Today, it’s impossible (read, costly) to discard social media as a distraction rather than a necessity. No matter how much of a time sink you think it might be, startling statistics show that social media is how and where you meet your customers.

Social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter garner use from nearly one tenth of the world’s 6.94 billion people. Users spend an average of 23 minutes per online visit for a total of almost 1.2 million hours per month, often accessing these platforms through their mobile devices. Truly, a business cannot afford to ignore social media marketing

Gander at the summary of statistics recently released by OnlineMBA.com:

Facebook:

  • Nearly 850 million active users
  • 46% of users are over age 45
  • 57% of users are female
  • 57% of users report having some higher education
  • 47% of users report an income between $50,000-99,000 annually

Twitter:

  • Over 125 million active users
  • 54% of users engage Twitter through mobile devices
  • 36% of users tweet at least once per day
  • Nearly 60% of users are female
  • Average visit lasts about 15 minutes

LinkedIn:

  • 150 million registered users
  • 75% of users rely on it for business purposes
  • Approximately 2 million companies are on LinkedIn
  • 50% of users obtained a bachelors or graduate degree

 

Google+:

  • 90 million unique visitors
  • 71% of users are male
  • 44% of users are single

Pinterest

  • 21 million unique visits
  • Top locations for users are Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee
  • Top interests for users are crafts, hobbies, interior design and fashion
  • 82% of users are female
  • Average visit lasts just over 15 minutes

If those statistics don’t convince you to ply your marketing efforts with social media, consider this information extracted from Digital Buzz Blog:

  • almost 60 % Facebook users have said they are more likely to recommend a brand once they have become a fan
  • 34% of marketers have generated leads with Twitter
  • Of the world’s nearly 7 billion people, 4.8 billion have a mobile phone

Need guidance on social media marketing?

 

In addition to the demographics above, EMarketer predicts there will be a massive 1.43 billion social network users in 2012, representing a 19.2 percent increase over 2011 figures.

With statistics like these, entrée into Social Media Marketing could feel overwhelming. It is wise to be guided by an experienced professional partner, one who can build a strategy and offer the resources behind it.

ASJ Partners provides social media solutions that build your business. Call or click to discuss how we can help you connect with your audience.