eMarketer recently shared some interesting data involving companies who have been able to successfully integrate social media into their overall marketing efforts. The article, Is Social Media Marketing Integration Years Away, describes the importance of years of experience in social media marketing. eMarketer's article cites the findings from approximately 6,500 respondents in a survey conducted by SmartBrief and Summus Limited.
Accumulated Social Media Experience Clearly Makes a Difference
1+ Years Experience is Helpful. More than one-third of companies with this level of experience responded as "having used social media in a coordinated effort."
2+ Years Experience is Even Better. However, it wasn't until companies worked in social media for at least (2) years that they had fully integrated social media into their business model. 28% of companies responded as "having fully integrated social."
3+ Years Experience is When You're Really Cookin'. 44% of companies say social is fully integrated in their company business model.
But, Few Companies Have Practiced Social Media for 2+ Years
Additionally, the eMarketer article points out the accumulated social media experience of the survey respondents:
* Only 5.4% of companies reported 3+ years experience
* Only 7.5% of companies reported 2 to 3 years experience
* 47.6% of companies reported social media experience of less than one (1) year.
Conclusion: Think Years Not Months
Essentially, almost 50% of the companies implementing social media are neither coordinated nor integrated when it comes to their social media marketing and other marketing efforts. And in my opinion, this is the reason why so many companies say their social media results are either mixed or completely unsuccessful.
But, the companies who took a long term approach or made a long term commitment are succeeding in their social media integration. In other words, the companies who started social media marketing in September 2007 or October 2007 and stuck with it are the ones reaping the benefits of marketing integration. The data shows that time invested and accumulated experience makes a significant difference.
Therefore, if you're really serious about social media marketing, your mindset must focus on years (not months). Even one year is not enough experience. The few firms who persist and stay the course are the ones successfully making social media an integrated part of their business model.
The fact that these successful social media practitioners continue to persist and maintain their long-term resolve is why they'll sustain a competitive advantage.