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The Impact of Social
Media,
by Timothy Schneider,
Publisher, Association News
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Los
Angeles, CA – January 2017 / Newsmaker Alert / If
there’s one thing that President-Elect Donald Trump has proven, it’s that
use of social media—particularly Twitter—can be a tremendously powerful
tool for delivering messages unfiltered by traditional media gatekeepers.
That’s a lesson that should not be lost on association executives. Kellen,
an association management and communications company, recently released
its fourth annual global report on the use of social media and other new
technologies by associations both in the United States and Europe. Here
are the key findings that you should find of interest:
1.
Facebook is the most widely used social media platform among trade associations,
professional societies, charities and other nonprofit organizations.
Of the organizations surveyed, 94 percent say they have used Facebook.
Coming in at second and third are Twitter and LinkedIn, respectively. Instagram
use by U.S. associations grew slightly from 29 percent to 35 percent over
the past year.
2.
Mobile apps for tradeshows and conferences are used by three in five organizations.
In the United States, 72 percent of associations report using some type
of mobile app, the most popular being those that provide information for
conference and tradeshow attendees. The next most prevalent uses for mobile
apps are event registration and to provide access to information, such
as an organization’s website. It comes as no surprise that the majority
of associations surveyed plan to expand their use of mobile technology
in the coming year.
3.
Social media is effective at helping organizations achieve a number of
goals. These objectives include member engagement, promoting events
and educational offerings, communicating with members of the media and
enabling the organization to take part in online debate on specific issues.
Event promotion is the most frequently cited use for social media among
associations.
4.
Paid online advertising is increasingly viewed as effective. Association
use of paid digital promotion continues to grow. In fact, 87 percent of
associations that advertise online said they have increased spending on
digital ads (including those on social media channels) over the past two
years. Facebook advertising ranks higher than any other channel and is
used by more than 50 percent of trade associations and more than 60 percent
of professional societies. The top three uses for digital advertising are
to grow a group’s social following, promote content and address issues.
At
Association
News, we’ve embraced a “mobile first” strategy for content distribution.
From breaking news headlines delivered through social media channels to
interactive features in our digital editions, creative video storytelling
and our Association News app, our digital, mobile-friendly content
augments the coverage presented in these pages. This fully integrated approach
to content delivery is captured in our new back-page feature, which
you will find on page 30.
It
also extends to our company’s live events, which include the Meetings
Quest series of educational programs and trade shows. Plan to join
us at Meetings Quest in Atlantic City, New Jersey, March 14–15. For more
information, please see the ad
on page 5, visit MeetingsQuest.com
or call 877-577-3700.
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Timothy
Schneider is the publisher of Association
News and SportsTravel
magazines, which serve group travel planners responsible for generating
156 million hotel room nights annually. Schneider
Publishing also organizes Meetings
Quest, America's longest-running series of trade shows for meeting
planners, and the TEAMS Conference
& Expo, the world’s largest gathering of sports-event organizers.
TEAMS ’17 will be held October 30–November 2, 2017, in Orlando, Florida.
For further information on advertising or sponsorship opportunities, please
call toll-free 877-577-3700 or 310-577-3700 if calling from outside the
United States.
The
current issue of Association
News can be viewed in digital format online by clicking
here.
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Media
Contact:
Timothy
Schneider
310-577-3700
Schneider
Publishing Company, Inc. |