All day long, I’m checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. It’s part of the job here at 919 Marketing. I wish I could say I had time to check in with my wife and kids while surfing social media, but there’s usually no time. So, every evening on my drive home from the office I call my wife to check in.
Our conversations range from a detailed report of how everyone’s day went to, “When you get home, the kids are your problem!” That’s usually followed by, “They’re finally quiet because I just let them use their iPhones so I could finally enjoy some peace and quiet.”
It takes me about an hour to get home. By the time I get home, I’m lucky if I get a half-hearted hello when I walk in the door. Everyone in the house is glued to their iDevice.
The kids are usually on YouTube and my wife is usually on Facebook or Instagram. At this point I hit the couch for some social media browsing of my own. After about another hour of zoning out on social media, everybody in the house is hungry and shifts their focus to dinner.
Let’s Do the Math!
From the time I leave work to the time we eat dinner, my family and I have spent a collective amount of around eight hours on social media. And that’s just a snap shot of our day. Most of you reading this can probably relate. The fact is, many people and families are very similar.
According to Business Insider, social media dominates online traffic, with nearly 20% of the total time spent online in the U.S. spent on social media. “Facebook, alone, makes up 14% of total time spent online,” according to comScore. Consider that for a moment. If everyone in the U.S. spends an average of 20% of their time online just browsing social media, that means it’s a media platform that your business needs to take seriously for your marketing and public relations campaigns.
Before you jump to the conclusion that those numbers are just the result of all those millennials, keep reading. And, you may want to sit down for this. “Middle-Aged Americans spend more time on social media than Millennials,” according to Fortune Magazine. Moreover, a recent Nielsen report found that Generation X’ers (35-49) spend seven hours or more a week on social media, while Millennials (18-34) barely hit six hours for the week. As for those over 50, the report says it’s about four hours a week on social media.
What does it all mean?
It means, if you’re not using Facebook and other social media platforms to market and promote your business, you may not be in business for much longer. Just having a company Facebook page that you let the latest intern manage doesn’t cut it anymore. You need a comprehensive Social Media Marketing plan if you want your business to stay relevant and compete. At the office here, we refer to this as Social Relations®.
So, to answer the original question of this post – Social Media Marketing: Is It Really That Important? The answer is YES! In fact, it’s not just important these days, it’s a necessity. Whether it’s franchise sales lead generation or promoting a franchisee’s latest grand opening, your company needs a social media marketing plan. People are talking. Is your brand in the discussion?
Thankfully you don’t have to do this on your own. We can help. We’d love to discuss how we can help find the best solution for you and your business. Click below to contact us, and to download your free copy of our Social Media Scorecard. Then let’s talk!
