InsideView recently announced that its research shows that business employees use social media applications to contact others more than they use their email accounts. Customers also check their business and social intelligence applications more often than their email.
InsideView released a number of statistics supporting their claims. By July of 2010, InsideView users accessed the application 89 times per day whereas they only checked their email 11 times a day. These statistics show how the business world has changed to accommodate social networking. Social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, have attracted millions of users so now it is the primary form of online communication for many. Nielson’s June 2010 NetView survey said that American consumers spend almost one quarter of their online time on social networks and blogs, whereas they spend less than 10 percent of their time on email.
More and more users are accessing social networks and social media content on InsideView. LinkedIn usage through InsideView grew by 74 percent in the last year. Facebook grew 133 percent. Marketing professionals within businesses have recognized this change in online activity. Recognizing this has been key for many businesses because it is a new way for business employees to reach out to customers. Social media has transformed the buying process. Accordingly, it is essential for companies to have an active presence in social media if they want to acquire more customers. On the other hand, giving employees free reign to access social media can affect productivity because the employees themselves can get distracted.
Companies can get the most out of social networking sights by ensuring that all information derived from the sites are relevant. Then, users must present the information within the right context. The Director of Product Management at InsideView, Marc Perramond, commented. He said, “It’s exciting to see the extent to which B2B sales and marketing professionals have embraced social media. We continue to work closely with out customers to deliver the right social media insights within the right context so that employees are better informed and ultimately more productive. These latest findings reinforce the growing importance of social media in the enterprise and the positive impact it can have on business productivity.”
Overall, social media is something that businesses must start embracing. While there have to be certain constraints and boundaries to ensure maximum productivity, it is still important to be active within these sites.
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