How does social media increases marketers' inhouse influence?

There was a bit of a flutter in the twitsphere to the headline "61% of marketing executives believe they are more influential now because of social media".

e.g. ianrharris: @sammutimer I find it hard to believe that 61% of marketing executives would know about social media!

But the report actually had a really important message. It wasn't the message about marketers becoming more influential internally, or even that it was because of social media.

It was WHY they had become more influential and WHY social media gave them that edge.

Advertising and marketing executives were asked if they believe the influence a company’s marketing professionals have on business decisions has increased or decreased in the last 3 years: 

- 18% said it had increased significantly;

- 43% said it had increased somewhat. 

The reason?

According to Megan Slabinski, executive director of the Creative Group, a good portion of this increased influence can be credited to marketer's early adoption and continued use of social media.

Here's the BIG message:

Social media programs, which are often overseen by marketing and communications professionals, may increase the influence that marketing has in an organization.  "Many marketers are interacting directly with customers and clients through Twitter, Facebook and other social media, which gives them immediate, firsthand knowledge of how the firm’s products and services are perceived and can be improved upon," Slabinski said.

That's enormously important because it is the power of social media for all businesses, and for all departments and functions - to connect with real feedback and the real experiences of customers, and in real time.

Imagine, if a company went out looking to buy this information they would probably not be able to afford it. But here it all is sitting there, to be listened to and acted upon (in the right way of course).

Clearly that kind of information and feedback does not belong solely within the confines of the marketing department. But good on them for taking advantage to increase their influence while the rest of the business wakes up to social media as a key element of customer engagement and the customer experience.

The next step is to now take that understanding and to build a holistic top-down social media strategy which optimises all social media inputs and communications and engagement across the company - a strategy aligned with the overall business plan.