subject: Social Media - A new tool in the hand of Digital Marketing Experts [print this page] SOCIAL media is used by more than two billion people each day, making it the most important emerging marketing forum, according to Tomer Garzberg, a messiah of the potential of online interaction.
Gold Coast-based Mr Garzberg says, while search engines have defined the information age, social media has taken the world into the recommendation age and businesses ignore the change at their peril.
"Social media is paving the way to a world where selling is by way of human interaction," he says.
"The human face is non-threatening and recommendation and advice are highly effective selling methods.
"It costs less to engage consumers online than offline and social media enables businesses to target buyers directly, yet 90 per cent haven't yet tapped the potential."
Mr Garzberg, in the North Queensland capital today to address a Townsville Enterprise-Ergon Energy business leaders' forum and workshop at Rydges Southbank, says he sees the role of his enterprise, Strongman Digital Media, as helping businesses realise the potential of social media.
"Most businesses don't understand how to tap into social media and many don't see value in it," he says.
"Busy executives often see social media as time-wasting and think of it in terms of reducing productivity but, as a marketing tool, nothing could be farther from the truth.
"Social media represents a shift in the way people use the internet.
"It has moved us into the recommendation age, and to deny its importance is marketing suicide."
Mr Garzberg says his role "is to cut through the crap and show businesses how they can make social media work for them".
"Sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Linked In, Buzz, Blogger,WordPress, Google Buzz, Delicious, Digg, Stumble Upon, YouTube, iTunes, Flicker, Picasa and Second Life are where the opportunities lie.
"Customers today are more YouTube and less television; more podcasts and less radio; more blogs and less magazines and newspapers.
"They are asking others what to buy and listening less to businesses.
"About 38 per cent of all online talk is about company experiences, so businesses need to ensure they offer a positive one."
Social Media - A new tool in the hand of Digital Marketing Experts
