Social Media slams Banner Ads 2 to 1

Social media's superior effectiveness over banner ads is likely attributed to 2 factors:

1. Brand information found on social sites is the #2 most trusted source of brand information, second only to family and friends.
2. Social sites are growing at a rate of 2:1 over all other internet areas making them the most active areas of consumer to consumer (C2C) conversations.

Brand Mentions Preferred over Ads - eMarketer via kwout

Industry information has been pouring in for more than a year showing a significant decrease in the effectiveness of banner ads and traditional forms of marketing. Additionally we are all very aware of falling printed advertising value as more and more people use the internet as their primary source of information and entertainment. What this means is that marketers must shift their traditional perceptions of advertising and marketing and adjust to a new set of rules that govern digital marketing. 

1. Social Spaces are powerful arenas for consumer opinion and they are democratic
2. Generally, people do not like advertising and especially don't seem to like it in social spaces
3. Consumers are sophisticated and trust each other more than businesses for brand recommendation
4. Consumers have the ability to filter out unwanted noise; advertising is the first to get filtered

Marketing in social spaces definitely plays by a different set of rules. But if business recognises and respects these rules social spaces offer significant advantage for smart brands that can adapt.

Much success,

Doug