Social Media Validation

I may be a bit late to the party on this one (unlike me I have to say, but I heard it wasn't a free bar) but I've come across some really interesting research (via the wise Mr Stallard) from Forrester validating the importance of social media in the B2B decision making process.

Great news for us social media champions it seems. But wait! There is an interesting debate forming as Dave Raffaele of Quaero points out. He says - and I paraphrase - that marketers get it but until there is a visible ROI they are too busy to engage in what is a time consuming new communications channel until there is a clear value. Dave is a supporter of Social Media, he's just explaining a clear industry viewpoint - please do read his piece to get the full view on the valid points he puts across.

I agree with Dave to an extent, there are early adopters who are up and running with social media and for those that aren't quite up to speed it can get pretty annoying to hear these buzz words bandied about. I'm a Facebook and Twitter user but it still annoys me to hear about them in conversations and news articles at times.

Like it or not Social Media is here and everyday it is proving its value more and more both within the business environment (relationship building) and outside of it (news communication) but with the research from Forrester so clearly demonstrating that decision makers are at the very least observing Social Media channels it seems to me that those who aren't getting on and getting involved may be the victims of " you snooze, you lose".