A report from 33Across found that companies using social media marketing are investing in multiple platforms to reach a wider audience. In the past, Facebook’s dominance in the social space resulted in the network receiving a majority of attention. However, growth of Twitter, LinkedIn and other networks has led marketers to recognize them as viable elements of their new media marketing efforts.
According to the report, 70 percent of web marketers spend 80 percent of their time with platforms other than Facebook. This represents a substantial shift from nearly half who devoted more than 20 percent of their marketing efforts to Facebook when 33Across conducted the same survey in March.
33Across believes marketers have grown hesitant to focus so heavily on Facebook due to the issues surround its recent IPO, which has struggled to take off. Moreover, the general growth of other networks means prospects are also spending more time on them. Brafton recently reported that Google+ now boasts 250 million active users, and Twitter has exceeded 140 million active accounts.
Facebook’s value remains strong despite wavering doubt, but, like any other channel on the web, social success requires a diverse strategy. Whether it’s content marketing, email or social, companies with diverse target audiences should develop campaigns that reach each group where they spend the most time.
Companies using social media marketing must adjust their strategies to provide users with the content they’re looking for on the channel. Brafton recently highlighted a pair of studies that found most companies fail to provide adequate customer service on social. Social Bakers, for example, reported that just two industries are answering more than half of customer service-related posts on Facebook, while STELLAService said 56 percent of Tweets soliciting advice, voicing a complaint or asking a question are ignored.
