Worcester Business Journal

14 Worcester Business Journal | February 19, 2018 | wbjournal.com F O C U S M A R K E T I N G & S O C I A L M E D I A Social engagement BY EMILY MICUCCI Worcester Business Journal Staff Writer E leven years after the 2007 launch of Facebook's social advertising services for busi- nesses, one might guess busi- nesses have figured out exact- ly how to leverage it, and the many other social media platforms available for customer engagement. But in reality, social media is a puzzle business owners are still trying to solve, said Kham Inthirath, founder and presi- dent of Worcester-based InThink, a dig- ital marketing agency serving clients with revenue of $2 million and above. There's a range, of course. Some local businesses are nailing it; others aren't engaging at all, and the rest fall some- where in between. "The majority of them are still trying to find the right strategy," Inthirath said in an interview in February. But as they prod the different platforms – Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook, to name the big ones – the options and services they offer are becoming increasingly complex, and it's work just to keep up with that, said Inthirath, who employs a team of social media experts who keep him in the loop through the constant evolution. If a digital marketing expert like Inthirath needs help to stay ahead of the curve, there's no way a novice who is busy running an entire business should go it alone. While it might not hurt for an executive to Tweet about a new product or post about a company award, a comprehensive social media strategy is a must for modern busi- nesses, including dedicating resources through an in-house expert or con- tracting out to a firm like InThink. Social media spending doubles The amount of money spent on social media advertising suggests busi- ness owners should be savvy with their strategy, lest they risk wasting precious operating dollars on outreach that isn't going to yield returns. Between 2014 and 2016, social media advertising budgets nearly dou- bled worldwide, going from $16 bil- lion to $31 billion, and by 2019, social media ad spending is expected to grow to $17.3 billion in the U.S. alone, according to social media manage- ment firm Hootsuite. But true engagement on social media goes well beyond spending on ads. It's perhaps even more important to be authentic and create brand awareness, Inthirath said. "You should really be embracing social media to make sure you show your culture," Inthirath said. The tools and features offered by social media platforms are becoming more sophisticated, and expectations around posting are increasing. When Facebook and the other platforms that Local firms don't devote much to social media As the world becomes increasingly digital, social media is playing an important role in business marketing and customer service efforts, giving companies a chance to reach out to individual customers instantaneously. However, when polled online, more than two of every three WBJ readers said their companies devote only minimal resources to social media. F L A S H P O L L How important is social media to your company? "Apparently we are socially inept. We have yet to see the value of paying to partake in the flood of noise in social media. The lack of credible sources for marketing, and for credible news, is a major business opportunity." COMMENTS: "Social media is an effective, low-cost way to regularly bring traffic to our blog and website. It allows us to connect with our customers directly, wherever they are." "With being a very small local business, the use of hyperlocal newspapers and word of mouth have been excellent ways to grow our business." We're not a customer-facing company and don't have much use for marketing or social media. 7% We would have a hard time maintaining our customer base without social media. 32% We use it occasionally to create brand awareness but don't devote a full-time employee to manage it. 40% We do just fine marketing our company without the use of social media. 21% Developing a clear strategy, including costs, is key to business success on social media followed were new, Inthirath said peo- ple and companies would post off the cuff. But companies today need to be more measured about what they post, tweet or upload, Inthirath said, because customers view social media as another communication channel. When clients are looking for help with social media strategy, Inthirath starts by helping them understand about how dif- ferent platforms serve their goals. Often, clients will say they need to increase Kham Inthirath, founder and president, InThink

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