Social marketing pegged as 'major trend for 2009'

16th January 2009

Businesses looking to make connections and improve their brands in the coming year are likely to turn to social media outlets, according to a society and trends writer.

Ron Callari of InvestorSpot.com said 2009 will likely see firms follow in the footsteps of Mariott and British Airways - two companies which are currently using social networks as part of their marketing strategy.

These firms, he said, have set a precedent for social media marketing and the trend will become more popular as other firms begin to follow their best practices.

He explained that this integrated approach to marketing works particularly well in the current period of economic uncertainty, as social media is often a cost-effective marketing vehicle.

Mr Callari added that by repurposing offline information through social networks, blogs and wikis, marketers can reach a large number of consumers at little cost.

A feature in the January 2009 edition of the Lane report suggested that marketers can use social media to develop and maintain stronger relationships with their consumers.