Social media marketing trend on the rise

CEBU, Philippines - The fast-paced popularity of internet use and the increasing number of internet users by the day is being seen as a good advantage by corporations and politicians to reach out to their specified audience.

This was pointed out by PRWorks Inc managing director, Doris Mongaya who shared that most of their clients not only want to use the traditional form of media for their advertisements but also through the net.

 Mongaya explained that internet penetration in the country is approximately 25 percent or some 24 million users in 2009 and continues to increase by the months. Further, she noted that as of October 2009, there are around six million Filipinos registered in Facebook, an online social networking site and another site Friendster, had over 12 million visitors from the country for each month as of September of last year. Multiply registered 2.2 million Filipino users for the previous year.

“This means marketing campaigns could not anymore exclude the Internet especially the social media this year,” said Mongaya.

She said that IT companies like the Filipino firm Neo, which PR works did their launch in Cebu and Davao for, did not just invite members from mainstream media to the launching of its new line of laptops in October 2009 but also invited bloggers to reach their online audience.

After the said success, Neo will be strengthening its online presence this year.

PRworks client, Toshiba, which concept store opened recently in Cebu , maximized also the help of bloggers in the use of its promotion.

Cebu-based GT Cosmetics, another PRWorks client, Mongaya said is also looking forward for a communications plan that would combine traditional public relations and social media to boost its products promotions in Metro Manila, other cities in the Visayas, and in Mindanao .

Aside from private entities, Mongaya observed that several PR consultants are also helping political clients connect with the public through online use especially for the youth.

Mongaya, who is organizing the Cebu chapter of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines, clarified though that whether a public relations program is aimed for traditional media, the social media, or both, it should generate credible information via news, events and online content. The information, though, should be presented in more creative ways as Mongaya observed that the lines between PR and advertising is blurring rapidly.

“We expect this trend towards utilization of social media and blogs this election year,” she said.— AJ de la Torre