Report: Business-to-business social spending is increasing

Business-to-business companies are set to nearly quintuple their spending on social marketing between 2009 and 2014, according to a report by Forrester Research. Firms spent about $11 million on social campaigns in 2009, a figure that is expected to increase to $54 million by 2014, according to the report. “Marketers are beginning to see opportunities to generate quality leads and position themselves as thought leaders in their industries,” notes one analyst.  eMarketer

Mobile users are getting much more social

Mobile use of social networking spiked 240%, to 14.5 million users, as of this past April compared with a year ago, a comScore study revealed. Mobile handset users visiting social-networking sites via browsers jumped 90%, year over year.  PC World Business Center/IDG News Service

Why social media isn’t an SEO magic bullet

Social media is a great way to share content, but it’s not a foolproof search engine optimization strategy, writes Norm Elrod. Most search engines have rules in place that limit or exclude the effects of links from social sites, he notes, so it’s better to rely on engagement to spread your message. “The best way to utilize social media for SEO purposes is to participate in the conversation. Have something to say, say it and link to it,” he writes.  SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Social Media