Attachment
By Marco R. della Cava, USA TODAY
Social networking is fast becoming a staple for a growing number of adults as Web use surges. One-third of adult Internet users have a profile on a social networking site, up from 8% in 2005, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. And though adults share some teen habits — checking in with friends, planning get-togethers — they differ from the younger set in their desire to use the medium to meet new friends from across the country.
Currently, 16.5 million adults ages 55 and older engage in social networking, according to Internet monitoring site comScore. Facebook is seeing the most growth among users age 30 and older. MySpace, with 130 million users, is enjoying a surge among the 55-plus set, which total 6.9 million users and spend an average 204 minutes a month on the site. And in just one year since AARP.org unveiled its social networking platform, about 350,000 users have created 1,700 groups celebrating everything from gardening to social activism.
“Our members comfortably exist in both the real and virtual worlds,” says Nataki Clarke, director of online marketing at AARP. “Social networking may have started out as a way to check on kids and grandkids, but it’s now really all about your individual connections with peers.”
The desire to get in touch with like-minded souls is fueling the growth of sites such as Eons.com and TBD.com (as in, the rest of your life is still “to be determined”), which attract those who don’t want to be “friended”
Boomers, often embrace the notion of making new friends online, says Robin Wolaner, CEO of TBD.com, whose 120,000-user membership has been growing by 20% a month.
“By the time you’re 50, you tend to know everyone you’re going to know. So if you’re going online, why not meet new people as opposed to the same people you already know?” she says. “We’re finding that these bad economic times are particularly good for social networking.
“Some Internet experts are particularly convinced that the future of social networking lies less in the realm of vacuous instant updates to friends (”I’m drinking a latte right now while online at an ATM”) and more in the arena of like-minded groups gathering virtually to enjoy and comment on a specific event.
“I call these ‘velvet-rope social networks,’ people who are connected in a context that matters to them all, like watching the Oscars together online,” says Chris Brogan, president of Boston-based New Marketing Labs, which advises large corporations on how to market using social networking. “It’s going back to the idea of hitting the bar or pub to talk about something, a gathering place to share group moments. In a world where few people live close to family or old friends, the Internet can bridge that gap.”
Such gatherings could have implications that ripple through society, affecting everything from TV viewing habits to the way companies peddle products.
The old model “of an Ed McMahon-type guy pitching you something is long dead, because today people won’t listen to TV ads, but they will listen to each other on these sites,” says Barton Goldenberg, president of Bethesda, Md.-based ISM, a social media consultancy. “It’s all being reversed now. Ads won’t drive brand loyalty, people will. These sites are where Boomers share their opinions, and those in the corporate world are starting to realize that.”
Time magazine tech columnist Josh Quittner says social networking is destined to mushroom with the inevitable advent of more sophisticated smart phones, which will allow sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Eons to be always on and mobile. “The great thing about social networking is it allowed you to take control of your identity online, so now you are who you say you are, I want to connect with the people I work with and love,” says Quittner, 50, “If social networking makes it easier, or more likely, then I’ll take it any day.”
Many small businesses have gone “rogue”, sidestepping traditional retail channels and are using social media networking, social network marketing and social influence marketing to create a demand for their product lines.
Request a free 5 Point Social Network Marketing Analysis
Report for your business from SOS eMarketing
For more information on developing your online shopping contact SOS eMarketing.
There are integrated eMarketing tools that must be used to generate leads from Google as well as direct and referral, these are:
1. Social Network Marketing Twitter and Facebook posts increase your rank on Google and, if used correctly, create a stream of referral leads
2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Increased keyword tags and content influences rankings on Google
3. Pay Per Click Advertising (PPC) Google Ad words programs help your Google rankings and increase qualified sales traffic
4. Social Influence Marketing LinkedIn group’s postings are seen on Google and refer business customers to your site
5. Blog Sharing Prolog, Digg, Delicious, Stumbleupon, Technorati, Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube are all effective referral sites and help rankings on Google as well as refer traffic to your site.
6. Landing Page Optimization Step up eCommerce sales conversions
For more information on integrated eMarketing programs for small business contact SOS eMarketing.
David Schwartz
SOS eMarketing
Click to contact SOS eMarketing
760.345.5069
eMail sosemarketing@
Facebook SOS eMarketing
