So I think everybody that is online interacts with social media in one way or an another. Whether it is a profile on facebook a community on ning or watching TV on Hulu. Many industries are now starting to somewhat understand the power of social media and are starting to get in to the game.

The one I am going to pick on is the automotive industry as I have been working with it in the last few months. I see trainers attracting followers on ning and pretty much everbody twittering, yet when you look at most dealers websites they are still very one dimensional aside from a few badly designed research tools. However my question is how do these companies define a process that allow them to interact in different channels, understand the social value of their participators and convert them in to product and service evangelists. On top of that how do they start to define the true monetary value of a lurker and translate that in to a life time client value and hence be able to find that ever elusive ROI and cost per sale.Because I am a professional online marketer I could define my own metrix and datamine my analytics for meaningful results that would allow me to understand which channels got a better pickup rate and cross match that with my cost, but most companies do not have the time or knowledge to achieve this and agencies who do this for their clients are far to lean on the ground at this time, because they do not yet fully understand this new medium.

In the last year or so analytics have become far better, but in my opinion there is a long ways to go until tradionally offline and non tech businesses have to tools that are easy to use, understand and act off of to make sound business decisions relating to participation in social media.

I recently met the founders of a new German concept based around social networking and mobile networking using bluetooth technology. The concept revolves around managing your offline world both online and through your mobile phone. Their branding is unique and they have also just released an English language version. If you want to se e how the mobile world is interacting with web 2.0 concepts this is a very good example. Mobile is the buzz word at the moment and this technology, even considering its limitations is a great start. I just want to add the people from Aka'Aki were enthusiastic and humble about their project and I think they have a great future ahead of them, great work guys I can't wait to see how you develop this further! Aka'Aki

45% of marketers surveyed by database marketing firm Epsilon reveal they haven't yet committed marketing dollars in emerging media, however they are increasingly interested in dabbling in this somewhat new arena. Online social campaigns or word-of-mouth marketing are the words closest to the lips of the industry with 67% interested in adding it to their offerings.

These figures only further show how old tactics are hard habits to kick and how a different mentality to marketing in a digital world will be slow to take root with such a contrasting direct communication medium as the Internet, blended with the perceived uncontrollable nature of social media.

Marketers are now showing more than a mild interest in associated web 2.0 social media campaigns the stats of their interest levels are below:

Out of all marketers interviewed, Social Networking / media and Word of Mouth, blogs were top with 55% showing an interest ; mobile came a close second with 48%; and RSS feeds, 44%. Instant messaging appears to be less important with a lower 31%.