As a recovering Farmville addict, I am keenly aware of my friends’ social gaming activities. It seems like half of my Facebook news feed posts are about friends needing respect for Mafia Wars or a wheelbarrow to build a yard in Petville.

eMarketer recently reported that over half of social media users play social games, making it the fifth most popular social media activity.  Not only is this a large group, but one that advertisers frequently target. Here are some quick stats on this audience from a study done by PopCap:

• 55% of players are women
• The average age is 48
• 26% of all players are above 50
• 68% play at least once a day
• 29% have purchased virtual currency with real-world dollars
• Over 95% play multiple times a day.

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For some B2B companies, including social media in the overall marketing mix makes a lot of sense, as many business professionals are already using social media.  Using this tactic as part of the marketing mix is like any other aspect – you must first determine objectives, strategy, and key performance indicators.  However, there are some unique aspects to social media that you need to keep in mind:

1.  Build up your presence with content. Content is king! Create content for your customers that they can use – whether it be a whitepaper they can pass on to their colleagues, a graph they can use in a presentation, or a quick fact they can retweet. Give them something of value and they will share your brand name and content. You should be using existing material and repurposing it for your needs.

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Scissors are a great tool; they allow us to separate things, open boxes, and create works of art, but they can also be dangerous.  The same holds true for social media; it can create and foster consumer relationships, cultivate brand advocates/ambassadors & generate brand awareness and favorability, but it too can be dangerous.

As a child your parents, teachers and elders told you not to run with scissors.  Furthermore, they told you to walk with the pointed end of the scissors facing the ground, in case of a fall (sorry for that visual).

More often than not, brands enter into social media running with the scissors.  They create a Facebook page, Twitter account or YouTube channel with no real thought as to what the desired outcome could, or should, be.

When/if you have the urge to do this as a marketer, take a step back, think about the outcome and objectives.  You certainly wouldn’t run with scissors as an adult.

In a recent NYT article, David Carr examined consumers’ use of social media to comment on television programs while they’re watching.  The trend is growing and it has created an unprecedented level of viewer engagement.  Carr gives examples such as the heavy use of Twitter during this year’s Oscars and increased viewership for the Oxygen networks’ The Bad Girls Club, which allows viewers to talk back to both their television and other people via www.Oxygenlive.com

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B2B and B2C marketers have both been using social media as an advertising tool. A recent survey done by E-marketer took a look at how the two categories use social media differently. Each has their own objectives that drive those differences.

Because the sales cycle of a B2B product is longer than a B2C product it makes sense that they are utilizing tactics that will help build leads and CRM. Social media tactics that are working for them include blogging, participating in third-party sites, and monitoring company mentions. Several of these tactics are helpful when trying to engage or stay in front of the audience over a long period of time.

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It’s one of the simplest, yet often most overlooked concepts – devoting focus to fundamentals.  In the case of social/conversational media and marketing, we notice this oversight to be even more prevalent.  It’s understandable… with all the buzz, hype and excitement surrounding the social space today.   Brands and advertisers are rushing to have a presence on a popular platform, but aren’t taking the time to sit down and review the #1 key beforehand – objectives.

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Over the past 5 years, there has been a steady increase in seniors’ use of online media. So, it is no surprise that as of November 2009 there were about 17.5 million active persons 65+ using the Internet, which accounts for the 55% growth from November 2004.

A new report released by Nielsen suggests that not only are seniors Googling and engaging in their “normal” habits, but more revealing is that they are adapting to the mainstream social media networks. Facebook was ranked as the number three site visited by people 65+ on the Top 10 Online Destinations list. This is a big shock, considering that just a year ago Facebook came in at #45.

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