Want to reach UK journalists? Get tweeting!
Social Media is undoubtedly an influencing factor in our lives. It has not only changed the way we interact with friends and family but also the way we do business. In fact, a new study by Cison has discovered that more than a quarter (28%) of UK journalists believe social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are essential to their job and therefore essential to PR’s jobs too.
2012’s Social Journalism Study highlighted that using social media tools have become part of a journalist’s daily work routine with the majority using two or three social media tools regularly for professional tasks according to the study.
As a result of social media’s popularity, Google is placing more and more emphasis on its power considering social “signals” account for five of the six most influential factors in Google’s search results, according to a June 2012 study from Searchmetrics.
On this note, results from a BrightEdge survey published early this year discovered that 84% of search marketers say social signals such as Facebook likes, Tweets, and Google +1s will be either more important (53%) or much more important (31%) to their SEO in 2012 compared to 2011.
Commenting on the importance of social media and which channels are most important, social media expert, Roy Bristow explains,
“The importance of social media platforms is the immediate ability to converse with potential and existing customers on a regular basis as well as the media. Because of this, it requires an "open all hours" approach that should allow you to provide a voice and a response. It also requires a professional approach to manage each and every channel you select.
“The channels you engage with, certainly from a property aspect need to amplify your existing marketing strategy and whilst the premiere channels such as Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn, should form the basis of your campaign you need to ensure that you only use the channels that you can constantly update with new content.”
Bristow continues,
“Think about what you want your audience to do with your content on the social channels you´re using. Are you trying to get them to read, share, reply, click, purchase or engage? Be selective, be visually rich in your outlook, and be responsive, but most important be accountable. Measure your social activities so that you can learn what´s successful, what isn´t and how you can improve.”
For more information on the power of social media, a service which AB Property Marketing offers exclusively for the property industry contact Charlotte Ashton on 0845 054 7542 via Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or at http://www.abpropertymarketing.co.uk/