Has Social Media Marketing Influenced Your Life?

It must have.

Can you even remember when the last time you made a note of someone’s birthday or anniversary was? Social media marketing has undoubtedly taken the effort out of keeping the odd post-it note of some important date or another on your fridge.

Before social networks, let’s face it; we all lived a little differently. These days we hardly notice just how much we rely on the functionality of smart devices and networking tools such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. The reality is, we do. It makes you think, doesn’t it?

Content: Going Global. Instantly.

The year was 2003, and LinkedIn began gathering together working professionals on a single platform. Not long after, in 2004, Facebook launched, followed by YouTube in 2005 and Twitter in 2006. Many networks started and failed. These caught the public’s attention and proved to have staying power, as well as a competitive edge. Next in the popularity line came the launch of Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat.

Content in all its forms is now circling the globe at a rate faster than any of us can blink. Imagery, video, and written content are virtually available instantly and at anyone’s fingertips. We now live in a global society that pushes out millions of texts per second too. The world can feel a little closer to home in this day and age than it ever has before, and all at the blink of a mobile app on a smart device. Content is literally on the move, 24/7.

How Is Your Average Attention Span?

Did you know that the average attention span is now 8 seconds long? That’s 1 second less than the attention span of goldfish. The National Center of Biotechnology Information at the U.S National Library of Medicine has measured a drop in the attention span of human beings over the past decade or so. You and I once had an attention span of 12 seconds long. Since 2000 this has dropped significantly to a mere 8 seconds.

The rapid rush of social media marketing and mobile application developments has influenced our habits and lifestyles immensely. We crave more and more external stimulation type of content which is distributed openly across multiple network platforms. Here is some data from Wyzowl, a video marketing company, about human attention span,

• 25%: is how many teenagers report forgetting important details about their friends and family
• 7%: is the percentage of people who actually forget their OWN birthdays from time to time
• The average office worker checks their email inbox up to 30 times each hour
• The average person with a mobile device can check their phones at least 150 times a day
• Between 2010 and 2013, the amount of online content tripled
• Between 2011 and 2013 social media sharing has doubled

The digital era is upon us in multiple ways. We now exist in a world enveloped by digital development and enhanced social media and mobile access. Marketing across multiple platforms is changing the world in dramatic fashion. Content consumption is highly visual and interactive these days and offers instant gratification, which is constantly being enhanced the world over. Some traditional marketing methods, however, still work. The common denominator between the marketing of the past and now is that we still have to make connections on a very human level. To learn how we can help you make that connection and grow your business online, contact us today.

About the Author

Kalpana Murthy, President/CEO at WSI Plano, DBA Kriti Web Solutions, LLC. is a Digital Strategist, Consultant, Speaker/Trainer, & Software Engineer who is passionate about bringing affordable technology solutions to businesses to build online presence. Kalpana Murthy is a certified partner with Google, HubSpot, Sharp Spring, SEMRush and other digital solution providers.