Is your Social Media "Alive" or "LIVE"?

 I have been around the marketing and advertising block a time or two, and I've seen some changes -- some great and some not-so-great changes. However, with the advent of social media, I have seen a series of trends I find revitalizing, engaging, and highly entertaining.

A new format of advertising is finding a gap within more traditional marketing techniques in our country. It is called LIVE ADERTISING and consists of live performances offered in public spaces to passing by spectators, TV viewers, mobile users, and Social Media enthusiasts. Therefore it is a combination of a spot and real time media.

Live advertising gets the message out there, it entertains and surprises people and it’s a third of the cost or even FREE. These ads are cheaper than traditional print or TV work and can generate as much or more attention. But because their success is dependent on outside forces..aka...USERS, the risks are high if you are not involved as the company because you will lose the attention of your viewers if you are highly involved and interactive but there rewards are IMMEDIATE when your consumers are engaged!

Think about Content Marketing as one example of this. It's being in places when consumers need you, and seek you out with relevant, educational, helpful, compelling, engaging and sometimes entertaining information...Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, "Text Marketing".

Let's review a social platform called Pintrest.  During the recent Super Bowl during the "blackout" allowed LIVE ADVERTISING to kick into gear.  Companies where heavily driving SOCIAL MEDIA awareness but where they prepared for this event...NO....but guess what...the social USERS where.  Take a look at this:

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Reports also suggest that buyers referred from Pinterest are 10% more likely to buy than those who arrive from other social sites, and 70% more likely than those from websites.

With all this said here is my recommendation:

1. Today’s opportunity market is to target the mobile/tablet buyers. Throw out the old playbook. You must integrate time, location, rich media and social interaction. 
2. Tie in social, but more than just the ‘Like’ button. Have features integrate in a deeper manner.
3. The future of marketing is sophisticated lifestyle and workstyle content.  Some marketers will become profit centers beyond profit centers.