Social media and inbound marketing techniques have been a boon for marketers. Not only do leads generated through social and content marketing cost half as much as traditional outbound-generated leads (see below), they also close at higher rate (again, see below). And social media isn’t just about lead generation of course. While prospective buyers are using search and social to research products and services before making purchase decisions, marketers and PR professionals can use those same tools to research buyer wants and needs. MORE >>

Tweet 2011 was a great year for social media where we saw true integration of “social” to our lives. To demonstrate the growth of social channels in the last one year, here is an interesting infographic designed by Internet marketing firm Dream Systems Media based on the data provided by AdAge. It is very interesting to note that this year, we saw brands getting attracted more towards social media and using it to their benefit. Twitter Statistics 2012: 34% of marketers have generated leads using Twitter. infographic]. MORE >>

For anyone in marketing or PR being asked to make “data-driven&# decisions “based on the numbers&# (and doesn’t that include pretty much everyone in marketing and PR these days?), the sources below provide a vast wealth of data, statistics and research results, as well as a bit of interesting social media trivia. How are consumers and b2b decision makers using social media in their buying processes? Which social media platforms are most effective at influencing buyer behavior? Social Media Facts and Stats. MORE >>

People ask where marketing fits in with social media, and if it still has a place as consumers and “normal people&# enjoy a bigger say in how successful a product is. To help with this, here’s a short and simplified presentation that offers a new take on an old method (the Four P’s of Marketing) and an overview of what this means for you. It’s not meant to be an exhaustive look; more an easily digestible social media and marketing biscuit. Social Media and the New Four P's of Marketing. MORE >>

Over time I’ve found myself doing more and more foundational work for organizations looking to dip their toes into social media. One of the key elements of this work, in my opinion, is creating a social media policy that fits well with the organization’s goals, culture and risk tolerance. As it happens, lots of organizations publish their social media guidelines online, ready for you to review and use yourself. Here are 57 61 great social media policy templates and resources to use when building your own. Social Media Guidelines. MORE >>