Posted on March 10, 2014

Social Media Trends

Facebook is still the top-rated social network in regards to the amount of time spend on the site. Facebook users spend approximately 6.35 hours a month on Facebook — that’s nearly twice as much time than the average user spends on Google+. Usage of Facebook’s mobile app is on the rise, but most users are still primarily visiting the site via their desktop computers. (Source: Facebook)

Speaking of Google+, anticipate the site to grow faster than ever this year. With the search benefits associated with having a Google+ page, it is best to be a step ahead of the game and establish a business page today. Google+ has also announced its intention of launching their own unique form of advertising that will get your content out to larger audiences.

So what are all of these users actually doing when they’re online? Studies show they are discovering new brands, sharing found content, expecting increased customer care, and responding more and more to social advertising.

A study by eMarketer shows that one in three consumers use social media as a way to discover new brands, products and services. This statistic shows the power of brand awareness and reputation management within the social media structure. Of these users, nearly half share photos and other content they have found online. If the content on your social sites resonates with your audience then they are going to be much more likely to share that content on their personal pages, which in turn will draw more attention to your practice and brand.

Another fact to keep in mind when using social media is that many consumers anticipate a prompt response if they interact with a practice’s social media page. In fact a study by American Express Open Forum found that 25% of consumers who placed a complaint on Facebook of Twitter expected a response within 1 hour of their post. Just simply listening to your audience is not enough, you must interact and respond. If you do not respond you risk disappointing that individual who took time to reach out to you and you may also create a negative perception of your practice by being unresponsive.

While more time and resources are now being dedicated to social media, ROI remains elusive. Measuring social media can be tricky, but not attempting to measure anything at all can be damaging. Start keeping track of your progress by defining clear, measureable goals like brand awareness via Facebook Likes. Keeping track of the amount of Likes your Facebook page receives will help you to be intentional with your content and help you establish what does and does not work in terms of engagement.

Don’t forget about your blog! Creating new content on a regular basis is a great way to boost your SEO. You can also share that blog across your social media platform creating new content on those pages while driving traffic to your regular website. If you don’t yet have a blog, it’s time to start one.