Surveys about how marketers are using social networks seem to be released every quarter or so, and as we move toward the fourth quarter of 2014, the trend continues toward more resources being dedicated to social and digital marketing. The article from Ad Age below highlights how social media ad buys are topping traditional ad buys for small businesses, while another article makes the case that B2B marketers are also most comfortable with social media marketing. And as we follow the thought-provoking fun of Denver Startup Week on Twitter (@DENStartupWeek), it’s easy to see many of those survey results in action.
Organic vs. Paid
The Guardian: Pay to Play – The End of Free Social Media Marketing?
The debate over organic content vs. paid content continues, and this article offers some thought-provoking stats about how content is distributed, how often it’s seen by consumers (organic vs. paid) and what the future looks like. Ultimately, we love this sentiment, “It could be that it simply comes down to producing content that is both relevant to your audience and tied to long-term business goals, rather than chasing virality and looking for quick wins.” Relevant content always wins.
Social Media Trends
Ad Age: Small Businesses Spend More on Social Than Any Other Media
A survey released this week highlights how social media ad buys are outpacing traditional ad buys for small and medium-sized businesses. Of overall advertising budgets, small businesses are dedicating 21.4 percent toward social mediums and just 18.5 percent toward print and outdoor. The article cites many of the same conveniences with social advertising that we’re finding at GFM: user-friendliness, cost-effectiveness and low-participation barriers.
B2B Social Media
The Drum: Social Media the Most Effective Channel for B2B, 79% of Marketers Believe
Another recent survey of business-to-business markers indicates the growing credibility (and adoption) of digital and social networks as a marketing channel. Seventy-nine percent of those surveyed feel that social media is the most effective digital channel, and on average, 39 percent of budgets are spent on digital efforts compared to websites (28 percent), email (16 percent) and social media (15 percent).
Social Media Tools
Ragan.com: 6 Free Digital Marketing Tools
We love new technologies, and we love free tools that help us with our day-to-day work even more. This article outlines some great (and free) tools that help us spice up visuals, data and social media content on the go.
Denver Startup Week
Denver Business Journal: What Makes Colorado Startups Unique
It’s been a busy and fun week around Denver thanks to the third annual #DENStartupWeek. Lots of tech talks, innovative concepts, entrepreneurial thinking and social media fodder have filled our week. We love the startup scene in our hometown, and this DBJ article highlights many of the reasons.
New Stories on the GFM blog this week:
Entrepreneur Magazine Picks up GFM Post on Media Pitching Tips
Reporters’ Week Long Experience Engaging with PR Professionals Eye Opening and LOL
