The results of a new survey on online marketing tactics of small businesses and nonprofits show that making social media marketing takes one large investment to prove successful: Time.
Released on April 30 by Message Medium an Ventureneer, Ditch Digital Dabbling: How Small Businesses and Nonprofits Can Master Online Marketing compiled responses from business sectors ranging from women-owned and minority-owned to socially responsible. According to a press release, Ditch Digital Dabbling act as a “research-driven road map to saving small businesses time and money when putting together their own marketing plans.”
The survey reports that it takes at least 25 hours to maximize the effectiveness of social media marketing and accurately measure the return on investment. Individuals who have devoted this much time to their social media efforts are referred to as “power users.” These types of users have three times more Facebook fans and seven times more Twitter fans than those who simply “dabble” in online marketing. The report also demonstrates the importance of measuring the progress of marketing programs with proper tools and analytics.
“While we found that a majority of companies attempt to measure performance, they don’t understand what actually works,” said Geri Stengel, Ventureneer president.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you have to have a degree in social media to be successful at it. Just be sure to do your research or schedule the time to do so – or hire a professional who has the knowledge and analytical tools to make those social media marketing dollars count.
