As social media has become global phenomenon, more and more professionals and businesses are finding new ways of using social media tools and understanding the conversation. “Marketers embrace new media platforms, social media and viral videos have seen the largest jump in ranking”, according to a survey done by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA), BtoB Magazine and in partnership with marketing services firm ‘mktg’.

The survey found that 66 percent of marketers utilized social media in 2009, as compared to 20% in 2007. Fifty percent employ viral videos, up from only 25 percent in 2007.

In order to properly fund these new media formats, 55 percent of respondents have shifted funds from their traditional media budget, while 48 percent shifted funds from other marketing communications budgets. Twenty-six percent of marketers created an incremental budget.

The top concerns for marketers when considering newer media platforms are the inability to prove ROI (45 percent) and having metrics to properly allocate the mix of traditional and digital media (43 percent).

Among social networks being embraced by all marketers, the top sites used are:

· Facebook (74 percent)
· YouTube (65 percent)
· Twitter (63 percent)
· LinkedIn (60 percent)
(Source: http://www.ana.net/news/content/1824)

As a result of its popularity, social media websites have become an information resource for consumers according to joint research by OTX (www.otxresearch.com) and DEI Worldwide (www.deiworldwide.com). Their key findings showed that people rely on various types of social media websites as much as company website for products and brand information.

Most of the consumers surveyed (70 percent) have visited social media websites such as message boards, social networking sites and blogs to get information. Furthermore, nearly half (49 percent) of these consumers made a purchase decision based on what they gathered.

The rise of social media is not only changing the relationship between brand and audience, it is affecting traditional marketing and PR metrics. Such growing influence has forced marketers to take more serious approach on social media marketing.