What is Social Media, and why is it becoming important?  Is it here to stay?

The main thing I’ve found about Social Media that is unique is instead of customers seeking products, services and solutions; the products and services find the clients by reaching them.

People may look in places.  Facebook, Google, Twitter, etc.  What reaches them through these means though, is something entirely different than a traditional marketing sense.  People are no longer looking for a product.  We review.  We read.  We compare.  We debate.  We review some more.

In all of this reviewing and deciding there is a taking of people’s opinions.  I recently read something that consumers will trust a review 80% of the time in their purchases, and advertising (online or otherwise) about 15% of the time or so.  I wish I had the link and if I find it I’ll post it.