The growing popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter is altering the communication model followed by big and small companies when it comes to online marketing. While emails and newsletters were once the buzzword in digital marketing, they seem almost archaic now in comparison to various social media platforms available today.
One digital marketing company that has been quick to perceive the winds of change in this sphere is Trinidad and Tobago based Caribbean Ideas Limited. It recently organized the Caribbean Digital Expo 2011 to get prominent industry players to throw light on the latest trend that is most likely to shape the future of marketing strategy adopted by companies to bolster their online presence.
The overwhelming attendance at the expo testified the growing interest and eagerness among companies to know how they can take advantage of the latest online and mobile apps to get more visibility  and to add value to their businesses.
The panel discussions at this expo were focused on offering valuable tips to the attendees so that they could use social media as an effective tool of communication. This platform offers an equal opportunity for small and micro enterprises in the industry as well as the leading market players. Businesses can compete for consumer attention irrespective of the marketing budgets that they have.
In today’s tech savvy world, social media serves as an excellent point of contact for customers. However, this is a dynamic forum and online marketing experts agree that companies need to take maximum advantage of social media platforms by developing a three-line marketing strategy or using multiple formats to stay connected such as making announcements on the official website, posting updates on Facebook, tweeting about promotional offers and sending emails, newsletters and BBM messages.
However, companies need to create specific strategies for the use of various social media sites to increase their customer base and to get a high ROI. For instance, while Twitter serves as a perfect information conduit for followers, Facebook is the right choice of platform to engage in real time with clients and advertisers. With social media already touted as the next big thing for online marketing, companies are jumping on this digital marketing bandwagon fast.
