Many companies talk about the benefits of social media, but few are making significant investments in social media programs. More than 60% of the companies in our survey indicated social media represents between 0 – 5% of their total marketing budget. This is fairly consistent regardless of company size.

Most of the companies we surveyed indicated they use social media to promote their business, but few seem to have a specific or consistent approach to the process. Just like any other marketing endeavor, without a clear strategy which is focused on achieving specific goals, the activities can keep you busy without producing any real results.

One important note, most business owners do not include the cost of manpower in their calculations of the cost of social media, so across the board, we believe their cost estimate are lower than actual expenditures.

Does the investment pay off? The data clearly indicates a positive correlation between investment and results. Companies which are putting their toe hesitantly in the water, carving out 5% or less of their total marketing budget, rarely indicate a significant portion of their sales come from social media.

At the most recent Indy Social Media breakfast, I had a chance to hear both  Rocky Walls and Julie Perry speak about video marketing. In their presentations, Rocky and Julie approached the topic of video from two very different perspectives.  Rocky (CEO of 12 Stars Media) focused on how to effectively shoot a great internet video.Julie (VP of Social Media at BlastMedia) picked up where he left off, focusing on how to market those videos.

Some of the major takeaways from Rocky’s presentation:

• Stop using a script-many folks think they need to script all their lines in advance. This, in turn, makes you sound stodgy and uptight. Use guidelines, not a word-for word transcript.
• Have a goal…before you push the red button-Rocky’s mantra is all about being able to answer this question: “My viewer will _______ after viewing my video because ______”. Having goals in advance is critical when shooting video, just like with anything else.
• Smile-Rocky feels when someone is smiling at the beginning of a video, that mood typically carries through the rest of the shoot, which the viewers will be able to sense.

And from Julie’s:

• Users want to view your content on their terms-Now more than ever, the consumer has the power. You need to make sure your videos are delivering what the consumer wants when they need it. Otherwise, they won’t bother.
• If you’re marketing on Youtube, you need to be using the new video transcription option-Google can not accurately gauge what a video on Youtube is actually showing…until now. Users can upload transcripts of their video so that Google can do a full text analysis of the video’s content. This can get tedious, so Julie recommends searching for video transcript services, available all over the web.
• Be complete-Many Youtube marketers neglect taking full advantage of the tagging and description features…at their own peril. By packing the tag and description areas, you’re giving you’re video it’s best shot at showing up in relevant searches. Remember, though…relevance is key. Sadly, tagging our Roundpeg videos with “Lady Gaga” does us no good.

As an Indianapolis web design firm, we often get questions from clients on how to use video and Youtube to achieve marketing goals. After listening to Rocky and Julie, I now feel much more confident in my ability to answer those questions.

What’s your best “Youtube tip”?  Or Favorite YouTube business video? Share the link here

Research shows YouTube is now the number two search engine after Google, particularly for the under thirty crowd who are in increasingly turning to YouTube over Google as their searching needs. But what do YouTube and marketing have to do with each other?

Next Wednesday ( July 6th)  we will be talking to special guest Rocky Walls of 12 star media about how small businesses can effectively leverage this resource to enhance their marketing and PR strategies.

Do you have any comments, questions, or tips about YouTube? Post it here, send it to one of us on Twitter or Facebook, or call in during the show at (805) 285 -9865. Remember to use the #hashtag #MTFW on Twitter, so your comments will be added to our Keepstream below.

The call will be live from 10:30 – 11:00 on Wednesday, July 6th. You will be able to listen to the program from my station on BlogTalkRadio.com And  if the time is not convenient for you, listen to the recorded program from the player below or from our iTunes channel.

If you missed Allison and I last week at the Indianapolis Social Media club here is your chance to enjoy a lighthearted look at age bias in social media.  Appropriately named, Social Media at 25 and 50, we talked about the misconceptions people have about each of us, and our ability to take on the challenges of social media. Young professionals often have trouble demonstrating they understand the business applications of the tool, while folks in the over fifty crowd may struggle to prove they can manage the technology.

Alison and I enjoyed poking fun at each other, and these bias that exists against both of us. Some of the best lines occurred in the last minute of the program, so be sure to watch this short video as well.

Hello, my name is Scott Pfeiffer.  I will be a sophomore at Bradley University which is located in Peoria, Illinois.  I am majoring in Interactive Media with a minor in graphic design.  For those of you who don’t know, Interactive Media is the creation of graphics, video, audio, text and animation for usage on websites.  This appeals to me because it allows me to be creative.  A minor in Graphic Design will assist my creativity and enhance skills related to designing.

While my school work  keeps me busy, I can usually find some free time to participate in activities that I love doing.  A big part of my free time consists of playing Ultimate at my school.  Although the team is not the best, it is always fun to play.  I also joined a social fraternity and my schoolwork combined with these two hobbies keeps me busy.

There are two different paths that one can take over a summer break.  The first path is the path of relaxation.  This might consist of several vacations and a leisurely summer.  The other path is a bit more strenuous.  I call it the path of preparation.  This involves preparing for the future.  By taking summer classes or working a part or full time job, students can get ahead.  Working during summer doesn’t appeal to everyone but for me so far it has been the right thing.  After my sophomore year of high school I got a job working at a grocery store and have worked there every summer since.  In addition to making some money I have received something far more valuable: real work experience.  While dealing with irate customers was and is never fun, it has taught me a lot.  Something really important when dealing with customers is a professional appearance.  Perhaps one of the most important things that I have learned from this job is the importance of being professional.  Professionalism is an image that every business should have or strive to attain.

I decided to accept this internship in order to continue on the second path.  Working at Roundpeg will give me work experience in a new field, one that I have a future in.  Also, I will be learning things here that I can apply to school and my classes.  It is always useful to be a step ahead and this summer I will be taking steps forward from both a business and academic perspective.

While my summer will likely be very busy, I look at it as a challenge.  Working two jobs while staying in good physical condition and socializing with my friends are all things that take up time in my summer schedule.  Although it might sound hectic, having a full schedule keeps me busy and makes time fly.

Summer has started, and our interns have arrived.  You have already seen blog posts  from Stephanie and Melissa, now here is your chance to meet them on video.

By now you may have  had a chance to listen to an episode or two of our new feature on the Roundpeg blog, “Next Big Thing.” It is an interactive opportunity for young professionals in Indy to meet one of their own: someone young, successful, and on their way to becoming a staple in the Indy business community.

Recently, I sat down with Rocky Walls of 12 Stars Media. Rocky and his partner Zach Downs are advocates of  video as a tool that creates relationships and invites communication. Their “Real Simple Video” service is a great tool that literally anyone (including small business owners) can use. Check out the interview below to learn a little more about Rocky.

Some clients are easy to work with, others make you feel like you have to jump through hoops just to make a sale. On days when I feel as if I am running in circles, I will stop and watch this video and suddenly, things seem much easier.

Different types of businesses can use internet promotions to drive traffic to websites and fan page. In today’s video I share a story about a local optometrist.

This example is not limited to the medical profession. The campaign can be adopted to many industries, even yours!

You can divide your time, and marketing resources chases any and all clients, or you can focus your energy on the most profitable clients.

Savvy small business owners track their marketing activity.  They pay attention to which media and vehicles drive the best leads which result in the most profitable client relationships.