Social Media For Business & Marmite… More In Common Than You Think?

Do you love Marmite?

Do you hate Marmite?

It is said that you either love Marmite or you hate it.

There is no middle ground. I’m sure there are a few people that do actually fall somewhere in the middle, but it’s hard to argue that Marmite’s love it/hate it marketing campaign is a rip-roaring success.

Well, here’s the thing; social media for business and Marmite have a lot in common. No, really.

If you were to go around and poll businesses, you’d find that there are plenty of those that love social media and can’t get enough of it. You’d also find that there are more than a few companies that hate social media and wish it would die a slow, painful death. We’re not just talking about traditional marketing firms either.

I Love Marmite Social Media

Companies that have fallen in love with social media are finding that they can reach out to more people and increase brand awareness for less money. With the state of the economy today, that’s a big deal. They’re also finding that they can interact with customers – both current and potential customers – easier, making things like market research and customer feedback that much easier to obtain.

Perhaps the only downfall in social media for business is that it can be time-consuming, both getting started and then maintaining a successful campaign. This is false logic though. If you compare the cost of overseeing social media, even if you employ somebody full time, it’s likely less expensive than if you paid for print, radio and television advertising. It can be a lot more effective than traditional online advertising though.

I Hate Marmite Social Media

Those businesses that hate, loathe, detest social media often write it off as a fad. In some ways they’re right. Social media sites spring up left, right and centre before fading into obscurity. Just look at MySpace. But, and this is a big but, social media as a whole is far from a fad.

With more than a billion users worldwide, Facebook is a clear indication that social media is still popular. The fact that Twitter now reaches out to 200 million users and continues to grow at a rapid rate indicates that social media is going to be around for some time.

Social media for business offers so many benefits for a company, from simple feedback to snagging a million new customers. Businesses sitting in the ‘I Hate Social Media’ bracket, those resistant to change, are holding themselves back, missing out on golden opportunities. Even just a small soiree into social media can prove hugely beneficial.

So, which side of the love/hate divide do you sit on?

FYI: Marmite loves social media. The much loved, much hated brand can be found on Twitter and Facebook. The company even got into a spot of bother earlier this year thanks to its ‘End Marmite Neglect’ television commercial and social media campaign.