Local businesses gathered Thursday to learn how Facebook profiles may be of interest to more than just circles of friends.
The third Social Media Arizona conference, which is hosted by a Tempe-based marketing company called Web3Mavens, featured 17 presenters from local and national companies that offered ideas to help businesses better utilize social networking to attract new customers and strengthen relationships with current customers.
In the conference at MADCAP Theaters on Mill Avenue, Web3Mavens’ managing partner Fred Von Graf said the goal for the conference is to help businesses improve their social networking to gain more customers.
“We want to present valuable ideas and practical examples for utilizing social media,” Von Graf said.
Keynote speaker Greg Chapman, president of the Tempe-based advertising company Sitewire, discussed how important it is to use social media sites to turn customers into advocates of a business’ brand, who can help spread the business through their social media network.
“Treat digital [advertising] the same way you treat traditional,” Chapman said.
Another speaker at the conference, Matt O’Brien, said businesses should develop strategies that feature as many different forms of media as possible.
“The line between offline and online is getting blurred,” said O’Brien, the founder and president of an Arizona-based marketing firm Mint Social. “Playing with all forms of media is a good thing.”
Chapman said mobile applications and smart phones are creating a new way for people to shop online. He added that the number of smart phones being produced daily is almost equal to that of PC sales.
“PCs started a revolution,” Chapman said. “That revolution is now happening with smart phones.”
Online retailer eBay estimates that $1.5 billion of its revenue will come from mobile sources in 2010, Chapman said.
Laurie Buczek, social media specialist for Intel, said some experts believe that use of mobile applications could surpass the open Web in the near future.
Buczek outlined Intel’s commitment to continue integrating its mobile and social media presences across platforms to expand and personalize their communication with consumers.
“All of these should not be seen as a separate Internet,” Buczek said. “Why can’t we blend some of these things?”
Chapman, in his presentation concerning bringing the customer lifecycle online, offered suggestions to businesses to generate business through social media, such as rewarding customers for connecting with them through social media.
Rewarding customers with coupons or giving free items for “liking” the business’ page on Facebook, or repeat “check-ins” on programs like Foursquare are some possible examples, he said.
“I’m a little disappointed that I don’t get a free swirl cone for being the mayor of Dairy Queen on Foursquare,” Chapman said.
Reach the reporter at michael.reppenhagen@asu.edu
