By Lisa Hester, Senior Account Manager
As PR professionals, we constantly urge our clients to consider their social media presence, whether that be to initiate, expand and/or evaluate their activity. Why? As we are keenly aware, social media is an ever-expanding avenue through which literally billions of people communicate, learn, analyze and engage on a regular basis. In fact, according to experts, the number of social media users is expected to grown to more than 2.77 billion people worldwide, up from 2.46 billion just two short years ago. Thus, a well-tuned social media plan is critical to reaching today’s customers, potential customers, the media and influencers…a plan that is laser-focused on the right messages …your story, your brand, your products and your culture…with both consistency and regularity.
For any doubters that social media usage is thriving today more than ever, a recent Neilsen survey showed that American adults spend more than 11 hours per day watching, reading, listening to or interacting on social media. That’s up from nine hours and 32 minutes in 2014.
What’s more, users have grown to depend on social media as a hub for so much more than in the early days when entertainment and leisure were the top reasons to engage. For example, a recent TEKGROUP survey revealed:
* 90% believe social media is an important tool for posting and writing news and information
* 83% believe that social media is important for following and monitoring news
* 84% believe social media is important for sharing and recommending news
Among the most popular of the social media platforms, are:
* Facebook, 1.86 billion active users
* Twitter, 326 million active users
* Instagram, 111 million active users
* LinkedIn, 250 million active users
Given these remarkable statistics, it’s clear why we stress to our clients that mediocrity just won’t do when it comes to a social media program. Potentially more than 2.77 billion set of eyes…2 billion+…could access news and information about your brand. And while it may be unrealistic to expect your company’s information will be accessed by 2 billion people, it should still lend some perspective as to the vast audience that could access information about your brand. With the growing population of social media users, the growing popularity of some specific social media platforms and the new and ever-changing reasons for being online, it is too vital to leave untouched the social media plan your company created years ago. A plan that harnesses the power of social media to home in on your key audiences and provides the messaging that elevates your brand above the rest is critical.
At Rountree Group, our team of experts can help your company evaluate its social media plan, offer feedback and insights and/or create strategies that will help your brand not just exist, but flourish in the online world. Contact Don Rountree at don@rountreegroup.com and/or 770-645-4545 and let us lend a hand.