Business Buzz: Is ‘social media’ a fad, or is it forever?

PHUKET: It doesn’t matter where we go today, we are surrounded by social media and its influences. Tweet this, like that, share and like this… Terms we were not familiar with not that long ago are now in common daily language.

So is this a passing fad or is the social media craze here to stay, and even more importantly, is this something we need to embrace and master? Is it even more important to know and understand if we own a business or want to profit from it successfully?

Just looking at some statistics gives us the best clue. Facebook had 100 million users in 2008 and now has over 1.6 billion. Twitter has over 240 million users. Instagram has more than 200 million. Thailand is the second largest user of Line with around 40 million registered accounts. YouTube has more than 1 billion unique monthly users!

All this has sprung up quickly, and with the momentum and stamina to suggest it is the way of the future. Now while some apps are more popular than others, and new ones will pop up, some surviving and some dying, the simple reality is that social media is definitely here to stay.

Now, from a business perspective what does this mean?

Put simply, you either have social media or you are likely to suffer a premature death.

I was trying to think of a business that could survive or did not need the benefit of social media, and the list, if any, would be very small. As long as your competitors are using social media, they are a step ahead of you.

When it comes to Phuket, where there are so many businesses all competing in the same niches, like real estate, accommodation and tourist activities, all fighting for the same dollar, having a successful social media profile can mean the difference in your share of the pie, and possibly even whether you will succeed or fail.

This column is going to explore the most common social media platforms, and provide the latest information on what is working, how they should be used to maximize results, and the pitfalls to look out for. While peer recommendations are great for business, poor results can be devastating and need to be dealt with and turned into a positive outcome.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+, Pinterest, Instagram, Line and so on – all can have business usages that can benefit your existing business, or even create a new income stream for you, and can achieve amazing results. The great thing about these platforms is that they are a whole lot easier to work with than most people realize.

I will leave you with this thought – where else could you find over a billion potential customers who you can target from as little as a few cents per person, and know enough about them already to know they fit into your perfect target market. Next time we will explore how to turn them into happy and satisfied customers!

Want to know more? Attend a live workshop.

Simon Wetherell is a social media expert, best-selling author and international speaker. He now resides in Phuket where he trains businesses and individuals on how to profit from the use of social media. For more information go to https://PhuketOnlineMarketing.com or call him on 095-085 3355. Follow him on social media – Twitter @SimonWetherell or @PhuketMarketing Facebook: SAWetherell