their chest and look to get a jump on the competition. Is this is what is happening here?
The CIM surveyed 900 senior UK marketers as part of a 1500 strong global panel.
Id like to know if you are using social media, do you find it useful? Is it a vital sales tool or another channel that is eating your marketing budget that could be used more effectively elsewhere.
