Social, digital, and mobile media are the buzzwords and the fastest growing channels for marketing today. A few weeks back, I wrote about the value of a tweet and how to ensure that, from a sponsorship perspective, you have the correct valuation (in dollars and cents) for tweets, posts, or click-through you are buying or selling. But it is more than just the value of those assets; it is about integrating and using these media to leverage and ensure your sponsorship program is functioning at the top level. Next month in Edmonton, I will deliver a workshop for AFP Edmonton and Area. It will delve further into this.
Those brands and properties that are using these channels correctly are reaping the rewards. We need to do more than host a Facebook page or “have” a Twitter handle. We need to manage them. We need to see how we can make these channels grow the value of our properties to sponsors and assist sponsors in activating their investments. According to Social Media Queen Mary Meeker and the most recent U.S. and global internet data (2012), mobile devices now account for 13% of worldwide internet traffic. That is up from 9% in 2010 and internet users continue to grow at a rate of about 8% per year. WOW! Mobile traffic and integration into mobile is crucial. Is your web site still only compatible with laptop and desktop computers or have you updated to ensure it is mobile friendly? It’s pretty silly to market yourself and drive traffic to your web site with 13% of the people going to it (and probably the most active 13% and closest to purchasing time) can’t even properly read or use your site!
The same study shows that 29% of American adults own either an e-reader or a tablet. These numbers tell us about the rapid growth of mobile and digital media. How is your organization integrating these into its sponsorship programs? Do you have a handle on how social, mobile, and digital media can and should be leveraged into your sponsorship programs? Or are you still standing on the sidelines watching your competition speed past you?
These are just one person’s thoughts. Yours are welcomed as well. Please add your thoughts or comments below. Thank you for reading and your feedback.
Brent Barootes