The Search & Social Blog From Amplify Interactive

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A recent study revealed that marketers should focus their online advertising efforts into two specific areas:

- Target sites that are relevant to your product or service. This effort is crucial as personalized search gains popularity.

- ” The Internet is shifting from a medium of information to one of participation…follow that trend and encourage consumer participation in their marketing efforts…” through social networking.

“Social networking users are growing at an accelerated rate. One in four Internet users visits a social site at least once a month, and that figure only looks to increase over the next several years.”

These two areas are not mutually exclusive, as social marketing can compliment traditional search. “One out of three Internet users is already taking advantage of a site containing user-generated content to help make a decision to buy, or not to buy something.”

It’s common practice to use “word of mouth” from peers to help guide and filter out purchasing decisions. We’re human, we want to trust and be trusted. Creating a “social relationship” with the consumer gives you as the marketer more credibilty and trustworthiness.