Social Media Sites: Get Connected, Linked and Followed

Do you Tweet?  Are you Linked In with everyone you've ever met?  Do you have 200 BFFs on Facebook?

If you are like a rapidly-increasing number of Americans, your answer is probably yes.

According to a new nationwide survey* I read about last week, some 43% of online households use social media sites, including Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter (listed in order of popularity).  This is up from 27% just a year ago.  That's a staggering 60% jump in only 12 months' time!
 
And they tend to be regular users, with more than half logging in every day and usually several times a day.  Though we might assume that the vast majority of social networkers are under 35, the number of networkers over age 55 has tripled in the past year to 19%.  Yes, I've actually started receiving Facebook invitations from my parents' friends.
 
Besides using the social media sites to connect with old friends and classmates, the survey respondents said they would like more access and interaction with favorite companies and service providers through their social networks.
 
Yes, you heard that right.  Social networkers WANT to interact with favorite companies and service providers.
 
Which is why Griffin Strategies, Inc. is ramping up the use of social media tactics as part of a broader marketing or grassroots communications plan for our clients.  If handled right, social media provide an extremely valuable and cost-effective avenue for getting out your message to a wider audience.   If you haven't yet explored social media, now is the time to get connected, linked and followed! 

*The survey of 10,000 U.S.households was conducted by The Conference Board, a global membership and research association, in partnership with TNS, a global market insight and information group.