A lot has been happening in the world of social media, and I do mean the world. As many B2B companies move into using more social and digital tools we continue to read about case studies involving the big three — LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. But what abo0ut Sina Weibo? Orkut? Hi5? Renren? Are these networks a part of your strategy? Do you know who they reach and what they do? Do you need to expand your reach by using them?
Is your digital strategy stranded at home or are you on a journey to expand your work around the world?
As our business expands and we look to reach our customers around the world I’ve been reading more about the growth of social media globally. Here’s a breakdown of some of the research I’ve found interesting and helpful:
Asia
- New research in late 2011 according to Burson-Marsteller shows Asia’s top companies double their social media presence (Slideshare) compared to 2010. Penn Olson breaks the study down for you.
- Mashable writes about a Forrester Research poll of 100,000 consumers in Asia, Latin America and North America in the second and third quarters of 2011.
- Last year, Edelman published its study and infographic of Asia’s key digital and social media markets. And over at The d Infographics they break down social media statistics in a large infographic for Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Europe
- I spoke last year at the the European Corporate Social Media Summit where we discussed a number of topics, including my talk on measuring influence. Most of the discussions focused on measurement and evaluation and two presentations are available here for download. Late last year, Adobe commissioned a study on social media measurement in Europe that is worth a view (Slideshare).
- The Economist last July reported on the European Commission’s study of the most enthusiastic, and the most fearful, social networkers. Even European MBA programs have embraced social media.
- And if you need any data to further support a mobile strategy, Comscore reported in November on the rapid growth in mobile social networking in Europe.
Latin America
- If you’re looking to expand into Latin America your destinations should be focused on Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.
- Another excellent Edelman Digital study and one from Synthesio look at the rise of networks throughout the region.
But if you’re pressed for time and want a global view of what is happening online, I strongly suggest you download this Slideshare presentation from InSite Consulting and their total view social media around the world in 2011 (NOTE: you will need to request a copy from them).
Is there a presentation you liked that I missed pointing out above? Is there an example of what you’ve learned from your experiences? Is there a fact that surprised you from the information you viewed from the above links? Please share them in the comments.
If you enjoyed this you may also want to read:
World-Class social practices for B2B companies
What drives your social media strategy?
Are you ready for a real-time B2B world?
Are you ready for these five trends?