This post by Lisa Arthur of Forbes cites a new report from American Business Media, the Business Marketing Association, Junta42 and MarketingProfs, citing the fact that…
…nine out of 10 B2B organizations now market with content. Most use social media (excluding blogs) (79 percent), articles (78 percent), in-person events (62 percent) and eNewsletters (61 percent).
The hurdle for many B2B marketers is generating the content that makes social media work on behalf of their businesses, and divining the effectiveness of that content and media when they’re utilized. This entire situation speaks to the point that when a marketer engages in social media, they need to do it with eyes wide, wide open — understanding that it’s a practice that requires expert implementation and sound analytics.
The constancy and fluidity of social media means that if you’re expecting measurable results, you’ve got to apply a scientific approach. Digital media are supremely trackable; they present opportunities to capture and analyze results like no other previous marketing channel. And its success relies on content — in whatever its shape and form — that’s strategically developed and delivered, compelling and engagement-worthy for its audience, and technically astute in implementation.
The lesson has to be that social media provide some of the most compelling and dynamic ways of touching customers and prospects — but it requires a thoughtful and rigorously-managed approach to show real ROI. You’re either all in or you’re all out…there’s very little in-between in this brave new world of marketing.
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