The question on everyone's minds: does more time spent on social media mean a greater social ROI? That is one of the questions Social Media Examiner tries to answer in its 2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report. They surveyed 3300 fellow marketers to find insights on how marketers are using social media to grow their company. Companies are becoming more social and staying on top of using Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, blogs, and other channels takes commitment. Maintaining a well run social media machine takes time but exactly how much time and what are the benefits?Time Spent:
Most marketers who are fairly new to social media are spending the least amount of time, with 59% committing 1 to 5 hours per week managing their social channels. Marketers who have more experience tend to spend more time. Marketers been using social media for 1 to 3 years, spend 6 hours or more on social media activities. For marketers who are the early adopters and have more than 3 years experience, 47% of them spend at least 16 hours per week in time spent on social media.
Benefits Gained:
So what's the social ROI of all this time spent? According to the study, the number one benefit of social media marketing is being able to stand out in an increasingly noisy world. 88% of the marketers responded that their efforts generated more exposure for their businesses. The second major benefit? Improved traffic and subscribers, with 72% reporting positive results.
Can businesses achieve more benefits with more time spent? The answer - it depends. The study showed some relationship between time spent and benefits reaped. But keep in mind there is the law of diminishing return and the key is to find a balance that is right for your company and its goals. How much time is your company spending on social media and what are the top 2 benefits your company has seen?