To continue on the topic of my last post, the com.motion social media poll” clearly indicates that social media spend is on the rise. Along with social media marketing, there is one other area that is becoming the focus of 2009 marketing campaigns. Public Relations (PR) spend is rising along with social media marketing.
Please take a look at this very short video with Keith McArthur from com.motion discussing these findings.
While other areas of marketing and advertising are taking a bit of a nose dive right now, it is logical that some of the dollars that are being trimmed from other areas are being funnelled into both social media and PR.
These two areas are distinct yet fused. Both are about reputation management and promotion. Both have a superior ability to respond, adapt, and amalgamate with changing consumer behaviour, and finally, both have the power to create a strong foundation for relationship based marketing.
It is important to incorporate on an offline marketing campaigns, and it is such a smart move to put social media marketing and public relations campaigns together. On their own they are powerful tools but when integrated they can accomplish so much more.
I anticipate that, as the economy worsens and belts tighten, smart companies we will see more companies turn towards permission and relationship based marketing campaigns and practices.