By Chris Lee

A survey released in June this year found that one in five marketers is currently not integrating social media into their marketing campaigns, despite apparently being aware of the benefits. The research came from the marketing company Silverpop and appeared to contradict a survey out the same month from business property giant Regus, which found that nearly half (41 per cent) of UK companies now use social media sites to attract new customers, an eight per cent rise on last year.

According to Silverpop’s survey, three quarters (75 per cent) of the 500 marketing managers it questions stated that their marketing campaigns were only somewhat “mocially integrated” – a term which refers to the integration of mobile, social and geosocial (location-based) platforms. In fact, only four per cent are using geosocial platforms, such as Gowalla or Foursquare.

Only ten per cent of respondents offer email newsletter opt-ins on their Facebook pages but 38 per cent say they plan to. A third (33 per cent) have launched a mobile app while a further third (30 per cent) plan to offer one by 2012.

New Media Knowledge caught up with Stephen England-Hall, managing director of Web hosting services company Syncapse to find out why companies appeared to not be using social media as widely as they could – and maybe should - be.
What's holding back adoption of social media? I thought most companies by now would at least be on Twitter, for example.

Marketers are sometimes hesitant to jump into social media because they are nervous about putting their brand out there in an environment where they will face increased need for transparency and accountability in their communications with customers.

In our view, the benefits of having a social media presence far outweigh the risks, especially if marketers adopt a risk management approach. Some of the benefits of having a brand presence on social media include increased loyalty toward your company and its products, the ability to communicate with customers on a more frequent and authentic basis, and unmatched ability to gather customer insights and data.

What are your top tips for late starters on the social media marketing front? Is it ‘too late’ to join the social media revolution?

First off, it is never too late to start participating in social media. Popular sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are rapidly increasing their base of users and this trend shows no sign of stopping. Our own research shows that social media is becoming almost as influential as television in terms of impacting purchase decisions and gaining mindshare. Consumers are equally likely to trust a recommendation from a blog as a television spot, and 45 per cent of consumers watch television and surf Facebook at the same time.

Key tactics will vary according to company and industry, but a good start for any social media marketer is to participate and listen – paying careful attention to your customer base to determine which social media platforms are the best fit for your brand.