August 31 , 2010

Staying social is a lot of work: executives

71% say it's challenging to keep up with trends

Social media provides new channels to marketers but staying current on developments takes some legwork, a new survey by The Creative Group confirms. More than seven in 10 (71 per cent) advertising and marketing executives interviewed said it's at least somewhat challenging to keep up with social media trends. According to 22 per cent of respondents, the best resource for staying up to speed on this topic is participating in networking events and industry association meetings. Attending conferences or seminars was the second most common response, cited by 20 per cent of those polled.

The Canadian study was developed by The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service providing creative, advertising, marketing and web professionals on a project basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. It is based on more than 250 telephone interviews -- approximately 200 with marketing executives randomly selected from companies with 100 or more employees and 50 with advertising executives randomly selected from agencies with 20 or more employees.

Advertising and marketing executives were asked, "How challenging is it for you to stay current on social media trends?" Their responses:

Very challenging....................................... 18%

Somewhat challenging................................... 53%

Not challenging........................................ 29%

Advertising and marketing executives also were asked, "What do you consider the single best resource for staying current on social media trends?" Their top responses included:

Networking events or industry associations meetings.... 22%

Conferences or seminars................................ 20%

Webinars or online training............................ 18%

Trade publications..................................... 17%

Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn posts.................... 10%

Blogs.................................................. 7%

"The rise of social media has quickly and significantly transformed online marketing practices, making it challenging to stay current on industry advancements," said Lara Dodo, vice president of The Creative Group's Toronto operations.

Added Dodo, "To effectively navigate changes taking place within the social media space, it's essential for marketers to take full advantage of their professional toolbox. Leveraging available resources, both online and in-person, will help identify what information is most valuable."