[Skip to content]

  • A / A / A : Change text size



Log in
The Marketer logo
The Chartered Institute of Marketing logo
Search our Site
Search help
The Marketer Magazine current issue cover
Subscribe to The MarketerSubscribe
to magazine
Subscribe to the FREE e-newsletter Subscribe
to e-newsletter
View a sample digital edition View a sample
digital edition

The Marketer is the official magazine of The Chartered Institute of Marketing.

The Institute offers marketing training and qualifications, including a continuing professional development (CPD) programme leading to Chartered Marketer status. Read more about training and qualifications.

On the Institute's website members can access an archive of articles from the press, case studies, directories, market reports and other resources at the Marketing Resources, find out more about what's on for marketers and purchase course books and more at the marketing shop.

Contact the Institute in the UK, its overseas branches or market interest groups for more information for members, or contact the membership department to find out how to join.

.
Surveys and research

Online social media: purely a PR tool?

 

Almost one-third of marketers say that online social media is “purely a PR or positioning medium”.
 
Of those surveyed for the Institute’s Marketing Trends Survey (MTS) who consider web 2.0 relevant to their business, the largest proportion of marketers (28 per cent) say their company views social media as a PR tool.
 
Half of marketers surveyed believe their organisations are “scared” of embracing social media, according to the latest wave of the MTS.
 
This perception of fear is greatest among marketers in public sector and charitable organisations, where 58 per cent agreed that their organisation is “scared of fully exploiting social media”. But only 17 per cent say their company doesn’t use social media at all and has no intention of starting. This disregard is most prevalent in B2B, with 39 per cent of marketers in the manufacturing, engineering and infrastructure sectors claiming that a foray into social media is not on the agenda at their organisation.
 
The survey also reveals a lack of awareness and understanding of marketing laws. When questioned as to the extent of their understanding of the CAP and BCAP codes, which cover marketing and advertising regulations, 87 per cent of respondents claimed it was “fairly poor” or “very poor”, or that they had “no understanding at all”.
 
On a more positive note, marketers are more confident of improved sales performance this financial year. The average anticipated difference in sales performance is 4.1 per cent. Businesses with turnover of less than £10m are the most positive about growth, predicting a greater than average increase in sales.
 
MTS, conducted on behalf of CIM by Ipsos Mori, questioned 846 marketers.
 
The full MTS report is available for purchase from the Institute. E-mail: library@cim.co.uk