The Humble Beginnings and Social Media Evolution

The Harry Potter series has come a long way since the release of the first offering, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone back in 2001. Ten years later, a lot has changed, and we're not just talking about how each film in the series proved to be darker than the previous one. While the initial films generated significant buzz offline, it was the release of the 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' that set various social networking sites abuzz with excitement and activity. Although the earlier movie, boasting +325,000 Facebook fans prior to its release in 2009, was termed as a social media blockbuster, the latest and the last ... Read more...

While B2C companies use social networking for a variety of purposes, B2B marketers often wonder if simply having a basic company website is good enough; isn't social media more suited for B2C interactions?

Data from Forrester research indicates otherwise. According to a recent eMarketer study, Forrester Research predicts that B2B firms will spend $54 million on social media marketing in 2014, up from just $11 million in 2009. As more and more B2B companies understand the benefits of social media, the use of networking tools for marketing purposes is steadily increasing. As a B2B marketing professional, here are some reasons why your company should have more than a just a website:

• B2B company websites that are not backed ... Read more...

This week's hot news, events and videos from the online marketing and social media world.

From the Position² Blog This Week:

What Influences Buying Decisions in Social Media?

Consumers are sharing opinions in unprecedented numbers on various social networking sites; for marketers, this hunger for information can be converted to actual purchases by understanding what factors influence buying behavior most. Here’s how marketers can influence online purchasing behavior.

• Position² Blog: Social Media Analysis - Anthony Weiner's Social Media Crisis.
• Tweet 2.0: Twitter ... Read more...

Social media has revolutionized consumer purchasing behavior over the last few years, directly impacting the way they buy products and services. The fact that there are billions of opinions and reviews out there means marketers have to change their perception about social media from 'fun to have' to 'must focus on'. The use of social media platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and Facebook among buyers has grown considerably over the last two years. Facebook, in fact, doubled in popularity from 2010 to 2011. Although Google search still leads the way in terms of influencing online shopping behavior, the steady growth of social media is opening up new opportunities for marketers to message and connect with customers. According to the ... Read more...