Social media today: An exclusive interview with two savvy experts.
Apr 09 | Dan, Creative Director
Who would you look to for up-to-the-moment insights about social media—an experienced ad agency Creative Director whose company is totally immersed in social media? Or a pair of 14-year-old, middle school students?
The answer is obvious. So, now I share with you a recent conversation I had with my daughter Camille and her friend, Esly, as they discussed social media: when they use it, how they use it, and why they use it.
Q: What do you primarily use social media for?
A: Mostly to socialize and to plan outings with friends. Sharing photos is another cool thing. With Facebook, it’s like having all of your best friends together in one place. We couldn’t fit all our friends in a single room, but with social media, they’re all right there on the computer screen.
Q: How often do you engage with social media?
A: A couple times a week.*
Q: Do you learn about or recommend products through social media?
A: Sometimes. Facebook is a good place to share thoughts on books, movies, and TV shows, but we pay less attention to other products like clothes and electronics—those things get more attention through word-of-mouth recommendations from friends, along with the product maker’s website. We’re Facebook fans of different products, but our interest level is still pretty casual.
Q: What are some of the products and services you follow through social media?
A: Harry Potter, How I Met Your Mother, Pirates of the Caribbean, Twilight, Nike, and Claire’s Jewelry.
Q: How many of your friends are on Facebook?
A: 99%. However, a few of them have dropped it because they don’t like “Facebook drama.”
Q: “Facebook drama”? What’s that?
A: Arguments, put downs, and people thinking they’re funny and clever when they’re not. That sort of stuff.
Q: Gotcha. So besides Facebook, what other sites do you use?
A: Tumblr, Pinterest, and Twitter. You can participate on them without the drama you get on Facebook.
Q: What do you see as the future of social media?
A: It will get bigger and better—more sites, more choices, and more ways to interact. But social media will always be first and foremost a place to socialize. When you want to learn about products, Google and company websites are as important as Facebook.
So there you have it, the present and future of social media as seen by Camille and Esly. As you can see, it’s a tough audience out there and reaching them takes skill and creativity. If you’re wondering how to use social media strategically in your marketing mix, here’s a suggestion – give Patterson/Bach a call at 407.645.1880.
*I actually believe “a couple times a day” would be a more accurate answer.