I’ve written a lot of blog posts already since starting Smuvrd.com in 2008, about social media marketing, and the ways to start promoting your business via online social media marketing for your business – Powerful voices continue to emerge in the blogosphere.  People and groups have capacity to influence, move markets, challenge institutions and create a buzz.  One of the first marketing tips or nuggets of advice that is passed within marketeers – is that a dissatisfied customer tells 10 people how bad their experience is/was.  This is way out of date!

There is a new age of social media marketing – and a dissatisfied customer has the power and ability to tell 10 million people of their bad experience! – But having said that, the reverse is possible too.  A satisfied customer is able to spread the word and tell of their FANTASTIC experience like never before – its not just about their circle of friends, or business contacts – but forums, social networks, blogs, podcasts, business networks – and writing about this type of experience can be seen by anyone whos interested in reading about it.

Blogging has rapidly matured into one of the most powerful information channels online!  Just think about that for a moment, and how powerful that is!

Marketeers need to accept, participate, understand and utilize in these new channels – and quickly! 

There really is no choice – if you’re a business owner, sole trader or a director and you’re reading this, you need to make sure your social media marketing is being taken care of – and in the right way! – if you’re a marketeer and reading this – you need to start getting involved and reaching out via social media marketing.

Think about it, the tools that have been available over the past 50/60 years such as television, print media and radio broadcasting are becoming less and less effective.  Now – thats a broad sweeping statement – but just look at some of the figures involved in advertising within those mediums – they are going down, and not just because of businesses tightening their belts.  They want a better return for their $/£ – something that can be monitored more closely, and – something that provides good value!

Technology is evolving and changing all the time – one of my visions for the future is a combined tv/internet medium – that will have user interactivity that web tv could never provide.  Television with interactive “widgets” is already in production, with yahoo snapping up one of the fastest growing businesses in this sector.  Then there is the microsoft table.  The interactive table that’s going to be coming to a starbucks near you (I just know it!) – where you can surf, read, interact and catch whatever you are looking for all in one place.  Keep an eye out for that, maybe another blog post! – …but I digress…

The world of media and of marketing are being transformed – this is changing literally every day, with the new technology being provided – and guess what? – the informed and savvy marketeers are already ready for it – they embrace the change and welcome new techniques.

Engagement rules have changed, and become much more complete and thorough through levels of interactivity never before seen.

Imagine, 20 years ago a publishing company (for instance) told you that they had a new product.  This new product could guarantee interactivity with your customer base – people could actually respond and reply with your messages in real time, in the kind of place that could promote the company in the perfect way.

Imagine what is available for social media marketing in 20 years, will it be called something different, or evolve into more and more mediums, such as interactive tv and mobile devices.  

Whatever your business – social media has the power to connect businesses with customers through online technology.

http://www.smuvrd.com – Social Media Uncovered