by Tony Vidler

I just don’t get it.

After years of NOT adopting what is simply an evolution in communication methods, there is a mood amongst many professionals that they have “missed the wave”.

You may as well say you’ve “missed the wave” on emails and websites.  Or it is too late to learn texting.  Or it is too late to use any voice over internet medium….

…yet so many of these professionals happily tune into a webinar – a voice over internet medium – to find out what they should be doing with their email systems….

I just don’t get it.

You see social media isn’t a “wave” at all.  It isn’t something sweeping in that will disappear in moments to be replaced by another similar wave shortly….it is an evolution in communication.  It is here to stay until it evolves into, or is replaced by, even more advanced forms of communication amongst human beings.

It is not a wave, and it is not a fad.

Need proof?

Just in little ‘ol New Zealand….

• Population: 4,365,113
• Total internet users: 3,873,982
• Facebook users: 2,400,000
• and 1,900,000 accessing social from their mobiles….

Or in Australia:

• Population: 22, 680,000
• 10,800,000 accessing social media from their mobiles…
• 81% of the population have a Facebook account
• 42% have a Twitter account

In fact, there is still ENORMOUS upside. It is not too late for professionals to begin using social media in their marketing and client communications.

• Linkedin users in NZ: 798,000
• Twitter users in NZ: 249,000
• in Australia, only 23% of the population have Linkedin accounts; only 15% have Instagram accounts; and; only 30% have Google + accounts
• In NZ only 13% of the population have Google + accounts, and only 8% have Pinterest accounts…

The average social media user spends 2 hours and 5 minutes using social media each day in Australia.  In my household we help lift the averages I can tell you, because it is a lot more than 2 hours a day…it has overtaken television and radio.

As a primary form of communication there is no doubt, it is in play. It is not a fad.  People are already using it in massive proportions.

Yet, there is clearly enormous upside and growth in users and accounts left to play out.

With just over 90% of consumers in developed nations using the internet to search for business solutions and products, having an online presence matters.

But only if you need customers, and want them to find you I guess.

And when they want to find a business, who do they use?

Google dominates search, with 93% in Australia and 92% in NZ.

So here’s a free tip:  If it matters to Google, then it should matter to you.

But only if you need customers, and want them to find you I guess.

Social media as a means of communication is here to stay – it already is well established and literally a part of everyday life for the majority of consumers.  But the business use of social media is definitely still evolving.  The consumers are already there, and they are waiting.  Most businesses are not really there in any meaningful way.

The upside potential is enormous.  In fact for most professional services businesses it is green fields…there is little competition of consequence, there is an enormous audience waiting already, and serious potential for that audience to grow even more.  There is even MORE potential when you consider the growth yet to be realised in mobile data…

Missed the wave?

I don’t think so.

100 Stas About Social Media (on Slideshare): http://www.slideshare.net/ExactTarget/100-stats-about-social-media-around-the-world

Search usage reference: http://returnonnow.com/internet-marketing-resources/2013-search-engine-market-share-by-country/

Tony on Google+