Awareness eBook Uncovers Latest Trends in Social Media Marketing

Survey Results Reveal That Companies Are Moving From Free Social Media Services to Enterprise Platforms That Offer More Control; Upcoming Webinar on March 9


WALTHAM, MA--(Marketwire - March 4, 2009) - Awareness, Inc., the social media marketing company, today announced the availability of "Corporate Trends in Social Media Marketing," a new eBook that compiles recent findings from a survey of more than 600 marketing executives and best practices from corporations that have adopted social media as part of their marketing strategy. A webinar about the research and "Corporate Trends in Social Media Marketing" will take place on March 9.

A shared project of Chris Brogan, president of New Marketing Labs, and Mike Lewis, Awareness' vice president of marketing, this eBook is based on collected survey responses from 623 marketing executives at mid-to-large sized organizations, and presents social media best practices that Awareness has culled from its work with a number of organizations, including Marriott, Procter & Gamble, Constant Contact and Hershey's.

The eBook and survey reveal:

--  Most organizations are leveraging "unpaid" forms of social media such
    as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, along with lower cost blogging
    applications like WordPress and SocialText to execute social media
    programs.
    --  93% of organizations surveyed are using some form of "unpaid"
        social media
    --  When asked which solution media platform is currently being used or
        evaluated, 202 organizations indicated WordPress. 29% of companies
        > $250M in revenue are using or considering WordPress while 61% of
        companies < $250M are considering or using WordPress.

--  Yet, despite adoption, organizations are still hesitant to launch
    social media initiatives. Concerns included lack of participation,
    maintaining a consistent brand image, and calculating ROI.

--  While marketing budgets are generally declining for 2009, roughly 50%
    of respondents have allocated a percentage of their marketing budget to
    social media. Most of these organizations are planning an upgrade from
    "unpaid" sources to an enterprise platform that offers more data
    control, increased functionality, and a hard ROI.

For a complete summary of the survey results and best practices on how to adopt and mitigate risk when implementing social media programs, the "Corporate Trends in Social Media Marketing" eBook can be downloaded here: http://www.aw arenessnetworks.com/resources/default.asp#ebook-corp-trends. These findings will also be presented in a webinar on March 9 with Chris Brogan and Mike Lewis. To register, visit: http://www.awarenessnetworks.com/resources/webinar-reg.asp.

Connect with Awareness:

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/awarenessinc

Blog: Participate in the Awareness Online Community and Blog (http://www.awarenessnetworks.com/community.asp)

Facebook: Join our Social Media Marketing Best Practices Page (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?# /pages/Social-Media-Marketing-Best-Practices/44587192553?ref=ts) and Social Media Marketing Mavens Group (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?# /group.php?gid=45317366530&ref=t)

LinkedIn: Join our Social Media Marketing Mavens Group (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1693977)

About Awareness

Awareness builds online communities for companies who want to leverage social media marketing to engage with their customers, build their brand, and increase revenues. An early leader in enterprise social media, Awareness works with some of the world's most respected companies, including Kodak, McDonald's, Procter & Gamble, and Hershey's, to transform their marketing and create deeper relationships with customers. The Awareness solution features an on-demand Social Media Marketing Platform that combines user-generated content and social networking with security and control. Awareness also provides strategic guidance, best practices, and expert services to design, implement, and manage social communities.

Backed by Greylock Partners and NorthBridge Venture Partners, Awareness is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Contact Information: Media Contact Jennifer Gazin awareness(at)launchsquad(dot)com 415.625.8555 Awareness Contact Mike Lewis mike.lewis(at)awarenessnetworks.com Twitter: @bostonmike